Giggs named finest in England

The evergreen Ryan Giggs paid tribute to manager Sir Alex Ferguson after finally adding the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award to his litany of honours in a ceremony in London on Sunday.

'The big one' 
Giggs beat Manchester United FC team-mates Nemanja Vidić, Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edwin van der Sar as well as Liverpool FC's Steven Gerrard to take the prize, voted for by his fellow professionals, for the first time in his long career. "It's right up there with personal accolades," said Giggs, who will make his 800th club appearance if he lines up against Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday. "I've been fortunate to win a lot of trophies, I won the young player award twice, but this is the big one."

Young honour
Aston Villa FC winger Ashley Young was named Young Player of the Year this time around but the night was Giggs', even if the former Welsh international did try to shift some of the spotlight. "I've been so fortunate to have such a great career in so many great teams; it's not even worth thinking about what it would have been like without the manager," said Giggs, who has won 23 trophies with Sir Alex at United since making his debut in 1990/91. "The manager has been massive in my career from when I first met him when I was 13. That's over 20 years and he knows me better than anyone and our relationship has been brilliant and just gets better."

'Exciting season'
Giggs was also one of six United players named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, but knows better than anyone that there is still work to do. "It's an exciting season," he said. "I think it is going to go right to the wire; there's big game after big game now. That is what you want and need at a club like Manchester United. As long as I'm getting picked, enjoying it and injury-free, I'll carry on as long as I can. At 35 you can't look too far into the distance, you just can't."

Premier League Team of the Year
Edwin Van der Sar (Manchester United FC), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth FC), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United FC), Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United FC), Patrice Evra (Manchester United FC), Ashley Young (Aston Villa FC), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United FC), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea FC), Fernando Torres (Liverpool FC).