By Chris Wright
Surprising literally no-one and defying precisely none of the odds, Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was bestowed with the PFA Player of the Year award (as voted for by his fellow pros) at a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London yesterday evening.
Said RVP:
“If other people are saying it, it is special, but it is even more special if your opponents are saying it. If they make up their minds that I’m the best player it is a big honour.”
Despite the world and his dog already knowing about it due to a leak, Tottenham’s half-man, half-whippet right-back Kyle Walker was handed the Young Player of the Year award, while wizened Preston stalwart Graham Alexander was given the PFA Merit Award to honour his 21 years of dedicated service to the game…
Cue the ‘that’s only silverware Arsenal/Spurs will be winning this season’ quips in 3…2…1…
The PFA also got round to naming their ‘teams of the year’ for the Premier League, Championship and League’s One and Two respectively – and they looked a little something like this:
Premier League Team of the Year: Joe Hart (Man City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Leighton Baines (Everton), David Silva (Man City), Yaya Toure (Man City), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).
Championship team: Kelvin Davis (Southampton), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), James Tomkins (West Ham), Curtis Davies (Birmingham), Ian Harte (Reading), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Peter Whittingham (Cardiff), Mark Noble (West Ham), Matt Phillips (Blackpool), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley).
League One team: Ben Hamer (Charlton), Jack Hunt (Huddersfield), Michael Morrison (Charlton), Harry Maguire (Sheff Utd), Rhoys Wiggins (Charlton), Johnnie Jackson (Charlton), Stephen Quinn (Sheff Utd), Stephen Gleeson (MK Dons), Darren Potter (MK Dons), Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield), Ched Evans (Sheff Utd).
League Two team: Robert Olejnik (Torquay), Paul Caddis (Swindon), Kyle McFadzean (Crawley), Ian Sharps (Shrewsbury), Kevin Nicholson (Torquay), Matt Ritchie (Swindon), Marlon Pack (Cheltenham), Eunan O’Kane (Torquay), Lee Mansell (Torquay), Izale McLeod (Barnet), Tyrone Barnett (Crawley).
Joel Lynch was robbed.
(Photos: PA)