Coloccini Named In Team Of The Year

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Newcastle United captain Fabricio Coloccini has been named in the Professional Footballers' Association Premier League Team of the Year for 2011/12.

The Argentine international centre-half has been outstanding this season, not only leading the Magpies to their current standing of fourth place in the Premier League table, but also being part of a rearguard which has kept 14 clean sheets over the course of the campaign.

And on Sunday night Coloccini was recognised by his fellow professionals, who voted for him as one quarter of the best defence in the top flight this term, alongside Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker, Everton left-back Leighton Baines and Manchester City centre-half Vincent Kompany.

The 30-year-old, who put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at the Club in March, has made 35 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring once - a last-gasp extra-time winner at Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup.

Coloccini has been on Tyneside for almost four years and  took over the United captain's armband last summer following the departure of Kevin Nolan to West Ham. He made his 150th appearance for the Club against Stoke on Saturday.

It is the skipper's second accolade of the season, having already been named the North East Football Writers' Player of the Year for 2011.

PFA Team Of The Year in full:

Joe Hart (Manchester City); Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Leighton Baines (Everton); David Silva (Manchester City), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur); Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Robin van Persie (Arsenal)