Eden Hazard has
been crowned the Chelsea Player of the Year for 2013/14. The Belgian received
the award from Jose Mourinho to a
cap a memorable second season with the Blues.
The awards ceremony, which took place in the Great Hall at
Stamford Bridge, was hosted by Chelsea TV's Gigi Salmon and Trevor
Nelson, the Radio 1 DJ and a Chelsea season ticket holder. Five prizes in
total were handed out.
The main award was voted for by supporters on this website,
with John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar
Azpilicueta - who won the Players' Player of the Year - making up the final
four nominations.
Hazard, who scored 17 goals this season including a number
of wonderful individual efforts, was thrilled to pick up the award for the
first time.
'I just want to say
thank you,' said the Belgian. 'The three nominees all deserved it but it's me!
We know it's a collective sport but individually trophies are sometimes good,
so I'll take this one home and enjoy it with my family.
'When I play I try to give
my best on the pitch. I like the applause and when the fans come they want to
see a spectacle.'
Earlier in the evening Cesar
Azpilicueta was voted the Players'
Player of the Year, chosen by members of the first team squad and technical
staff.
On accepting the award, handed out by 2002 Chelsea Player of
the Year Carlo Cudicini, Azpilicueta
paid tribute to his team-mates.
'Thank you to everyone
because it's a pleasure for me to have this award,' said Azpilicueta. 'I give
everything and sometimes I get angry with some of them but after five minutes
everything is fine so thank you.'
Paulo Ferreira
picked up the Special Recognition award for the service he gave the club
between 2004 and 2013 in the penultimate prize of the night.
In all he played 217 times for the club and was extremely
popular with teammates and supporters alike. His final appearance was as a late
substitute against Everton on the last day of the 2012/13 season. After the
game he brought the Europa League trophy, won a few days before, onto the
Stamford Bridge pitch and thanked the fans for their support over the previous
nine years.
Lord Sebastian Coe gave Ferreira his award and our former
defender, who was unaware he would be honoured with it beforehand, couldn't
hide his pride afterwards.
'I feel so humbled,' smiled
Ferreira. 'I can't believe I have won
this award. I spent nine great years at this club and I feel really happy.
Ferreira also praised the impact of Jose Mourinho, the man
who signed him from his former club Porto in 2004.
'If I'm here and I'm
having this award I have to say thank you to Jose. He was the one who brought
me to the club and I stayed here for a long time even though I wasn't expecting
it.'
There was a double celebration for Lewis Baker, who won both the Chelsea
Young Player of the Season and the Chelsea
Goal of the Season for his stunning mid-air half-volley against Arsenal's
Under-21 side.
Baker has enjoyed a fine season for our Academy sides at
Under-21 and Under-19 level, and was rewarded with a first team debut as a late
substitute in the FA Cup win at Derby. He was also on the bench, though
remained an unused sub, for our Capital One Cup win at Swindon in September and
more recently at Anfield when we defeated Liverpool.
On receiving the second award Baker said: 'Even to win one is an amazing feeling and
for me to get this award as well tonight is a great achievement.'
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