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Welcome to the inaugural, and highly, highly unofficial, end of season ESPN/thedevilinme awards. It has been a season of ups and downs with moments to cherish and a few to forget, hasn't it Nemanja. Nonetheless, after careful consideration with the Crinkleys (the guys I go to the games with) and a few other season ticket holders, here is the honour roll for 2008/09....
Tantrum of the season:
A lip-wobbling stroll for Didier Drogba. His post semi-final outburst flip-flops ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's little strop in the same round. Apparently Drogba has a young child, no doubt daddy is still a hero. An honourable mention also for Robinho for not wanting to report back for training how many times?
The Mike Ashley Award for Loss of Credibility:
Monsieur Ashley himself did not waltz in with an infinite bank account of goodwill but his pigsear-ing of Newcastle will take some beating. Alas also poor Carlos, after we spent the entire season chanting his name he refuses a contract and says he "doesn't feel wanted enough". Are you deaf?
The MP award for money well spent:
It all looked so rosy in September. David Bentley, Spurs's marquee signing, scores the goal of the season against Arsenal and seemingly has the world at his feet. Then, like Keyser Solze, he's gone. Beckham for England. Quaresma was also an astonishing waste of money and you might not want to mention Robbie Keane to Benitez any time soon.
The Matrix Revolutions award for disappointment:
Again after briefly bright starts those chaps at Chelsea managed to hari-kiri by losing faith with Big Phil before the paint had dried on his parking space. One of the main reasons? Deco, a supremely talented player and a total waster. Sorry Bentley, you're in this one too.
UNITED AWARDS
Most improved player:
Darren Fletcher, often maligned but now a really key part of the United puzzle. We missed him in Rome and I look forward to him bursting out of the traps in the new campaign.
Undersung Hero:
John O'Shea. The man who played the most games in the long run of clean sheets and a guy who never lets us down. O'Shea is also now in the top 20 for appearances in a United shirt.
Most Sorely Missed:
Owen Hargreaves, assuming this guys legs are still attached he will be welcome back with open arms. I hope the recovery is going well.
The 'United Moment' Award:
Step forward Federico Macheda. At the age of 17 you have mastered the art of making grown men cry. Now go and finish your A-levels.
Performance of the season:
A solid mention in 3rd place for Ben Foster's heroics during the Carling Cup Final. An assured display and extremely promising for our future between the sticks. Joint first goes to Rooney for his brutal destruction of Chelsea at Old Trafford and Ronaldo's astonishing showing against Arsenal in the Champion's League semi-final.
Goal of the season:
Macheda comes close but Ronaldo's goal against Porto must surely rank as one of the greatest of all time. Pretty much no contest.
Young Player of the season:
Stepped up to the plate and looked assured all the way through. We had serious injury and suspension problems in January at the back and it was men like Evans who made sure we barely noticed them.
Player of the Season:
Congratulations Rio Ferdinand. Without this guy in the side we are a different team and his steady marshalling of the defence over the last couple of years has been crucial to all of the success we have enjoyed.
Comments
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Posted by Marvin on 06/24/2009
Very good awards, i agree with all except one. Vidic is my player of the season. Cheers
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Posted by James on 06/25/2009
We Kenyan fans can't let go Nemanja the Serbian, we hope his wife can cope with the climate. Man U can't afford to lose you when you pair up with the American height.. I mean the English Ferdinand. if you asked me personally, give me Rooney and i let go everything. Bravo! once a "devil" always a "devil"
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Posted by Amzath on 06/25/2009
Vidic and Rooney are the real contenders for the player of the season. But
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Posted by samson on 06/25/2009
yea' i agree with you. vdic and Ryan are the best player of the year includes Ronnie (protigal son), Rooney annd Ferdinand. the most outstanding players of the year.
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Posted by kenna on 06/25/2009
rooney was the man this season
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Posted by Xavier on 06/25/2009
Rooney is my player of the season with some inportant goals including against Chelsea...
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Posted by samuel on 06/26/2009
pls u guys should pls buy a good player lik Benzema..........
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Posted by J-Kok on 06/26/2009
ferdinand vidic, untouchable unseparatable perfect pair at the back. both should be awarded. why don't they award another "most won't-be-missed player" to ronaldo? i'm sure he'll miss his glory days in united when he's there. yea i miss hargreaves very much. united will surely be better when he's back, hopefully start of next season. flexible can take on ronaldo's wing as well. i'm pleased with front men too, rooney berba, one fighter one play-maker, so sad another 'bull' tevez is gone. united better start investing a new star, for me ibrahimovic would be the perfect fit. replacement for tevez? pato! young, energetic, goals, definitely worth it. keeper? casillas! i'm sure fergie will make every cent of 80million count. GLORY MAN UTD!!
