West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker has been voted the Footballer of the Year for 2011 by the Football Writers' Association.

The 30-year-old has stood out in a season during which his club have struggled against relegation. The Hammers currently sit 19th in the Premier League.
""Scott Parker has been so consistent this season with his performances in a West Ham team battling for Barclays Premier League survival and as such has forced himself back into the England national set-up,"" FWA chairman Steve Bates said.
""He has been an inspirational figure for the Irons and hopefully his professionalism will be rewarded with West Ham staying up at the end of the season.
""In what was one of the tightest votes of recent seasons, Scott is certainly a worthy winner and follows in the footsteps of a long line of superb footballers who have been given this prestigious honour.""
The Professional Football Association voted Tottenham's Gareth Bale as their player of the season on Sunday, but he came second in the Football Writers' poll.
(Source: Eurosport)