The Tottenham Hotspur and Wales midfielder rounded off a remarkable
season by becoming the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo to do the
double at the prestigious ceremony.

Bale beat off competition from last year's winner Robin van Persie, who
was third in the vote behind Luis Suarez and Bale, while Michael
Carrick, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata were the other nominees.

The 23-year-old has scored 19 goals in 29 games for Spurs and also had four assists and created 68 chances in a stellar season.

Bale said: "It's a massive honour. To be voted by your peers is one of
the biggest things in the game. It's great to win it and I am delighted.

"When you look at the list, 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. "

The Welshman also took home the Young Player of the Year award, making
him only the third player in history after Ronaldo in 2007, while at
Manchester United, and Aston Villa's Andy Gray, 30 years earlier, to
receive both prizes in the same season.

Bale also won the senior award two seasons ago when he shot to fame with
a series of scintillating displays domestically and in the UEFA
Champions League.

The official vote in the Young Player category saw Villa's Christian
Benteke finish in second, Eden Hazard in third with Romelu Lukaku, Danny
Welbeck and Jack Wilshere the other nominations.

PFA chief Gordon Taylor thinks Bale is a good role model to the youth of today.

wow what a player & what a man !

He scores when he wants, he scores when he waaaaants...

I'm okay with him taking the PFA award but I don't think he should have been nominated for the Youth PFA award.

^^^^ spose it depends how you work it vendetta. ultimately if your the best player overall and are young enough to win the young version as well, then you should win both cos its all about who is best. i think its good as it is cos it reminds everyone else that the best player is also a baby (with so much more to learn and show) cos he is also holding the young player award too. you think you should only qualify for senior or younger award and not both? i see merits of that but i like current system.

The problem with this is he's 23 and turning 24 in almost two months now. I can't consider that as young enough to win the award. Anyone can disagree with me though, as it is only my opinion.

yeah but he would have been 23 for entire season. yeah 23 seems high anyway tho. maybe should be 21. but then you have ppl like giggs playing at 40+ so i can see both arguments. i spose in cold light of day for players of 23 and younger Bale has been the best player this season by a million miles

Congrats to Bale. :)

I agree with Vendetta on this one. I know the criteria says under-23 but how can you have people like Wilshere & Bale in the Young POTY award? It's a bit ridiculous IMO. It should be called instead best "breakthrough Player of the Year" and it should only include players who spent their first full season in the Prem or who are very youn (like U20).
It just doesn't sit well with me is all.
All congrats to Bale for the POTY award. Suarez would've been my pick but NOWAY that was going to happen. Good for Bale he has been magnificent for Spurs.

This years choices seemed to have more issues than usual.
I still find it CRIMINAL that Nastasic wasn't nominated or that MICHU wasn't placed in EITHER the nominations for POTY and Team of the year.

I think 21 would be a more appropriate cut-off age for the Young POTY, too.

@Foot: You really think Nastasic has been that good? I won't pretend I've followed City all that closely this season, but, he never stood out to me the times I watched them.

@lodatz: Nastasic should've been one of the first names on the young POTY nominations. He has been PHENOMENAL for City all year. He's only 20 years old and playing in his first season in the prem for the reigning Champions as a CB (the most difficult position to adjust to in the prem) and he has managed to start almost every match for them. He has displaced Lescott who had a unstoppable partnership with Kompany last year and he has done ever so well every time I've watched him. Reads the game well, is calm under pressure, and seems to have intelligence beyond his years.
No doubt in my mind he was MASSIVELY overlooked and unjustly so.

He deserves it!!!

Well it's been 23 for 50+ years don't forget that

^^ Fair point.

Thought I'd share, as I think it's well-made. Wish they hadn't left out his goal against West ham, and the roulette against Leeds, but, what can you do, eh? ;)