Villa Talk Player Awards 2007

[JohnCresswell]

Well the results were pretty conclusive in the end. Who did you vote as your Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year?

Get your suit on and enter the Villa Talk Player Awards 2007.

Most Improved Player of the Year

This category was aimed at giving praise to the players who may not be thought of has being the best player of the year, but to recognise the achievement of a much better playing performance that last season. All three categories had run away winners, but this year's winner had the highest percentage result for this category than the others did for there, perhaps recognising exactlly how far the chap has come on this season.

The runners up were:

Olof Mellberg - Olof has put in a string of commanding performances this season, and seems to be much happier without the Captain's armband. He even managed to score the first goal of the season - the first goal at Arsenal's new Ashburton Grove stadium.

Gabriel Agbonlahor - Gabby shot to fame at the end of last season, and has gone on to become one of the first names on the team sheet. A fantastic rise to the top.

Gareth Barry - Well, he wins most other awards....

Liam Ridgewell - Liam didn't have a great season last year, but under O'Neill, whenever he has played he has looked assured and confident. Lets just hope if he does make the suggested move to Small Heath, he becomes the 'old' Ridgewell again.

and the winner is....Wilfred Bouma!

The Dutch international has reclaimed his place in the Holland squad and become one of the players in a Villa shirt you can guarentee will have a solid game. Not bad for a player who only a year ago was havingsome people ask "did we really pay £3.5million for him?!". Freddy has clearly enjoyed having Martin O'Neill as manager and shown not only some excellent defending but a willingness to get forward. When he first joined the club we were told Frddy has a decent left foot on him and the ability to score a few goals. If anyone deserves to score Villa's final goal of the season, its Bouma, who has saved Randy Lerner and Martin O'Neill an awful lot of money during the (hopeful) summer spending spree - no left back needed - we've got Freddie! Bouma got 91% of the vote.

Young Player of the Year

Having not played for the first team, Barry Bannan was not up for vote.

The runners up:

Luke Moore - he may have spent most of the season out injured, but he managed to impress some voters. Luke has still managed to chip in with some goals and had a good bit of form in the early part of the season.

Ashley Young - In recent weeks Young has performed to the potential that Martin saw reason for spending £9million on him. A fabulous goal last week perhaps helped convince his voters.

Craig Gardner - Is he thaat defensive midfielder we seem to need? It certainly seems that way - Craig isn't frightened to put his foot into a tackle - I can imagine it might end up with a few sendings off in his career - but if he continues to play the way he has been, I don't think people will mind.

Gary Cahill - No herotic, acrobatic goal this season, but Gary polled over 15% this year after a steady and strong first full season in the Villa first team. He has partnered a fair few defenders this year, and managed to do so with class and few mistakes. Nice one Gary.

And the winner is...Gabriel Agbonlahor!

Gabby has scored nine goals so far this season - and frightened an awful lot of defences! He is a fantastic player for Villa to have - as not only does he possess a decent shot on him but his pace is something which I really do not think can be matched by anyone else in the Premiership. He's won us a fair few penalties on the way this season, and had he not had been needed on the wing for a major part of the season, I can imagine he'd have even more goals to his name. He polled 80%.

Player of the Year

The top three runners up were...

Wilfred Bouma - the popular left back nearly made it a 'Double' this year, but had to make do with third place this time.

Gabriel Agbonlahor - these awards make it sound like we only had three players doing well this year, which isn't the case, but y'know, it's you lot that voted for it!

And the winner is.....Gareth Barry!

What a suprise. We might as well call this the Gareth Barry award now! Once again Barry has been the star performer this year, whether it's been on left wing, left back or in the center of midfield. Gareth has managed to break into the England squad now, and will represent his country at 'B' level once the season is over, against the Imternational heavyweights of Albania. I joke, but Barry has shown he is more than capable at playing at the highest level, and we are delighted that he chose to stay and become the captain of Aston Villa rather than falling for the bleatings of Redknapp at Portsmouth during pre-season.

Three players may have been singled out here, but I think it's appropriate here to thank all the players who have pulled on the Villa shirt this season for their efforts, and of course, Martin O'Neill, his backroom staff and Randy Lerner along with the rest of the board for their continued enthuiasm and effort into making Aston Villa a top club again. It may be a few more years until we are right at the top, but we'll do it.