Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the decision of the Football Writers Association to make West Ham captain Scott Parker their player of the year for the 2010-11 season.
• Blog: Hats off to Scott Parker
• Redknapp: Parker could leave
• Fergie: Chelsea better than Arsenal
Parker overcame Gareth Bale to be crowned winner of a prize that has been running since 1948. He is only the second Hammers recipient, following in the footsteps of legendary England skipper Bobby Moore, and comes in a season when his club could well be relegated.
Ferguson has been dubious about the merits of such prizes ever since David Ginola won in Manchester United's 1999 treble-winning year, a decision he still feels was "an insult'' to the Old Trafford outfit at the time.
Centre-back Nemanja Vidic, winger Nani and striker Javier Hernandez have all enjoyed impressive campaigns for United, who remain in contention for a Premier League and Champions League double, and Ferguson could be forgiven for expressing similar sentiments now as he did 12 years ago.
Instead, the 69-year-old claims Parker deserves the honour and believes it makes a refreshing change, with Parker the first winner from outside the established 'big clubs' since Alan Shearer, then of Blackburn, won it in 1994.
"It is a good step forward to give it to a really good professional,'' said Ferguson. "Scott Parker has certainly done a good job at West Ham. There is no doubt about that.
"He is probably the player who has driven them on and motivated them to still have a chance of staying up, even though they have a mountain to climb now.
"I remember when we won the treble, David Ginola got it. I have nothing against him at all but it was an insult to Manchester United that it was felt not one United player had a better season than he did.
"It is nice to recognise someone outside the clubs who always get publicity like United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.''