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Posted by Anand on 06/26/2009
those are the good awards to be given...appreciate that MU...but certainly my vote is for Vidic for the player of the season..
Of course rio was good but vidic was better..the main point to see is the amount of goals scored by vidic as a defender...Cheers MU..
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Posted by Bora on 06/26/2009
I want get information from you if man utd buy the new player and sell one player , I also want say if this club can get benzama and torrest or aquero and fabiano they really get champion league again and some trophy bye
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Posted by aniekan-abasi edet on 06/26/2009
vidic is the man, but don`t forget rooney.for ronaldo, if we fans did not miss david beckam and van we won`t miss, rather he will man u and the fans. HON SIR ALEX F. keep up you are the main and best MAN.
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Posted by barry on 06/26/2009
My player of the year is nemanja vidic.He was a rock all through the season and perhaps not taking anything away fro rooney
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Posted by ALAMS on 06/26/2009
Ferdi,gud 4 d award but
vidic betta nd nva 4get my French Man EVRA he deserve's some praise's too,ALEX shuld pls get AGUERO 4 us UNITD ARE D BOMB
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Posted by Shizzo on 06/26/2009
The analysis are very good,but I think the men my hat is off to are- Rooney,Ronaldo,Fletcher,Evans,Rio,Vida and Van der saa..Sir Alex, could we get a true winger quality out of Nani?-we also really need a very good prop up in the mid field..
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Posted by Gibbo #10 on 06/27/2009
I think Ryan Giggs or Rooney or Ferdinand should have got it. Ferdinand was dead stable at the back.Giggs was great throughout the season on the wing or in the midfield. Wayne Rooney was a prolific player who would come back if needed to.Great Season Man U and good awards to.
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Posted by ammarkus on 06/27/2009
i agree with you except that i think vidic deserve the player of the season.and there are also a lot more to come from the youngsters at the club not just macheda. but i totally agree that he was one of the main factor that we had won the title this year. i hope fergie will give the youngsters more chances as they are really promising and i am more please to see them get through the first team than seeing another imports take their spot.
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Posted by Soon on 06/27/2009
Owen hargreaves, yes, if it's fletcher, carrick and hargreaves in Rome then the 451 would work. anderson lacks the calm head against continental sides.
It's been too quiet for MU in the transfer market and gosh we don't need many strikers. We need a left winger/forward. But out of the many "linked" strikers only david villa is a matured/complete player. The rest needs time just like ronaldo when he first joined and there's one who is about there, Nani.
with hargreaves still a doubt, we need a defensive mid.
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Posted by Pat on 06/27/2009
What about Rafael? He's my young player of the season, because Evans look twice his age! Rafael will be a huge player for us, specially with our 'counter attack style'.
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Posted by DETEK AKINDE on 06/27/2009
I give it 2 VIDIC... United have d best defence in d world in recent time.Why d partner of rio and vidic has been d best united euer have.Bt vidic has been d heart of our defence.
2. CR7 has be an intergral part of united squad,but all united fan shd kw dat Rooney is d man of united not CR7.Rund left united score d highest goal..Taking u back 2 memory lane. 07/08 season,wh CR7 was crown world footballer,kudos 2 his goal against fulham and a lot more and also inspired united 2 a great duoble.remember utd lost & draw all most,or if not more than nine premier ship games, ROONEY NEVER FIXTURE bt CR7 seven only miss 3 due 2 suspension 4 d red card @ d beginning of d season.Remember MAN CITY home and away 1-0 & 2 - 1 respectively,thank 2 late CARRICK consolation @ old traford.. CR7 as prove himself as a great player in MAN U,bt as 4 me. ROONEY is not d kind of person 2 lose @ dis moment. 2 all utd and premiership fans WATCH OUT 4 WANYE ROONEY !!!
