• Premier League

Parker claims FWA honour

ESPN staff
April 22, 2011
Without Scott Parker, West Ham would be dead and buried in the league table © PA Photos
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Scott Parker has been awarded the prestigious Footballer of the Year award for 2011 by the Football Writers' Association, becoming only the second West Ham player to do so since the great Bobby Moore.

Parker took the award ahead of Tottenham star Gareth Bale, who last week was named as the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year, and will receive his award at a dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel on May 12.

The award is recognition for the excellent form that Parker has displayed despite playing for a team in West Ham that has battled against relegation all season. The midfielder has also enjoyed a resurgence in his international prospects with England of late.

Parker's achievement in securing the award, first won by Stanley Matthews in 1948, is made all the greater by the fact that he is the first player from outside the traditional big four to be recognised since Tottenham's David Ginola was named Footballer of the Year in 1999.

West Ham's only previous winner was former England captain and World Cup winner Bobby Moore, who took the award in 1964.

FWA chairman Steve Bates, chief football writer at The People said: "Scott Parker has been so consistent this season with his performances in a West Ham team battling for Barclays Premier League survival and as such has forced himself back into the England national set-up.

"He has been an inspirational figure for the Irons and hopefully his professionalism will be rewarded with West Ham staying up at the end of the season.

"In what was one of the tightest votes of recent seasons, Scott is certainly a worthy winner and follows in the footsteps of a long line of superb footballers who have been given this prestigious honour."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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