By Chris O'Brien
May 31 2005

ManUtdWeb's Player of the Season has been confirmed as Gabriel Heinze, with nearly 2,000 supporters casting their vote. The South American has enjoyed a superb great season at Old Trafford, despite early controversy surrounding the left back's decision to represent Argentina at the Olympic Games.

Nearly 2,000 votes have given their opinion, and the results are now in for the prestigious ManUtdWeb Player of the Season Award! Whilst the French rejected the EU Constitution, there was only one vote that really mattered and that was right here on ManUtdWeb.com with a whopping 34% of supporters naming Gabriel Heinze as United's top performer throughout a frustrating 2004/2005 season.

Heinze faced competition from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo for the illustrious price, with the two teenagers clocking up 29% and 22% of the vote respectively. Others votes were shared between Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith, Paul Scholes and the surprise inclusions Wesley Brown and Quinton Fortune. There were only ever three runners, but Heinze was a clear winner in what has been a superb season for the Argentinean.

The season started off rather unremarkable for the Argentinean with a potential bust-up with Sir Alex Ferguson threatening his career as a Red Devil before he had kicked a ball in anger. The South American opted to play in the Olympics to the fury of Fergie, who had splashed out £6.9million for the South American from PSG only to be told he would be missing for the early parts of the Premiership campaign.

However, when the former Sporting Lisbon defender did arrive he was a huge success. Adopting the traditional 'half-back' role he has terrorised attackers across the division with his performances on the left and also proved a potent threat moving forward. His tough-tackling approach has proved very popular, and he would seem a great signing from Ferguson who at the age of 26 could well be Old Trafford's left-back solution for the foreseeable future.

He clocked up 39 appearances and netted 1 goal, ironically on his eagerly anticipated debut. Twelve bookings for club and country are testimony to his 'no nonsense' style. Heinze has been consistent throughout the campaign in a season full of disappointments, but missed out on the F.A Cup final due to injury. Who knows what impact he could have had as United lost the Cup to the Gunners in the cruellest of fashion?

Many congratulations. Well deserved.

Gabriel Heinze - ManUtdWeb Player of the Season - 2004/2005