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As the ice sets on another year of drama in the football calendar skysports.com's team of journalists recount all that has passed to dish out the gongs that really matter. 2010 was the year that the 'Special One' stole the coaching plaudits, Chelsea reclaimed their crown as English football's top dogs, England slumped depressingly in South Africa and Manchester City made light of these austere times to splash the cash. It was also the year in which super-injunctions became the must-have fashion accessory for any Premier League star worth his salt, while two declarations of dying love in Manchester dominated the column inches.
Player of the Year - Carlos Tevez
I briefly considered jumping on the latest bandwagon to come crashing into town by plumping for Gareth Bale, but for sheer consistency and importance to his team, Carlos Tevez sticks out like a sore thumb.
He enjoyed a brilliant second half to last season for Manchester City and is currently spearheading the club's push to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and potentially mount a sustained challenge for the Premier League.
His record in 2010 (up to 7th December) for City reads 39 appearances and 27 goals, including 24 in 32 in the Premier League, and it is a statistic that puts him close to the Primera Liga's leading lights Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Tevez may often cut a disgruntled figure with his comments about homesickness and his recent touchline row with manager Roberto Mancini, but the Argentine never ceases to give 100 per cent now he is his club's main man.
The former Manchester United forward is revelling in the responsibility of being City captain and leading the line, and has scored vital goals against numerous opponents.
If Tevez can replicate the form he showed in 2010 in the opening months of 2011, then City should certainly be able to celebrate qualification for the Champions League.
Signing of the year - Rafael van der Vaart
With the exception of Manchester City there were very few big-money signings in 2010, but managers still made some shrewd acquisitions and among the contenders for this award were Marouane Chamakh, Ben Foster and Peter Odemwingie, as well as Landon Donovan and Adam Johnson from the January transfer window.
Just coming out on top, however, is Rafael van der Vaart, whose move from Real Madrid to Tottenham was the big story of deadline day at the end of August as it came about so suddenly, with the deal not actually ratified by the Premier League until 24 hours later.
The Dutch playmaker has continued to attract headlines ever since for a series of majestic performances at the start of his White Hart Lane career, when he has brought an added dimension to Spurs' attacking play and chipped in with goals that have been significant as well as sublime.
Tottenham were already moving in the right direction but Van der Vaart's arrival looks to have accelerated the process and they will be confident of building on last season's achievements with the 27-year-old in their ranks.
Manager of the Year - Jose Mourinho
For the Manager of the Year gong we found it impossible to look anywhere beyond 'The Special One' himself, Jose Mourinho. If Inter Milan fans had any doubts about the outspoken boss after his first season at the helm, those reservations were well and truly banished following his triumphant second, during which he guided the Nerazzurri to a historic Treble.
Not content with leading his team to a second consecutive Serie A title, former Chelseaboss Mourinho went the whole hog in 2009/10 with success in the prestigious UEFA Champions League and the Coppa Italia to bring a remarkable three-out-of-three to the Giuseppe Meazza.
His spell at Inter came to a touching end in May when, having established himself as a firm fans' favourite, Mourinho's rapport with the players also came to light, with enough tears shed to make even Gazza appear stoic as he made a highly emotional exit for Real Madrid.
While the Portuguese manager's work overshadows that of many bosses in England, a special mention has to go to Harry Redknapp, who guided Tottenham to their best Premier League finish last season, winning them a Champions League spot in the process, and will now lead them through the knockout rounds after securing their safe passage into the last 16.
Celebration of the Year - Halldor Orri Bjornsson
Footballers are forever thinking up new ways of celebrating their achievement of slotting the ball into the back of the net. Quite often an individual will do something off the cuff and out of the ordinary, but clearly this year's winning submission was a carefully orchestrated and perfectly executed team effort.
The award-winning entry does not come from one of Europe's big leagues as you might expect but from Finland. The teams were Stjarnan and Fylkir and there was nothing fishy about Halldor Orri Bjornsson's successful penalty, but what followed can only be labelled as bizarre yet imaginative.
Bjornsson celebrated his strike by casting an imaginary fishing rod. Defender Johann Laxdal inexplicably turned himself into a fish and proceeded to squirm along the floor into the waiting arms of his team-mates, who then had their picture taken with the catch.
Definitely a moment worth capturing in time! Such was the impact of the goal celebration from Iceland it was replicated in Japan a week later, however, it is yet to feature in England.
Fantasy player of the Year - Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba has been something of a phenomenon since arriving in English football in 2004, but 2010 has been his most productive year to date.
