The
Tottenham Hotspur and Wales midfielder rounded off a remarkable season by
becoming the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo to do the double at the
prestigious ceremony.
Bale
beat off competition from last year's winner Robin van Persie, who was third in
the vote behind Luis Suarez and Bale, while Michael Carrick, Eden Hazard and
Juan Mata were the other nominees.
The
23-year-old has scored 19 goals in 29 games for Spurs and also had four assists
and created 68 chances in a stellar season.
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. "
The
Welshman also took home the Young Player of the Year award, making him only the
third player in history after Ronaldo in 2007, while at Manchester United, and
Aston Villa's Andy Gray, 30 years earlier, to receive both prizes in the same
season.
Bale
also won the senior award two seasons ago when he shot to fame with a series of
scintillating displays domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.
The
official vote in the Young Player category saw Villa's Christian Benteke finish
in second, Eden Hazard in third with Romelu Lukaku, Danny Welbeck and Jack
Wilshere the other nominations.
PFA
chief Gordon Taylor thinks Bale is a good role model to the youth of today.
He
said: "Everyone knows Suarez is a great footballer, I just wish at times
he could fall in to line because footballers are role models and Gareth and
Robin van Persie are really good examples for the younger generation."
Arsenal
Ladies midfielder Kim Little, meanwhile, won the inaugural PFA's Women's Player
of the Year award and the Scot said: "It is a great night for me. For
various years I have watched this event on television so to come here and win
the first award is fantastic."
Bale
had previously spent most of his career deployed on the left flank for
Tottenham and his first club Southampton but this term he has played more
centrally, which he thinks is the reason why he has scored so many times.
"I
have been shooting a lot more, and I have been coming inside a lot more,
too," he added.
"There
are a few goals which I enjoyed. The one against Norwich was one of my
favourites, and the West Ham one.
"Those
two are my favourites from this season. 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."
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