Bruno Fernandes says he is honoured to be voted Footballer of the Year – and thanks ‘amazing’ Carrick

Bruno Fernandes says he is honoured to be voted Footballer of the Year – and thanks ‘amazing’ Carrick Bruno Fernandes says it is “very special” to be voted the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year. Fernandes polled nearly 45 per cent of the vote thanks to his standout season which has seen him register 19 assists and get Manchester United back into the Champions League. Portugal midfielder Fernandes says he was “very grateful” to the FWA members who voted and was also delighted to join a list of United greats to have received the award.

Fernandes is the first United player to win the gong since Wayne Rooney in 2010 and joins the likes of George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Teddy Sheringham in receiving the honour. United captain Fernandes said: “Obviously it’s always nice to see a lot of people have voted for you and I know this is a massive award in the UK and for me it’s very special to do it. “I know that the club have not had a winner since 2010 with Wayne Rooney and that makes it even more special for me.

“It also comes from people who follow football from all around the UK, people who work in the background behind the players and it makes it very special. “Of course, you like to see good things out there about you – you don’t like it as much when it’s not so good – but it’s part of the job. “Obviously when these moments come, I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be here on behalf of the people who voted for me and also the ones who didn’t vote for me and who made other choices.

“Obviously everyone has different opinion, different tastes, but I’m very happy and very honoured to receive this award. “It means a lot, I’ve always said that I’d rather it was a collective award rather than individual ones but, as a player, you would rather this type of occasion to also show you are doing things right. “But also I want to achieve everything that those (other United) players achieved in terms of winning with the club.