Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been named the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for 2009.
Liverpool skipper makes up for missing out on Players' Player trophy
Any disappointment PFA Players' Player of the year nominee Steven Gerrard may have felt on missing out on the union's grand prize can now be erased, as he has scooped the fans' award.
The Liverpool skipper, who has picked up three monthly awards this season, can now add the title of PFA Fans' Player of the Year 2009 to his ever-growing list of honours.
England midfielder Gerrard was the first ever winner of our annual fans' player award back in 2001 and this latest tribute shows that his popularity is as great as ever.
There's no bigger fan of the inspirational Liverpool star than PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor: "Steven has always been a particular favourite of mine and I was delighted when he was nominated by his fellow pros for our Players' Player of the Year award.
"Obviously, that particular award went to Ryan Giggs, and rightly so, and I am equally thrilled that football fans up and down the country,
givemefootball readers, have acknowledged Steven in this way.
Worthy winner
"Like his many supporters and suitors, I have the utmost respect and admiration for the way he continues to go about his business. He is a top pro and a worthy winner."
Whilst Gerrard was a three-time monthly winner this season, in the Championship and League One, the annual award went to two top strikers who were twice named Fans' Player of the Month.
Marcus Tudgay of Sheffield Wednesday finished the season in sensational fashion and was the monthly winner in February and March, whilst
Jermaine Beckford of Leeds ended the regular season as he started it - as a monthly winner also.
Tudgay, who was recently named the Hillsborough club's player of the season, has really impressed this season - his manager as much as anybody.
Brian Laws said: "Marcus has had a fantastic season and the way he plays, his attitude, epitomises everything that we are all about at this football club.
"Whether he is asked to play on the right wing, or the left wing he would just get on with his job and even if I asked him to go in goal, he would - and he would give his all for this club."
Going nowhere
Leeds United boss Simon Grayson is also delighted with his star striker, Jermaine Beckford, who has contributed more than 30 goals to the club's promotion cause.
"Teams have been sniffing around him, and understandably so, but he is under contract to us and I am pleased he is our player," said Grayson.
"To score over 30 goals in a season is a real achievement at any level. When you have somebody who can finish chances like he does it is great. He is a fantastic talent. If he gets a consistent base to his game, he can go to the very top."
The Fans' Player of the Year in League Two is
Jordan Rhodes, the young Ipswich striker who made such a big impression on loan at Brentford until injury ended his season prematurely.
Huge promise
He was happy enough with his monthly award for March, let alone claiming the annual title, and he will be a big plus for new Ipswich boss Roy Keane next season.
Jordan ,who scored seven goals in 14 games for Brentford as the Bees surged towards promotion, said of his time at Griffin Park: "It was absolutely brilliant and I loved every minute of it.
"From the kit man through to the fans who came to watch us train and play all the way through to the players, manager, chief executive and chairman, everyone made me feel really welcome. It is a great club and I have gained so much from my time there."
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