GARETH BALE AFUNIKA ULAYA

Gareth Bale proved unstoppable again on Sunday night as he picked up both the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.

The 23-year-old Tottenham winger became only the third man to win the double accolade, following Andy Gray in 1976-77 and Cristiano Ronaldo six years ago.

He also joined Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Ronaldo as the only men to have won the main award twice, after his first triumph in 2010-11.

Double delight: Gareth Bale won both the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards on Sunday

Winners: Bale with Women's Player of the Year Kim Little and PFA Chairman Gordon Taylor

Special guests: Manchester United Class of 92' featuring Ryan Giggs (bottom row left), Eric Harrison (bottom row, second left), Sir Alex Ferguson (bottom right, second right), Paul Scholes (bottom row right), George Switzer (top row second left), Kevin Pilkington (top row, fourth left) Phil Neville (top row centre), Chris Casper (top row fourth right) Nicky Butt (top row third right) John O'Kane (top row second right) and Gary Neville (top row, right) won the PFA Merit Award

Bale said: ‘It’s a massive honour. To be voted by your peers is one of the biggest things in the game. It’s great to win it and I am delighted.

‘When you look at the list there are some massive names on it but I couldn’t have done it without the team. They have been fantastic this year and so has the manager, so I would like to give them all a big thank you as well.

‘The other nominees have been unbelievable, they have been outstanding for their clubs and it’s a massive moment to win, especially as it’s both awards. It’s something that I’m extremely proud of.’

Peerless: Bale has scooped the coveted PFA Player of the Year gong for a second time

High times: Bale's incredible athleticism has meant his goals have come in all manner of ways

PFA TEAM OF THE SEASON

(4-4-2) De Gea (United); Zabaleta (City), Vertonghen (Spurs), Ferdinand (United), Baines (Everton); Mata (Chelsea), Bale (Spurs), Carrick (United), Hazard (Chelsea); Van Persie (United), Suarez (Liverpool)

Bale has almost single-handedly kept Spurs in contention for a place in next season’s Champions League, scoring 19 goals in 29 Premier League appearances, including a goal-of-the-season contender at West Ham and one in Tottenham’s first win at Manchester United in 23 years.

The Welshman was presented with the main trophy at the PFA’s annual awards dinner in London. He finished top of a shortlist that included Manchester United pair Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick, Chelsea duo Juan Mata and Eden Hazard, and controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. 

Key man: Bale's 18 league goals have bee vital for Spurs, especially against United, Arsenal and West Ham

OSSIE ARDILES

'As Andre Villas-Boas has said, we need to be in Europe to keep him and I think this is what is going to happen. He is very happy playing at Spurs - he is a big idol there and a big hero. At the moment he is very happy indeed.

'From the point of view of a supporter, I hope he stays for as long as possible at the club.

'I think he deserves to win. He has had a superb season.

All six players were named in the PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year, along with David de Gea and Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United, Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City, Everton’s Leighton Baines and another Tottenham player, Belgian Jan Vertonghen.

Reflecting on those he himself has been impressed with, Bale added: 'I think the same as everyone - Van Persie, Suarez, just to name two. They have been outstanding this season and it's been a great season for everyone to watch. There is still some time to go.'

In good company: Cristiano Ronaldo won both awards in 2007, and Andy Gray (right) scooped them in 1977

And on how he has surpassed his achievements of last year, in which he scored 15 goals, he explained: 'It's probably more shooting to be honest. I think I have come inside a lot more.

'I have a few less assists this year but I am in more scoring positions these days and that has obviously helped my scoring tally as we have seen this season.

'The goal against Norwich was one of my favourites, the West Ham one... Those two are my favourites from this season.'

In the young player category, Bale was selected ahead of Christian Benteke, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.

Arsenal's Kim Little claimed the women's gong. 

GARETH BALE FACTFILE

1989: Born July 16 in Cardiff.
2005: Joins Southampton as a trainee.
2006: April 17 - Aged 16 years, 275 days, becomes second-youngest footballer to play for Southampton in 2-0 Championship win against Millwall.
May - Makes Wales Under-21 debut against Cyprus. Quickly promoted to the senior squad for a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago, coming off the bench to become Wales' youngest-ever full international at 16 years and 315 days.
July 16 - Signs first professional contract with Southampton on his 17th birthday.
August 6 - Scores first goal for Saints with free-kick on opening day of the season in a 2-2 draw at Derby.
September 5 - Makes first start for Wales in 2-0 defeat to Brazil.
October 7 - Becomes Wales' youngest-ever goalscorer with a trademark free-kick in a 5-1 defeat to Slovakia.
2007: January - Bale's agent says he is happy to stay at Southampton despite Manchester United and Tottenham reportedly bidding £10million for the player. Both clubs admit their interest.
May 25 - Joins Tottenham.
August 26 - Makes his first-team debut for Tottenham in a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.
September 1 - Scores first Tottenham goal in away draw at Fulham.
September 15 - Scores in his first north London derby against Arsenal.
December 2 - Injury against Birmingham rules him out for the rest of the season.
2009: June - Undergoes knee surgery, ruling him out for the start of the 2009-10 Premier League campaign.
September 26 - Tastes victory as a Premier League player for the first time in 25 attempts in the 5-0 defeat of Burnley.
2010: January 26 - Secures first victory as a Premier League starter at the 23rd time of asking.
April - Scores in successive games against Arsenal and Chelsea to help Tottenham finish in the Premier League's top four. Named player of the month.
May - Signs new four-year deal for Tottenham.
August 25 - Sets up all four goals as Tottenham beat Young Boys 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League qualifying game to progress to the group stages.
October 20 - Scores a scintillating hat-trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro.
Named Welsh player of the year by the FAW.
November 2 - Produces man-of-the-match display as Tottenham beat Inter 3-1.
2011: January 28 - Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp rules out possibility of selling Bale, amid interest from Inter.
March 19 - Signs new four-and-a-half-year deal with Spurs.
April 17 - Named Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year.
2012: January - Named in the UEFA team of the year. Also named as Premier League player of the month for the second time.
June 27 - Signs new four-year contract with Spurs.
June 30 - Suffers a recurrence of an old back and hip injury after pulling up while running, ending his hopes of competing in the Olympics.
September 11 - Scores the first of his 29 goals so far this season - a stunning free-kick for Wales against Serbia.
October 20 - Pulls out of Tottenham's game against Chelsea just before kick-off so he can attend the birth of his first child, Alba Violet Bale.
2013: February 7 - Manager Andre Villas-Boas admits Tottenham are likely to lose Bale in the summer unless they qualify for the Champions League.
February 25 - Scores a contender for goal of the season at West Ham - an injury-time winner from 30 yards.
April 19 - Is shortlisted for both the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.
April 27 - Villas-Boas says he has been told by Tottenham that Bale will stay if Spurs finish in the top four.
April 28 - Becomes only the third player to be voted senior and young Player of the Year at the PFA Awards.