Henry bags award hat-trick

THIERRY HENRY has been named Footballer of the Year for a record third time by the Football Writers’ Association.

Henry, 28, is the first player in 59 years of the award to receive the accolade three times. Sir Stanley Matthews, Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes and Gary Lineker all won it twice.

It has been a record-breaking season for Arsenal’s incredible Frenchman, breaking the club’s all-time goalscoring record and leading the Gunners to their first European Cup final, against Barcelona in Paris on May 17.

The striker was Footballer of the Year in 2003 and 2004 but last year’s winner was Frank Lampard. The Arsenal captain will receive his latest award at the FWA dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, in London, on Thursday May 11.

Chelsea’s John Terry came second, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney third and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard fourth in the votes cast by the country’s football writers.

Gerrard was named the players’ Player of the Year and collected his award on Sunday.

* Roy Keane’s testimonial at Old Trafford on Tuesday, May 9, is a 68,000 sell-out. The Corkman has yet to confirm whether he will play for Manchester United or current club Celtic in the game but it looks certain to break all records for receipts in benefit games.

An estimated 25,000 Celtic fans will travel — filling the entire North Stand.