Carlos Scoops Awards Double

[ian1964 10,720]

CARLOS Cuellar has added another awards double to his personal trophy collection after a fantastic first season at Ibrox.

 

Carlos CuellarThe big defender picked up the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards at a glittering ceremony at the Hilton hotel in Glasgow tonight.

 

26-year-old Cuellar had already been named as the top performer in Scotland by SPL sponsors Clydesdale Bank and the Scottish Football Writers' Association.

 

Now the Spaniard has been recognised by his light blues team mates and thousands of fans from around the world who voted for him as their top Gers star last season.

 

He said: "It was fantastic to be voted the Player of the Year for Scotland and to be voted for by the Rangers' fans is special too."

 

Walter Smith has been delighted with his defender's first season at Ibrox and says Cuellar is a deserving winner.

 

Smith said: "Carlos has been a terrific signing for us. I think he came to us at the right time in his career and he has played exceptionally well for us both domestically and in Europe.

 

"Sometimes it's easier for players who come from abroad to show up better in the European matches because the SPL games are different to what they are used to.

 

"But Carlos has handled both with great aplomb and he is fully deserving of his awards."

 

John Fleck16-year-old John Fleck picked up the Young Player of the Year trophy after playing a key role in another double for Billy Kirkwood's youth team.

 

Fleck scored on the club's recent pre season tour of Germany and will be hoping to make the step up to Smith's first team more regularly this season.

 

At the opposite end of the age range in Smith's squad is the winner of the John Greig Achievement Award, Davie Weir.

 

Cuellar's centre back partner managed over 60 games for Rangers and further appearances at international level - a fantastic achievement for a player who turned 38 before the end of last season.

 

Weir played a crucial role alongside Cuellar as Rangers enjoyed an incredible run to the UEFA Cup final in Manchester.

 

Steven Whittaker scoresAnd it was that competition that would produce the pick of the club's goals last term as Steven Whittaker collected the Carling Fans' Goal of the Season award for his strike against Sporting Lisbon.

 

Whittaker's mazy run and finish to cap a fantastic performance in Lisbon will live long in the memory of every fan that travelled to Portugal for the quarter final clash.

 

It was a popular winner, edging out other Euro strikes from Charlie Adam and Daniel Cousin and domestic goals from Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch.

[DJBlue72 0]

Well done to the bigman fully deserved , but somehow Twinkle toes managed to win player of the year in front of Carlos the worlds gone mad.

[Guest Mac]

Whittaker's goal was a cracker, would have been my choice for goal of the season too.