Jackie named player of the year

JACKIE McNAMARA has beaten off the challenge of Celtic team-mates Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson to capture the Scottish Football Writers' Association Player Of The Year award.

The 30-year-old, who was voted SPFA Player of the Year in 1998, will receive the prize at the association's annual dinner next weekend - in recognition of a season of consistent excellent form and versatility in a variety of different positions for both club and country.

The news comes just one week after Sutton was voted the country's best player by his peers in the SPFA ballot.

Celtic coach John Robertson last night paid tribute to the player, who is also the longest-serving on the Celtic roster.

"I think he's been fantastic," Robertson said. "I think he's played brilliantly wherever we've asked him to play. Left-back, midfield, left centre-half. But then Jackie's a good player.

"I think he's settled down, he got in at the start of the season and just by his own performances we just couldn't leave him out."

The player recently signed a new one-year contract despite starting the season struggling to establish himself in the first team under Martin O'Neill.

"We've always thought Jackie's been good but you've got to remember there's been a lot of top-class players at this football club over the last three or four of years," added Robertson.

"He never let his head get down when he wasn't in the side so he deserves all the praise he's been getting."

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