Every day this week we are asking our contributors here at TheFA.com to make their personal awards for the season just gone. Here is who and what TheFA.com's Andrew Warshaw will remember from the 2002-2003 season... 

Goal - Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd v Fulham)

Ruud van Nistelrooy versus Fulham. The prolific Dutch striker received the ball just inside the Fulham half, evaded a succession of challenges with his pace, then somehow switched the ball - while still in full flight - from left foot to right. The final coup de grace was sublime. Van Nistelrooy managed to keep both his balance and his control before picking his spot with a glorious sidefoot. It was a crucial nail in Arsenal's coffin as United surged towards to the title.

Hat-trick - Sunderland

It has to be Sunderland's three own goals against Charlton, an embarrassing epitaph for a fanatically followed club that not only has to come to terms with the humiliation of life in the Nationwide league but also the sight of the Magpies flying high in the Premiership.

Save - David Seaman (Arsenal)

David Seaman's last great feat for his beloved Arsenal, a save that almost defied gravity late in the FA Cup semifinal against Sheffield United. While still off balance, Seaman somehow managed to claw away Paul Pescosolido's close-range effort that would have given the Blades a shock equaliser. The save has already been compared to those of Gordon Banks and Jim Montgomery in the annals of great stops.

Miss - Ryan Giggs (Man Utd)

"And Giggs must score". Only this time he didn't. Having knocked Arsenal out in the semifinals four years previously with one of the greatest cup goals of all time, Giggs somehow contrived to miss the target with no-one to beat but the keeper and not a single defender within 10 yards. No-one could quite believe that he spooned the ball over David Seaman's bar, perhaps the moment Arsenal knew their name was on the trophy.

Managers

Premiership - Sir Bobby Robson (Newcastle Utd)

To improve on fourth position was always going to be a tall order but the doyen of managers continued to defy the odds by somehow pushing Newcastle into third spot and another crack at the Champions League with a strong but not exactly world-beating squad. A past master at getting the best out of his players, Sir Bobby's enduring passion shone through. How Newcastle managed to squeeze into the second Champions League phase was nothing short of remarkable. Having totally revitalised Everton, David Moyes almost got the nod along with Southampton's Gordon Strachan and, of course, Sir Alex but Sir Bobby edges home.

Nationwide - Dave Jones (Wolves)

With all his off-the-field problems in the aftermath of his tenure at Southampton, the likeable Jones achieved what a succession of managers before him failed to do: take Wolverhampton Wanderers, the mother of all sleeping giants, back into the top flight. After 19 frustrating and painful years, the gold and blacks are back among the elite. Many thought Jones' chance had come and gone when he blew an 11-point lead in the previous season but he dug deep, never lost faith and, whatever happens in the Premiership, will always have a special place in the history of a special club.

Goalkeeper - Brad Friedel (Blackburn)

Antti Niemi almost gets the vote but he only joined Saints in mid-season whereas Friedel has been immaculate for the best part of two years at Blackburn. A colossus between the posts, the athletic American secured a string of points for Rovers with a consistency that earned him the top vote from this correspondent.

Best Buy - Christophe Dugarry (Birmingham City)

As gambles go, few worked out better than this. Labelled as lazy and profligate in front of goal, the former French World Cup star set St. Andrews alight with a string of wonderful performances that did much to secure Blues' place in the Premiership. Hats off to David Gold and Steve Bruce for bringing over a player who could have ended up a money-grabbing mercenary yet proved a joy to watch.

Most Improved Player - James Beattie (Southampton)

From also-ran to ace marksman and England squad member. Gordon Strachan has worked wonders with a player Glenn Hoddle was once thinking of selling. Beattie's explosive goals were primarily responsible for Saints' roller-coaster season, allied to a much improved all-round game. Without him, Southampton would not be the team they are.

Mistake - Peter Enckelman (Aston Villa)

Rarely, if ever, has a goalkeeper been quite so red-faced, especially since the television cameras were there to witness it. The blunder by the Aston Villa keeper, when he allowed an innocuous throw-in to roll under his foot and into the net against rivals Birmingham will always be dubbed one of the great goalkeeping errors yet to manager Graham Taylor's credit, he only briefly left Enckelman out of the team and Finnish keeper returned to put in some fine displays.

Bargain - Antti Niemi (Southampton)

Goalkeepers invariably cost less than outfield players but even at £2m, Niemi was a snip from Hearts with a series of acrobatic saves, some of them at point-blank range, that helped earn Saints a top-eight Premiership finish. His piece of outfield skill against Fulham at Loftus Road, when he struck the bar with a volley that led to Saints' last-ditch equaliser, was one of the season's memorable moments.

