Men's Player of the Year (voted for via TheFA.com)
Steven Gerrard, Liverpool
Runner up Danny Welbeck, Manchester United, Third Place Ashley Cole, Chelsea
England captain Steven Gerrard has been crowned the Men's Senior Player of the Year for 2012 after taking over 40 percent of the fans' votes on TheFA.com.
The 32-year-old edged out Danny Welbeck and Ashley Cole to clinch the award, which he received tonight at St. George's Park by England World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton.
Gerrard became England’s sixth cap centurion in November when he chalked up his 100th appearance in the meeting with Sweden.
It was his eleven games during 2012, though, that convinced the fans to vote for him as their main man for a second time in the award's ten-year history.
After collecting his landmark cap, he was still keen to add more to his tally: “I still feel fresh, looking forward to the next game as much as my debut. Every time you put the England shirt on, it is a proud moment," said the Liverpool midfielder.
Although Gerrard didn’t get on the score-sheet he led from the front as England’s skipper on ten occasions after renewing acquaintances with Roy Hodgson, his former manager at Anfield, who believes he can inspire the country’s young stars.
“In Steven the younger players can look at someone who has 100 caps, and they must think ‘goodness me, he started at the same age I am, but he's still here 14 years later’ and what a career he's had," Hodgson said.
"In Steven's case he has a great enthusiasm and passion to play, and that can be infectious to other players. The other thing about Steven is that he is not a player who can be pigeon-holed, he is an all round midfielder capable of contributing right across the pitch from defence to attack.
"I can see him playing for many years to come.”
He was outstanding in Poland and Ukraine, drifting a perfect free-kick into the goalmouth for Joleon Lescott to head England in front in the opener with France in Donetsk.
Gerrard, who won the England Player of the Year award in 2007, made equally vital contributions in England’s other two fixtures in Group D. He delivered the cross for Andy Carroll to head home in a 3-2 victory over Sweden and had a hand in Wayne Rooney’s headed goal that beat co-hosts Ukraine.
During the start of England’s 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign he was unlucky to see red after a couple of typically robust challenges against Ukraine at Wembley and swung over the corner from which Rooney headed England into the lead in Poland. In his 100th appearance his free-kick to the far post was perfectly placed for Steven Caulker to slide the ball home for a 2-1 advantage.
For Liverpool, the club he has served so well for 15 years, ‘Stevie G’ won the League Cup and was a runner-up in The FA Cup during 2012.
Also picking up a prize at the inaugural FA England Awards was journalist Matt Lawton from the Daily Mail.
Lawton was selected as the first winner of the Brian Woolnough Writers' Award. The Football Writers’ Association and The FA chose him as their top journalist covering England during 2012.
The award is named in honour of Brian Woolnough, chief sports writer of the Daily Star, who passed away in September following a long battle against bowel cancer aged 63.
Lawton, now Executive Sports Editor of the Daily Mail received the award from Brian’s widow, Linda.
Sam Wallace (the Independent), Shaun Custis (The Sun) and Oliver Holt (Daily Mirror) were the highly commended journalists.
