Ronaldo Scoops Another Award.
Cristiano Ronaldo today picked up the Barclays Player of the Season and The Barclays Golden Boot award to complete a sensational season for Manchester Uniteds prodigious talent.
The 23-year-old has been handed the prestigious Barclays Player of the Season accolade for the second year in succession following the 2007/8 season in which he picked up the Barclays monthly honours for January and March and played a pivotal role in Manchester United retaining the Barclays Premier League title.
Manchester United's tenth Barclays Premier League title was aided in no small part by Ronaldo's goal tally. 31 goals from 34 Barclays Premier League appearances saw the Madeira-born winger hold off stiff opposition from Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Fernando Torres of Liverpool to collect The Barclays Golden Boot award.
Ronaldo's final total represents the first time a player has scored more than 30 goals in a season since Alan Shearer's 31-goal haul for Blackburn Rovers twelve years ago. In addition to his award, Ronaldo will receive £1,000 for every goal scored to be donated to a charity of his choice.
Sir Alex Ferguson has won the Barclays Manager of the Season Award for the eighth time in his career after guiding his United side to a second successive Barclays Premier League title.
Despite a stuttering start to the new Barclays Premier League season, which saw Ferguson's men fail to register a win in their opening three games, United kick-started their campaign with a 1-0 home success over Tottenham Hotspur, which initiated an unbeaten run of nine games, of which they won eight.
Ferguson's side continued to win admirers throughout the season with their free-flowing style of attacking football, and remained well placed at the top of the league for much of the campaign. Despite a narrow defeat to closest rivals Chelsea in April setting up a tense finale, United held their nerve to clinch the title with victory at Wigan and earn Ferguson his tenth Barclays Premier League title since 1993.
The decision was made by the Barclays Awards Panel, which includes representatives from football's governing bodies, the media and fans.
