Some of the biggest names in the English game are once again in contention for the PFA's exclusive Fans' Player of the Year award, sponsored for the first time by our partners from PLAYUP.

Last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo, inevitably, is in contention to retain his title having picked up the monthly award - now called the PFA 2UP Fans' Awards - after being voted star man by givemefootball readers in November and January.

Ronaldo's amazing collection of goals this season have won him many votes, admirers and compliments throughout the campaign, but the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Fernando Torres will be pushing him hard in the voting for the Fans' Player of the Year title.

Whoever wins this year's crown - and there's also Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs in the hunt in the Premier League - will certainly be following in some very illustrious footsteps as, in addition to 2007 winner Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Ruud van Nistelrooy and inaugural victor Gerrard are also proud former winners.

The list of this season's monthly winners in the Premier League alone reads like a veritable who's who of international football - and the voting is sure be faster and even more furious than in previous years.

Each season, interest in these unique awards continues to grow and their reputation has been even further enhanced with our three-year link-up with PLAYUP. The number of people who have voted, via givemefootball and skysports.com, has increased dramatically since the partnership was formed back in February.

Now the voting is well under way for the PFA 2UP Fans' Players of the Year, who will come from all the monthly winners across all four divisions - Premier League, Championship, Leagues One and Two.

The four major winners last season were Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Matthew Murray (Wolves), Billy Sharp (Scunthorpe) and Lee Peacock (Swindon), all of whom were absolutely delighted to receive an award that is unique to the English game.

Ronaldo himself said of his award: "Winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award and the Players' Player of the Year last year was an incredible honour I'm very proud of, but this award is special too because it's voted for by fans who turn up to watch and support you week in, week out during the season. I can't thank them enough."

What the winning players receive ...

As well as the monthly trophies, each divisional winning player also receives a sterling silver football stud, exclusively commissioned by the PFA

Each divisional winner of the overall Fans' Player of the Year award will receive a fantastic silver and gold plated trophy, along with an 18-carat gold football boot stud.

Only four of these studs are created each year and they are an award to be proud of, as they have been fashioned solely for the PFA 2UP Fans' Awards. All the players lucky enough to win know that they have won an award like no other in football.

Of course, as we always say, our main awards - Players' Player and Young Player - are the pinnacle because there can be no better honour than being acknowledged by your peers, but the PFA also believes these fans' awards confirm that supporters, as well as players, are the lifeblood of the game.

What the winning fans receive ...

And the bonus for fans if they are lucky enough to be one of the four chosen winners each month of the season when voting for that particular period is concluded is a monster prize package, unrivalled anywhere in the game.

This consists of presenting the award to the winning player on the pitch and receiving a framed, signed photo with a presentation certificate commemorating the event. They also receive two tickets for the appropriate game and VIP treatment from the club as well as being presented with a personally signed and framed shirt from their favourite player. All in all, a prize package which cannot be matched.

One lucky person will be the overall fan winner and they receive a spectacular prize package, as VIP guests of the PFA with a chosen partner to attend the PFA Awards Dinner. They will also have an all-expenses paid night at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park lane, London where the Awards Dinner is held.

With such prizes on offer, is it any wonder that this initiative has been so well supported by football fans nationwide and so well received by the players themselves?

Go to givemeootball.com now to register your Player of the Season vote.

Now's the time to vote for your PFA 2UP Player of the Year by going to the givemefootball homepage, clicking on the relevant banner and voting for one of the monthly winners across all four divisions of the best league in the world ...

In addition to voting online, the PFA's new official Fans Award sponsord - Play 2UP - gives football supporters the opportunity to vote on their mobile via SMS for their player of the month from each division.

All you need to do is text: VOTE, TEAM NAME and PLAYER NAME to 84287.

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The Monthly Winners So Far: 2007-08

Premiership

September - Cesc Farbregas - Arsenal

October - Steven Gerrard - Liverpool

November - Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United 

December - Ryan Giggs - Manchester United

January - Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United 

February - Emmanuel Adebayor - Arsenal

March - Fernando Torres - Liverpool