Joe Cole is Chelsea Player of the Year

[mhku]

Chelsea supporters have voted Joe Cole the club's Player of the Year for 2008.

In the award ceremony at Stamford Bridge, Cole finished ahead of the other two nominated players Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Ballack.

It's the first time Cole has collected the accolade, which was presented by former Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly.

In other awards, Juliano Belletti's 35-yard strike against Tottenham at the Bridge won Goal of the Season, sponsored by Chelsea TV, and handed over by all-time leading scorer Bobby Tambling.

The Samsung Players' Player Award, selected by the squad and coaches, went to Carvalho. Another former skipper and ex-Player of the Year, Ray Wilkins, plus Samsung's President Kim gave the honour to the Portuguese international.

The traditional Young Player of the Year award did not have a single winner. Instead, in recognition of the youth team's exciting run to the final of the FA Youth Cup, the entire Under 18s squad was honoured, the trophy collected by captain Nana Ofori Twumasi and manager Paul Clement.

A special achievement award was handed to Frank Lampard by former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio in recognition of the midfielder's 100 Chelsea goals.

Former FA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup winner John Dempsey was the recipient of special recognition award from John Terry for his Chelsea career that spanned 1969 to 1978 and his work running a children's home since.

Joe Cole joins the following list of Player or the Year winners:

1967 Peter Bonetti
1968 Charlie Cooke
1969 David Webb
1970 John Hollins
1971 John Hollins
1972 David Webb
1973 Peter Osgood
1974 Gary Locke
1975 Charlie Cooke
1976 Ray Wilkins
1977 Ray Wilkins
1978 Micky Droy
1979 Tommy Langley
1980 Clive Walker
1981 Petar Borota
1982 Mike Fillery
1983 Joey Jones
1984 Pat Nevin
1985 David Speedie
1986 Eddie Niedzwiecki
1987 Pat Nevin
1988 Tony Dorigo
1989 Graham Roberts
1990 Ken Monkou
1991 Andy Townsend
1992 Paul Elliott
1993 Frank Sinclair
1994 Steve Clarke
1995 Erland Johnsen
1996 Ruud Gullit
1997 Mark Hughes
1998 Dennis Wise
1999 Gianfranco Zola
2000 Dennis Wise
2001 John Terry
2002 Carlo Cudicini
2003 Gianfranco Zola
2004 Frank Lampard
2005 Frank Lampard
2006 John Terry
2007 Michael Essien
2008 Joe Cole

_http://www.chelseafc.com/page/NewsHomePage/0,,10268~1308742,00.html

 

[Salty25]

I'd have chosen Michael Ballack myself (who'd have thought that this time last year?!). Coley is a top top player though, must be said.

 

[RedDevil_UK]

likewise i like cole too, but would have chose Ricardo Carvalho..... hes had a great season.