In a fascinating warm-up to next months FA Cup Final between Millwall and Manchester United, Cahill saw-off challenges from United nominees Paul Scholes and Wes Brown, as well as Millwall team-mate Darren Ward. In clinching the prestigious FA award, Cahill gives the rest of the Millwall team a timely boost ahead of The FA Cup Final against United.

By accumulating the most votes, Tim also earns a place in the inaugural FA Team of The FA Cup, joining this elite team of outstanding performers from this season’s FA Cup competition.

Cahill was one of four FA Cup Semi Final players shortlisted for the prestigious award, run in partnership with UMBRO, as Millwall went head to head with Cup Final opponents Manchester United.

He polled 47% per cent of the votes registered in 8 days at TheFA.com following the Semi Final ties played on the 3rd and 4th April. Team-mate Darren Ward was a close second with 46%.

Cahill settled the all-Nationwide Semi Final against Premiership hopefuls Sunderland, scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory and booking the Lion’s their first ever FA Cup Final appearance.

Delighted by news of his victory, Cahill told us: "I'm honoured that so many fans have voted for me as the FA Cup Player of the Round. To beat the likes of Paul Scholes and Wes Brown, not to mention Darren Ward, is a thrill. It was the highlight of my career to score the winning goal which took Millwall through to our first ever FA Cup Final. It's the sort of thing you dream about as a kid.

"Although this award has been given to me, I want to accept it on behalf of the whole team, because it was a tremendous team effort which got us through. We are all really looking forward to May 22nd and being part of one of the greatest sporting occasions in the world."

Previous winners of The FA Cup Player of The Round run in partnership with UMBRO, are to be afforded The FA VIP treatment at this year’s FA Cup Final and will be paraded around the pitch before the Cardiff crowd. An honour which Tim would have enjoyed, had he not been playing in The Final itself!

Trevor Brooking, The FA’s Head of Football Development, said; "The FA Cup is a magical competition. I was lucky enough to play in and win two FA Cup finals, which included scoring a winning goal in the 1980 final.

"By introducing the Player of the Round and the Team of The Cup awards, The FA is acknowledging Tim and ten other heroes who this season will have contributed to some great results at each round of the competition since August."

So far over 1.4 million votes have been collectively polled in Player of the Round competitions this season with football fans countrywide clambering to back the competition’s star performers. Fans who voted on-line at TheFA.com were given the chance to win two tickets to FA Cup round matches of their choice.

Tim receives an engraved silver salver as well as £3000 worth of UMBRO football kit and equipment for a school, club, or organisation of his choice.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND - ROLL OF HONOUR

1st Qualifying Round – James Curley (Oldham Town) – hat-trick in 3-2 win over Liversedge.

2nd Qualifying Round – Paddy James (Lymington and New Milton) – hat-trick in 8-2 win over Clevedon Town.

3rd Qualifying Round – Jeff Minton (Canvey Island) – Match-winning hat-trick in 4-3 win over Dover Athletic from 3-1 down and nine minutes left!

4th Qualifying Round – Steve Guinan (Hereford) – hat-trick in 6-1 win over Harrow Borough.

1st Round Proper – Darren Currie (Wycombe Wanderers) – Scored twice in 4-1 win against Swindon.

2nd Round Proper – Ashley Sestanovich (Scarborough) – scored winner in 1-0 giant-killing victory over Port Vale.

3rd Round Proper – Lee Trundle (Swansea City) - scored twice in 2-1 victory over Macclesfield.

4th Round Proper – Bruno Cheyrou (Liverpool) – scored twice in 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

5th Round Proper – Jose Antonio Reyes (Arsenal) – scored twice on 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

6th Round Proper – Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal) - scored twice in 5-1 win away to Portsmouth.

Semi-Finals – Tim Cahill (Millwall) – scored the winner in Millwall’s 1-0 victory over Sunderland.