Bale named PFA Player of the Year

               

PFA Chairman Clarke Carlisle, presenting Bale with his award

The victory for the Welsh star, who has scored 19 goals in a breakout season that has seen him transformed from winger into out-and-out goalscorer, means that it is now four years since the PFA Player of the Year played for the Premier League champions - the last man to earn both the PFA award and a league winners' medal in the same season was Ryan Giggs in 2009.

Defence: Gordon Taylor, with winner Gareth Bale, insists it was not a mistake to book Hunter

Bale's double success made him only the third player ever to win both Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards; Cristiano Ronaldo and Andy Gray pulled off the feat in 2007 and 1977 respectively.

“It’s a massive honour," said the 23-year-old.

“When you look at the list of winners there are some massive names on it but I couldn’t have done it without the team. They have been fantastic this year and so has the manager. I couldn’t have won it without them.”

Gary Neville

Fabrice Muamba

Spurs' £50 million-rated star was one of an unprecedented four attacking players named in the Premier League team of the season. Voters obviously could not choose between Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Liverpool's Luis Suarez, Tottenham's Bale and Manchester United's Robin van Persie, so all four were named in the side.

Robin Van Persie and Wife

Van Persie's title-winning team-mate David De Gea also made the side, vindicating Alex Ferguson's faith in a shot-stopper who had a torrid start to his career at Old Trafford.

Rio Ferdinand also made the XI despite, or perhaps because of, his refusal to take up the offer of a place in the England squad recently, while Michael Carrick's inclusion meant the recently-crowned champions have four men in the line-up.

Premier League team of the Season:

Goalkeeper: De Gea (Manchester United)

Defence: Zabaleta (Manchester City), Vertonghen (Tottenham), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Baines (Everton)

Midfield: Mata (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester United)

Forwards: Hazard (Chelsea), Suarez (Liverpool), Bale (Tottenham), van Persie (Manchester United).