It was a memorable night for the Chelsea midfielder, who became only the second man to claim the official honour, following David Beckham last season but he was the first to be presented with the brand new trophy.

It was also a special evening for the man who made that presentation to Frank.  Mick Longstaff travelled down from his home in Whitburn near Sunderland after winning TheFA.com's competition to meet the England Player of the Year and give him his prize.

Before the game he had a chance to watch the team warm up from the sideline and then it was his opportunity to shake hands with the man who 40% of England fans voted as their number one player of the last 12 months and England Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

"It was a brilliant night. I had such a great time meeting Frank and Sven, and being so close to the team," said the 31-year-old.

"When I first had the call to say I'd won, I thought it was a wind-up, I couldn't believe it. Now it's a night I'll never forget.

"It's not often that I'm lost for words," added Mick, "but when I met Sven I was speechless.  He's a very pleasant man, spot on. I was in awe."

Winning the competition allowed Mick to get close up to some of the country's top players, and he was surprised at just how fit they looked.

"Watching them on TV, you don't really notice how fit these players are.  They looked sharp in the warm-up and when they walked past me I couldn't see an ounce of fat on any of them."

After his excitement had died down, the Sunderland fan had a chance to look back on his night with the England team.

"I arrived at the ground in the nick of time, I cut it very fine. But as soon as I got to Villa Park, I was whisked off into the players' tunnel and was able to take a walk out on to the pitch.

"I was handed the trophy while Frank was still warming up, and I could almost feel the many cameras aimed from all angles taking photos of the trophy.

"But it just seemed to happen so quickly. Before I knew it, it was over."

For Frank, his reign as England Player of the Year has just begun as he sets out to help Sven's men reach Germany in 2006, and perhaps get his name on the Trophy again.