The Chelsea striker finished the 2009/10 campaign as the Premier League's top scorer, notching 29 times in 32 appearances.
That marked him out as THE man to have in Sky Sports' Fantasy Football game, as he picked up a competition-leading 201 points, and the Ivorian has been the go to man again this term.
Drogba has already plundered seven goals, and laid on seven assists, in 2010/11 and sits prominently among the frontrunners in the battle to end the season with the top points return.
He may be a costly acquisition for Fantasy Football managers, at almost £8million, but his remarkable consistency means he can always be relied upon to deliver the goods.
Game of the Year - Man United 0 Leeds United 1
Never mind just the match of the year, this encounter restored faith in nostalgia, the romance of the FA Cup and the Beautiful Game in general as two of English football's arch enemies delivered a meeting of brilliantly old-fashioned tradition.
Only three days into the New Year, then League One table-toppers, Leeds, won the FA Cup third round tie courtesy of Jermaine Beckford's 19th minute goal, with time seeming to stand still as the ball dramatically, agonisingly trickled over the line at Old Trafford.
Premier League Manchester United rested some of their stars, but there was still room for Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and also a bigger picture as the 90 minutes crackled with an atmosphere from the days of Best versus Charlton.
Perhaps inevitably for a player who had then scored 20 goals in the season, Beckford collected Jonny Howson's long ball, which Wes Brown had misjudged, to display a composure some argue he lacks and roll past the onrushing Tomasz Kuszczak.
Flop of the Year - England's World Cup campaign
With Terry Venables and next England manager-elect Harry Redknapp literally singing up England's World Cup chances, the country was braced for celebration this summer.
Even David Beckham's horrendous pre-World Cup injury and the sight of Rio Ferdinand limping out on the eve of the first game did not dent our spirits. Who could stop an England led by Wayne Rooney - who had just finished his most successful campaign of his career with Manchester United, scoring 34 goals?
Many claimed he was ready to show the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the whole of the Spain squad, who really was the best player on the planet.
But from the moment Robert Green let Clint Dempsey's tepid shot through him in the opening draw with USA it was downhill.
England never got out of first gear in South Africa, and although they did limp through the group stages they were taught a footballing lesson by arch-rivals Germany to rub salt into the already gaping wounds.
Apologies followed from Capello, Gerrard et al - but the World Cup campaign of 2010 will surely be regarded as one of the most disappointing in English football history, and very much the biggest let down of the entire year.
Goal of the Year - Matty Burrows
There have been a lot of the usual suspects who were in the running for goal of the season, but I have decided to give the nod to the relatively unknown Matty Burrows of Glentoran.
Few people outside of Northern Ireland and the Carling Premiership knew of Burrows before his goal against Portadown, but he announced himself to the world with his stunning backheel effort.
Burrows showed great improvisation as he somehow scored with a backheeled volleyed effort from 12 yards that flew into the top corner to give Glentoran a dramatic win in the closing seconds of the game.
The goal has made Burrows an internet sensation and has even seen him nominated in the top ten for Fifa's prestigious Goal of the Year prize.
Burrows may not enjoy a career playing at the highest level, but he can be content that he has made an imprint on the football world with his truly spectacular, audacious goal which will live long in the memory.
Controversy of the Year - Rooney's transfer request
Rarely can a player have fallen further in football fans' affections in the space of a calendar year than Wayne Rooney.
In April, the Manchester United star was celebrating after being named Footballer of the Year following a barnstorming domestic campaign which left England in buoyant mood as they headed to the World Cup.
Fast forward six months and, after flopping horribly as Fabio Capello's side were dumped out in South Africa and reappearing as a shadow of himself once the domestic season began again, Rooney dropped a bombshell and told Manchester United he wanted to leave the club.
Speculation about strains between Rooney and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had mounted in the months after the striker picked up an ankle injury on Champions League duty - an injury which clearly hampered him in South Africa.
Rooney insisted his desire to move was driven by concerns over United's ability to attract top players, rather than money. Not everyone was convinced, particularly Red Devils fans who felt utterly betrayed.
Yet just as supporters prepared to torch their Rooney shirts, United and the player's representatives announced a new five-year deal. The final outcome fuelled the suspicion the forward's stance had been motivated purely by cash and the prospect of a double-your-money move across town to Manchester City.
Rooney - carrying another injury while the saga played out - has now returned to Sir Alex's team but has hardly been welcomed back with open arms by the United faithful. He will have to do his talking on the pitch rather than via his advisors if he's to regain his place in fans' affections.
As the ice sets on another year of drama in the football calendar skysports.com's team of journalists recount all that has passed to dish out the gongs that really matter. 2010 was the year that the 'Special One' stole the coaching plaudits, Chelsea reclaimed their crown as English football's top dogs, England slumped depressingly in South Africa and Manchester City made light of these austere times to splash the cash. It was also the year in which super-injunctions became the must-have fashion accessory for any Premier League star worth his salt, while two declarations of dying love in Manchester dominated the column inches.
Player of the Year - Carlos Tevez
I briefly considered jumping on the latest bandwagon to come crashing into town by plumping for Gareth Bale, but for sheer consistency and importance to his team, Carlos Tevez sticks out like a sore thumb.
He enjoyed a brilliant second half to last season for Manchester City and is currently spearheading the club's push to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and potentially mount a sustained challenge for the Premier League.
His record in 2010 (up to 7th December) for City reads 39 appearances and 27 goals, including 24 in 32 in the Premier League, and it is a statistic that puts him close to the Primera Liga's leading lights Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Tevez may often cut a disgruntled figure with his comments about homesickness and his recent touchline row with manager Roberto Mancini, but the Argentine never ceases to give 100 per cent now he is his club's main man.
The former Manchester United forward is revelling in the responsibility of being City captain and leading the line, and has scored vital goals against numerous opponents.
If Tevez can replicate the form he showed in 2010 in the opening months of 2011, then City should certainly be able to celebrate qualification for the Champions League.
Signing of the year - Rafael van der Vaart
With the exception of Manchester City there were very few big-money signings in 2010, but managers still made some shrewd acquisitions and among the contenders for this award were Marouane Chamakh, Ben Foster and Peter Odemwingie, as well as Landon Donovan and Adam Johnson from the January transfer window.
Just coming out on top, however, is Rafael van der Vaart, whose move from Real Madrid to Tottenham was the big story of deadline day at the end of August as it came about so suddenly, with the deal not actually ratified by the Premier League until 24 hours later.
The Dutch playmaker has continued to attract headlines ever since for a series of majestic performances at the start of his White Hart Lane career, when he has brought an added dimension to Spurs' attacking play and chipped in with goals that have been significant as well as sublime.
Tottenham were already moving in the right direction but Van der Vaart's arrival looks to have accelerated the process and they will be confident of building on last season's achievements with the 27-year-old in their ranks.
Manager of the Year - Jose Mourinho
For the Manager of the Year gong we found it impossible to look anywhere beyond 'The Special One' himself, Jose Mourinho. If Inter Milan fans had any doubts about the outspoken boss after his first season at the helm, those reservations were well and truly banished following his triumphant second, during which he guided the Nerazzurri to a historic Treble.
Not content with leading his team to a second consecutive Serie A title, former Chelseaboss Mourinho went the whole hog in 2009/10 with success in the prestigious UEFA Champions League and the Coppa Italia to bring a remarkable three-out-of-three to the Giuseppe Meazza.
His spell at Inter came to a touching end in May when, having established himself as a firm fans' favourite, Mourinho's rapport with the players also came to light, with enough tears shed to make even Gazza appear stoic as he made a highly emotional exit for Real Madrid.
While the Portuguese manager's work overshadows that of many bosses in England, a special mention has to go to Harry Redknapp, who guided Tottenham to their best Premier League finish last season, winning them a Champions League spot in the process, and will now lead them through the knockout rounds after securing their safe passage into the last 16.
Celebration of the Year - Halldor Orri Bjornsson
Footballers are forever thinking up new ways of celebrating their achievement of slotting the ball into the back of the net. Quite often an individual will do something off the cuff and out of the ordinary, but clearly this year's winning submission was a carefully orchestrated and perfectly executed team effort.
The award-winning entry does not come from one of Europe's big leagues as you might expect but from Finland. The teams were Stjarnan and Fylkir and there was nothing fishy about Halldor Orri Bjornsson's successful penalty, but what followed can only be labelled as bizarre yet imaginative.
Bjornsson celebrated his strike by casting an imaginary fishing rod. Defender Johann Laxdal inexplicably turned himself into a fish and proceeded to squirm along the floor into the waiting arms of his team-mates, who then had their picture taken with the catch.
Definitely a moment worth capturing in time! Such was the impact of the goal celebration from Iceland it was replicated in Japan a week later, however, it is yet to feature in England.
Fantasy player of the Year - Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba has been something of a phenomenon since arriving in English football in 2004, but 2010 has been his most productive year to date.
The Chelsea striker finished the 2009/10 campaign as the Premier League's top scorer, notching 29 times in 32 appearances.
That marked him out as THE man to have in Sky Sports' Fantasy Football game, as he picked up a competition-leading 201 points, and the Ivorian has been the go to man again this term.
Drogba has already plundered seven goals, and laid on seven assists, in 2010/11 and sits prominently among the frontrunners in the battle to end the season with the top points return.
He may be a costly acquisition for Fantasy Football managers, at almost £8million, but his remarkable consistency means he can always be relied upon to deliver the goods.
Game of the Year - Man United 0 Leeds United 1
Never mind just the match of the year, this encounter restored faith in nostalgia, the romance of the FA Cup and the Beautiful Game in general as two of English football's arch enemies delivered a meeting of brilliantly old-fashioned tradition.
Only three days into the New Year, then League One table-toppers, Leeds, won the FA Cup third round tie courtesy of Jermaine Beckford's 19th minute goal, with time seeming to stand still as the ball dramatically, agonisingly trickled over the line at Old Trafford.
Premier League Manchester United rested some of their stars, but there was still room for Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and also a bigger picture as the 90 minutes crackled with an atmosphere from the days of Best versus Charlton.
Perhaps inevitably for a player who had then scored 20 goals in the season, Beckford collected Jonny Howson's long ball, which Wes Brown had misjudged, to display a composure some argue he lacks and roll past the onrushing Tomasz Kuszczak.
Flop of the Year - England's World Cup campaign
With Terry Venables and next England manager-elect Harry Redknapp literally singing up England's World Cup chances, the country was braced for celebration this summer.
Even David Beckham's horrendous pre-World Cup injury and the sight of Rio Ferdinand limping out on the eve of the first game did not dent our spirits. Who could stop an England led by Wayne Rooney - who had just finished his most successful campaign of his career with Manchester United, scoring 34 goals?
Many claimed he was ready to show the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the whole of the Spain squad, who really was the best player on the planet.
But from the moment Robert Green let Clint Dempsey's tepid shot through him in the opening draw with USA it was downhill.
England never got out of first gear in South Africa, and although they did limp through the group stages they were taught a footballing lesson by arch-rivals Germany to rub salt into the already gaping wounds.
Apologies followed from Capello, Gerrard et al - but the World Cup campaign of 2010 will surely be regarded as one of the most disappointing in English football history, and very much the biggest let down of the entire year.
Goal of the Year - Matty Burrows
There have been a lot of the usual suspects who were in the running for goal of the season, but I have decided to give the nod to the relatively unknown Matty Burrows of Glentoran.
Few people outside of Northern Ireland and the Carling Premiership knew of Burrows before his goal against Portadown, but he announced himself to the world with his stunning backheel effort.
Burrows showed great improvisation as he somehow scored with a backheeled volleyed effort from 12 yards that flew into the top corner to give Glentoran a dramatic win in the closing seconds of the game.
The goal has made Burrows an internet sensation and has even seen him nominated in the top ten for Fifa's prestigious Goal of the Year prize.
Burrows may not enjoy a career playing at the highest level, but he can be content that he has made an imprint on the football world with his truly spectacular, audacious goal which will live long in the memory.
Controversy of the Year - Rooney's transfer request
Rarely can a player have fallen further in football fans' affections in the space of a calendar year than Wayne Rooney.
In April, the Manchester United star was celebrating after being named Footballer of the Year following a barnstorming domestic campaign which left England in buoyant mood as they headed to the World Cup.
Fast forward six months and, after flopping horribly as Fabio Capello's side were dumped out in South Africa and reappearing as a shadow of himself once the domestic season began again, Rooney dropped a bombshell and told Manchester United he wanted to leave the club.
Speculation about strains between Rooney and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had mounted in the months after the striker picked up an ankle injury on Champions League duty - an injury which clearly hampered him in South Africa.
Rooney insisted his desire to move was driven by concerns over United's ability to attract top players, rather than money. Not everyone was convinced, particularly Red Devils fans who felt utterly betrayed.
Yet just as supporters prepared to torch their Rooney shirts, United and the player's representatives announced a new five-year deal. The final outcome fuelled the suspicion the forward's stance had been motivated purely by cash and the prospect of a double-your-money move across town to Manchester City.
Rooney - carrying another injury while the saga played out - has now returned to Sir Alex's team but has hardly been welcomed back with open arms by the United faithful. He will have to do his talking on the pitch rather than via his advisors if he's to regain his place in fans' affections.