Tony Mowbray has been voted Ipswich Town's players' player of the year.

The 35-year-old central defender has been outstanding for Town all season after coming back from a knee injury last summer.

A stalwart at the back, Mowbray has grabbed two goals, away at Bury and Swindon, this season.

Mowbray, who was runner-up in the supporters' player of the year, took the players' accolade ahead of fellow defender Mark Venus.

he former Middlesbrough and Celtic star played twice for England B and has made more than 100 appearances for Town since joining for £300,000 in October 1995.

He played nearly 100 times for Celtic after signing from 'Boro for £1 million where he made more than 400 appearances.

Mowbray has played a key role in Town's 26 clean sheets which is a club record for league shut outs.

After recovering from a groin injury last summer Mowbray has shown consistently good form and was rewarded with another one-year deal for next season.

Mowbray said: "It is very pleasing to win any award but particularly so when it is from your fellow players who you feel know about the game. From day one at Ipswich I have been troubled by niggly injuries so this year I just wanted to be consistent.

"Our aim for every game is to keep a clean sheet and to achieve that 26 times is wonderful, but it is a real team effort.

"I had wonderful times with Celtic and Middlesbrough so it would have been a disappointment to end my career without doing well for Ipswich."

Blues boss George Burley said: "It is well deserved. Tony has been outstanding all season.

"Our defensive record speaks for itself and Tony has been the backbone of that. He has shown great leadership on and off the pitch."

"He has been troubled with a groin injury and last summer he needed to prove his fitness, he did, won a new contract and has been so outstanding throughout the season we have given him another contract for next year."

Adam Tanner is to have a cartilage operation this week.

Town's utility man has struggled for the past few weeks with the troublesome knee but has fought on to play on.

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