Eden Hazard has received the PFA Player of the Year award for the 2014-15 season, here are some of the finest footballers who were unlucky never to be awarded the prize themselves.
Frank Lampard
A huge surprise, undoubtedly one of the finest footballers of his generation, Frank Lampard has never been awarded the PFA Player of the Year.
One of the greatest players in Chelsea's history, in 13 seasons at Stamford Bridge he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Europa League and the Champions League. Lampard scored 20 or more goals in every season over a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, and is the only player to have scored at least 10 goals in the Premier League for 10 consecutive seasons (2004-2013). One of seven players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is second only to Ryan Giggs in the Premier League's all-time assists table. Lampard also made 164 consecutive Premier League appearances, a record for an outfield player.
Ahead of his departure from the Premier League, Frank Lampard has been recognised for his achievements by the PFA and has been honoured with the special merit award.
Paul Scholes
A Manchester United legend, one of the best and most naturally gifted footballers to grace the game it is hard to believe that Paul Scholes never once won this award in his long career at Old Trafford, where he is regarded as one of their best ever players. During his illustrious career Scholes won eleven Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and two Champions Leagues.
Peter Schmeichel
Twice-named 'World’s Best Goalkeeper' (1992 and 1993), Schmeichel won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup and the Champions League (completing the treble in 1999) in eight seasons at Manchester United, but never got his gloves on the PFA Player of the Year trophy.
Tony Adams
One of the best defenders in English football history, Tony ‘Mr Arsenal’ Adams spent his entire 22-year playing career at Arsenal, where he is regarded as a club legend. He won four top flight league titles (including the unique feat of captaining a title-winning team in three different decades), three FA Cups, two League Cups and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup. A statue honouring Adams was unveiled outside the Emirates stadium in December 2011.
Bryan Robson
The archetypal player's player, 'Captain Marvel' Bryan Robson could have won the player of the year award in a number of seasons. He captained Manchester United to three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners's Cup. He also won two Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford.
Glenn Hoddle
The most skilful English player of his generation and should have been given the award in 1987 when his team-mate, Clive Allen, was rewarded for scoring 49 goals that season. Following that season, 'The King of White Hart Lane' Hoddle moved to Monaco hoping that his talents would be more appreciated there. He won Ligue 1 under Arsene Wenger in his first season and was voted the top foreign player in France. For some reason though, there was always the impression that English football didn't quite 'get' Glenn Hoddle.
Gianfranco Zola
Won two FA Cups, a League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup during his time at Chelsea. One of the first truly brilliant foreign stars to play in England after the explosion of the Premier League, Gianfranco Zola is surely one the most surprising names not on of the PFA award winners list.
Patrick Vieira
Created history by captaining the Arsenal 'invincibles' team that went undefeated in winning the Premier League title in the 2003-04 season. Patrick Viera is another of the finest footballers ever to play in the English league who was unlucky not to be crowned the PFA Player of the Year.
Michael Owen
In his first full season in the Premier League Michael Owen finished as joint top scorer with 18 goals. He repeated that feat the following season and was Liverpool's top goal-scorer from 1997 to 2004. With Liverpool, in 2001, he won a cup treble of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup, and Owen was awarded the Ballon d'or. An electrifying forward at his best for Liverpool, it is hard to believe Owen never quite did enough to be the PFA Player of the Year.
Cesc Fabregas
Perhaps could have won it this year, Cesc Fabregas has consistently been a world class midfielder during his time playing in the Premier League, but is yet to claim the PFA Player of the Year award with either Arsenal or Chelsea.
Peter Beardsley
Think of some of the great strike-partnerships over the years and you might think of Peter Beardsley and Kevin Keegan, Beardsley and John Aldridge, Beardsley and Ian Rush, Beardsley and Gary Lineker, Beardsley and Tony Cottee, Beardsley and Andy Cole, and Beardsley with Les Ferdinand. Beardsley's clever football brain and passing brought the best out in numerous partners. He also scored over 200 times himself during his career. It’s a travesty that he retired from the game without receiving the accolade of the PFA Player of the Year at least once.
Alan Hansen
An elegant central defender who should have picked up the award at least once from 1979 to 1984. During that period, Alan Hansen was part of the successful Liverpool squad that won five League titles, four League Cups and three European Cups. Hansen also went on to win a further three League titles as well as two FA Cups with Liverpool before retiring in 1990 without ever having being named player of the year by the PFA.
Rio Ferdinand
One of the finest defenders in world football during 12 successful years at Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand made 455 appearances for the Red Devils, winning six Premier League titles, two League Cups, the Champions League and a FIFA Club World Cup.
Graeme Souness
Possibly one of the most underrated players, his physicality perhaps overshadowed his technical skill. In seven seasons at Anfield, Graeme Souness was the driving force from midfield during a very successful period of Liverpool's history, where he won five League Championships, four League Cups and three European Cups.
Andy Cole
Won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 1994 and went on to become the Premier League's second-highest ever goal-scorer with 187 (though Wayne Rooney should surpass that mark soon), behind only Alan Shearer. However, Andy Cole was never recognised by his peers for the main award.
Didier Drogba
Probably the best striker in Chelsea’s history, Didier Drogba, despite three League titles (about to be four), four FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and two Premier League Golden Boot wins, is another great player who has somehow never received the award.
Neville Southall
For a while in the mid-1980s, Neville Southall was rated by many as the best goalkeeper in the world, and was certainly the best in the First Division, particularly in Everton's title-winning season of 1984-85. He was voted as the Football Writers' Association's Player of the Year that season, but not the PFA's (the award went to Southall's team-mate Peter Reid).
Yaya Toure
Arguably could have won the award in 2013-14 ahead of Luis Suarez, Yaya Toure was outstanding for Manchester City as they won the Premier League title, putting in some memorable displays and scoring an amazing 20 goals in 35 games from midfield.
Sergio Aguero
Undoubtedly one of the finest strikers to have played in the English top flight, Sergio Aguero was a vital member of Manchester City’s two title-winning teams, but he is yet to be awarded with the individual recognition of PFA Player of the Year.
Ian Wright
Scored 185 goals for Arsenal, the club's record-scorer for a time until Thierry Henry came along. With Arsenal he won the Premier League, two FA Cups, a League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. On his day there were few more exciting strikers to watch than Ian Wright. Robbie Fowler
A club legend at Liverpool, Robbie Fowler earned the nickname 'God' from the Anfield crowd. Won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 1993, and at the time it looked like Fowler would surely go on to lift the main award at some point during his career, but the recognition from his fellow pros never came.
David Beckham
A global phenomenon and one of the most recognisable names in world football, David Beckham was perhaps a victim of playing alongside too many other star names in his time at Manchester United where he contributed greatly to the most successful period in the club’s history.
Fernando Torres
Considered by many as a major flop at Chelsea it is easy to forget quite how good Fernando Torres was in his time at Liverpool, where he scored 65 goals in 102 games, perhaps was a casualty of not winning trophies during his spell at Anfield.
Source: DSG