Newcomer - John O'Shea (Man Utd)

The United defender is on course to become one of the truly great players of his generation. With quality defenders in such short supply, O'Shea has saved his club a fortune with his speed of foot and mind, dependability and versatility. England's loss is surely Ireland's gain at international level and O'Shea looks certain to be a United regular for many years to come.

Unsung Hero - William Gallas (Chelsea)

While so many of his compatriots grabbed the headlines, Chelsea's French central defender played a massive part in steadying the ship when it looked as though Champions League football could be drifting away. In terms of consistency, few players were more impressive and though Thomas Gravesen of Everton almost stole this particular vote, Gallas's skill on the ball and unflappability clinched the award.

Missing in Premiership action

Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa), Agustin Delgado (Southampton), Julia Arca (Sunderland), Claudia Reyna (Sunderl and), Igor Biscan (Liverpool), Carl Cort (Newcastle), Francis Jeffers (Arsenal)

Team - Manchester United

What odds could you have got around Christmas of United overhauling Arsenal? This has to be surely Alex Ferguson's greatest domestic acheivement after trailing the Gunners by eight points. It just shows what strength in depth can do, David Beckham being left on the bench being a case in point.

Best Match 

Wolves 3 Newcastle 2 (FA Cup 3rd Round) 

A surprise choice perhaps and in terms of technique, not a patch on Manchester United's two Champions' League quarterfinal clashes with Real Madrid. But for sheer nail-biting excitement, nothing summed up the magic of the FA Cup more than this, a great advertisement for all neutral fans.

Performance - Juventus (v Real Madrid)

Juventus knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League in the semi-finals, second leg. The Italians' managed to exposed Real's achilles heel - a suspect defence - and showed Manchester United what could be achieved with a less gung-ho and more measured approach.

Skill - Real Madrid

The entire Real Madrid team in the first leg of the Champions league quarterfinal against Manchester United. This was when all their superstars clicked together and it could so easily have been four or five had Real taken their chances.

Up and coming English manager - Alan Pardew (Reading)

To steer Reading to third place in the first division, ahead of so many more fashionable sides, was a tremendous achievement. Pardew's young, energetic side were a breath of fresh air and only desperate defending by Wolves in the second leg of the semifinal playoff prevented the Reading boss from anticipating a possible Premiership campaign.

Quote - Florentino Perez 

"Never, never, never, never, never", The Real Madrid president's reply when asked if he would ever sign David Beckham. The rest is history.

Claim - Arsene Wenger 

Arsene Wenger's ill-timed remark that Arsenal were good enough to go through the entire season unbeaten. He still claims he never said it but the fans and the media will always believe otherwise.

Best Player - Wayne Rooney (Everton)

No list of awards could fail to include the Everton wonderkid, at last unleashed on an expectant public by David Moyes. In terms of goalscoring, strength on the ball, vision, pace and control, few young players of recent years have looked as exciting as Rooney who, at 17, has already broken into the England squad. How he fares next season is an interesting prospect.

Premiership - Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd)

Top scorer in the Premiership with 25 goals, the Dutchman just squeezed out Thierry Henry and the evergreen Gianfranco Zola after continually clinching the points for United, even when they were not at their best. From the penalty spot, perhaps only Alan Shearer and, in recent years, Matt Le Tissier, have been as consistent. A nerveless, clinical marksman who wears the "natural goalscorer" tag with such aplomb.

Nationwide - Paul Merson (Portsmouth)

Despite all his off-the-field problems, the former Arsenal forward became a hero on the south coast with a series of inspirational displays that took Portsmouth to the championship and a surprise place in the top flight where he returns next season.

One to watch - Carlton Cole (Chelsea)

Although his first-team appearances for Chelsea were limited, the young striker showed some excellent touches in front of goal whenever given the shirt and looks like developing into a regular at Stamford Bridge.

European - Pavel Nedved

While all the talk was of Zidane, Beckham and the like, the Czech midfielder came of age for Juventus, driving forward from midfield as the "Old Lady" surged towards the Serie A title. Nedved was just as impressive in the Champions' League where his mixture of vision, passing and tackling helped steer Juve towards the final for which, disappointingly, he was suspended.

Most memorable moment

Too many to mention but the constant sight of Gianfranco Zola outwitting players 10 years younger cemented his place as perhaps the greatest foreign import of recent years.

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