Rooney gets 3rd Player of the Year award

MANCHESTER, England, April 30 (UPI) -- Manchester United's Wayne Rooney was voted the Premier League's Player of the Year by writers covering soccer in England.

Rooney, 24, has scored 34 goals this season in league play, despite missing time because of injuries. He earlier won Player of the Year awards as voted on by Premier League players and fans.

Officials said Rooney took more than 80 percent of the votes from the writers, easily outdistancing runner-up Didier Drogba of the Chelsea squad and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez.

"I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition, and to follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honored by the Football Writers' Association since 1948, it gives me real pride," Rooney said.

It is the third time in four years a Manchester United player won the writers' Player of the Year honor. Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2007 and 2008. In the 63 years the award has been voted on, Manchester United players have won nine times.