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O'NEILL LANDS BARCLAYS AWARD

source : www.premierleague.com


Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been named Barclays Manager of the Month for April.

O'Neill's side recorded three successive away wins in the Barclays Premiership and spent the entire month unbeaten in the league.

Villa enjoyed their travels last month with victories at Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Manchester City.

And their strong away form was complemented by solid home draws against Everton, Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth.

This is the first monthly award O'Neill has collected since November 1999 when he was manager at Leicester City and is his fourth overall.
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Ronaldo nets Football Writers' Association award

Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association.

The Manchester United winger topped the journalists' poll ahead of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

Ronaldo's team-mates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were third and fourth respectively.

It caps a superb season for the Portugal international, who also collected both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year trophies.

Ronaldo, 22, has been in awesome form for United, as the Red Devils remain on course for a Barclays Premiership and FA Cup double, having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The achievement is all the more remarkable considering the somewhat harsh criticism the Portuguese winger received from some fans during the early stages of the season following England's demise at the World Cup.

Ronaldo will be presented with his latest prestigious accolade at the FWA Footballer of the Year dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on May 17.

Chairman of the FWA, Paul Hetherington said: 'After the events of last summer at the World Cup, the vote of the Football Writers' Association shows that what we are all interested in is honouring the best player in the country.

'There has been no agendas carried over from last summer.

'This was a heavy poll of our members. Cristiano has been a runaway winner, and deservedly so.'

Hetherington added: 'We also know we have a player who is absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this accolade.'

Former England captain Alan Shearer - voted Footballer of the Year himself when at Blackburn in 1994 - will propose the toast the FWA, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary.