Lampard scoops top prize

Chelsea star Frank Lampard has been named Footballer of the Year.

Chelsea star Frank Lampard has been named Footballer of the Year by the English Football Writers' Association.

The 26-year-old has played a huge part in Chelsea's success this season and that has now been rewarded with one of the top individual honours in the English game.

"Up to a couple of weeks ago it was a very close vote," Football Writers' chairman Gerry Cox told Sky Sports News.

"Frank picked up a lot of votes in the last couple of weeks, but in the end he was a convincing winner.

"The goals he scored at Bolton to seal the title win may just have made a difference as well.

"Since the influx of top foreign players into The Premiership the English boys have been squeezed out a little bit, but I think Frank is a worthy winner and it all bodes well for Sven and the English team."

Lampard was pipped to the Players' Player of the Year last month by team-mate John Terry, but he has now beaten his Blues colleague and Liverpool's Jamie Carragher to land the prize - won last year by Thierry Henry.

Lampard is only the second Chelsea player ever to win the award, following Gianfranco Zola who took the gong in 1997.