PHIL FODEN has been rewarded for his outstanding season by being named Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers Association.

The Manchester City midfielder has scored 24 goals to help put his boyhood club on course for a Premier League and FA Cup double.

3

3

And his efforts were recognised by FWA members – as he earned 42 per cent of the vote to scoop the prestigious award.

His England team-mate Declan Rice, who has enjoyed an excellent first campaign at Arsenal, was second.

Meanwhile Foden’s fellow City star Rodri – who has not lost a game with the club in 15 months – was third.

Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Chelsea’s summer signing Cole Palmer made up the top six.

But Foden is the third player from the Etihad to receive the FWA award in the last four years – following Ruben Dias in 2021 and Erling Haaland last season.

Sir Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the award in 1948.

It is also a double celebration for City as forward Khadija Shaw was named Women’s Footballer of the Year by the association.

The Jamaican, 27, and Chelsea’s Lauren James dominated a record vote – receiving 80 per cent between them.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

But it was Shaw who edged it – becoming the first City player to win since Nikita Paris in 2019.

And the news will be a welcome tonic for her as earlier this week she had surgery on a broken foot which will rule her out for the remainder of the season.

But she still looks set to finish as the WSL’s top scorer as Gareth Taylor’s side close in on the league title.

Three of her club mates also finished in the top six with Alex Greenwood third, Yui Hasegawa fourth and Khiara Keating in sixth.

Brighton’s Norwegian striker Elisabeth Terland broke up the sequence by finishing fifth.

It is the first time in five years that a City player has won both the men’s and women’s award.

Last time it happened was 2019 when Paris and Raheem Sterling topped the votes.

A total of 18 players got votes in the men’s section.

3

The others were: Virgil Van Dijk, Mo Salah, Bukayo Saka, Bruno Guimares, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, John McGinn, Ross Barkley, Alexis Mac Allister, Diogo Dalot, Son Heung Min and Jarrod Bowen.

Meanwhile, the other players to get votes for the women’s award were: Erin Cuthbert, Sjoeke Nusken, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone, Katie McCabe, Ashleigh Neville,

Millie Turner, Niamh Charles, Fuka Nagano, Taylor Hinds and Jess Carter.

Both winners will be honoured at the Footballer of the Year dinner in London on Thursday May 16.