NEWCASTLE UNITED'S £6 million striker Les Ferdinand was last night voted player of the year by fellow professionals despite his team's slumping fortunes in the premiership title race.
Ferdinand was presented with his PFA award at a special gala dinner in London after scoring 26 goals in 36 games for the Magpies this season.
He topped the poll ahead of last year's winner, Alan Shearer of Blackburn Rovers who has netted 34 in 44 games including five hat tricks.
Third place went to another Newcastle star, their French international winger David Ginola, the only foreign player to appear in the nominated top six. His compatriot Eric Cantona is still the only foreigner to win the title.
A third Newcastle player England's Peter Beardsley also appeared in the top six - for the fifth time - along with Nottingham Forest's Steve Stone and Liverpool's 31 goal marksman Robbie Fowler.
Fowler failed to repeat Andy Gray's 1977 feat of winning both the junior and senior awards but he was voted young player of the year for the second successive occasion, matching the feat of Ryan Giggs, the Manchester United winger who has also won that accolade in two successive years.
Ian Rush, the veteran Liverpool marksman who set the trail for Fowler to follow at Anfield, presented his young protege with the award.
There was also a special presentation to the PFA's guest of honour at the dinner, former Brazilian superstar Pele, who was handed his trophy by former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks.