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Posted by Lynton on 06/28/2009
Dont forget Van Der Saar broke a world record, longest clean sheet
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Posted by moses ndebe on 06/29/2009
pls guys dont sideline jingsung park is the most improved player for last season especially with that performance in the arsenal game,he scored and he contributed to the other goal scored.pls sir alex our midfied need to be re inforced,buy the two zambian mid fieder in felix katongo and rain ford kalaba of sport brag in portugal and you will not regret.and for the goal keeper go for itumeleng nkune of south africa and zambias kennedy mwene and you will see the reserviour of players in the two countries of southern africa.send your agents in africa and you will see manchester will be european, world and barclays champions to time indefinately.pls fegie prove me wrong.
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Posted by Mrs. Rose on 06/29/2009
those are the good awards to be given...appreciate that MU...but certainly my vote is for Vidic for the player of the season..fact
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Posted by Obiora Uba on 07/01/2009
i think fergie is making a big mistake in letting tavez go,he is a goal getter he is strong,strugles for the ball,brings up moral of his team mate i m going to miss his exit,but believe me,he is going to finish us in man city
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Posted by SABASTIAN on 07/01/2009
CHRISTIANO CAN GO TO HELL HE WILL BE A TOTAL FLOP AT MADRID TEVEZ IS RIGHT TO LEAVE UNITED MY UPCOMING PLAYER IS MACHEDA
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Posted by Tapiwa Mubonderi on 07/02/2009
i think this why ronaldo left that man was in a class of his own and how can any of these other players be given more honour than him. gerard is the only other player who was performing on his level in england this past season. ferguson will need to get a player who is a world beater, i thought he would challenge madrid for kaka. tevez will be a problem coming up against him. i am sure we are going to see something special from the younger players, remember ronaldo would not have prospered if beckham and van nielstrooy had not been sent to madrid.
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Posted by Sherif Oyeleke on 07/03/2009
i believe man united can still perform without d duo of CR7 and Tevez. With Rooney upthere and possibly the injection of fresh leg like Villa. i believe Man united hv all with it takes 2 become champion again.
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Posted by Grant from Oz on 07/03/2009
Let's embrace the real possibility of Michael Owen becoming a red. SAF has based his success on players fulfilling a role. With CR7 and Tevez departing it makes for everyone else being able to exert their influence on games. Owen may just shock and surprise playing in a side of quality where he isn't the main man. If we sign him, give him a chance. I expect Berba to come on in leaps and bounds and Wazza to stamp himself as the EPL's best. Owen can only make us stronger and deeper. He will probably score more frequently than Tevez as well.
As the new season draws closer my thoughts turn to winning 4-in-a-row. It hasn't been done and maybe (don't hang me) that should be MUFC's main objective; that with overtaking Liverpool. Play the youngsters in the Champions League to give them a taste for following years. You never know, they may get the job done. We are a lot better and deeper than the rest of the world thinks and believes.
2009/10 = 19 and Sole owners of the Perch.
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Posted by Colleen Markey on 07/19/2009
Looking for Kenny Pluskota. Soccer player
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Posted by sabune on 07/26/2009
for its w rooney the man in the heart of united, vidic evra and ferdinand are all gud
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Posted by mrs joy abali on 12/17/2009
FROM:MRS JOY ABALI
PLOT 102 RUE 12 KOUMASSI 32
ABIDJAN COTE D' IVOIRE
My Dear,
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There is this huge amount of Seven Million U.S dollar ($7,000,000.00) which my late Husband kept for us in a security house here in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire before he was assasinated by unknown persons. Now i and my son have decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside Africa for security and political reasons.
We want you to help us to transfer this fund to your country for investment purposes on the followings below:
1). Estate Industry
2). Hotel Industry
If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer to you 15% Of the total fund on our arrival to your country.
I await your soonest response. Extend my warmest regards to your entire family.
Thank you and God bless you.
Sincerely yours,
MRS JOY ABALI.
PLOT 102 RUE 12 KOUMASSI 32
ABIDJAN COTE D' IVOIRE.
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Posted by madLyfe on 03/25/2010
This is my first visit here, but I will be back soon, because I really like the way you are writing, it is so simple and honest
Posted by rich youtuber on 09/08/2010
Care to share what web template your using....I love the web site layout
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About
Mark Payne writes about football for a variety of media outlets. He reported on the 2010 World Cup for Australia’s ABC network and worked at one of the FIFA fan sites. He has been ESPN’s Manchester United correspondent for four years. His writing attracts a worldwide following and in 2011 this blog was nominated for an award. To contact Mark for football discussion e-mail him on markpayne.editor@hotmail.com at any time. He wears lucky socks on match days.
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