Brett Holman has appeared in all Aston Villa's league matches this season
Aston Villa winger Brett Holman has been named Australian footballer of the year.
The 28-year-old beat Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who won in 2009 and 2010, among others to the award, which was launched by Football Federation Australia four years ago.
Holman joined Villa in the summer from AZ Alkmaar and has appeared in all Villa’s Barclays Premier League matches this season. "It's a great honour," said Holman, who has 57 international caps. "It has been a long, hard road and a battle but I've achieved some great things in 2012 in club football and with the Socceroos."
Zamora to miss three months
Queens Park Rangers have been dealt a blow with news that Bobby Zamora will miss the next three months to have surgery on a hip injury sustained during training.
The 31-year-old forward moved to Loftus Road in January from Fulham and helped Rangers retain their Barclays Premier League status.
It is a blow for QPR as they seek their first win to move off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League. They have lost Andrew Johnson, who sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September, leaving Djibril Cisse as their only fit out-and-out striker.
Zamora has appeared in 10 Barclays Premier League matches this season, scoring three times.
Pardew confirms Cabaye surgery
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that Yohan Cabaye will have surgery on a groin injury.
"He will definitely have an operation, and we think it's going to be on Friday or Monday, I'm not sure," said Pardew. "That's a blow to us because he's a top player for us."
Lambert handed touchline ban
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has been handed a one-match touchline ban and fined £8,000 after "language and/or behaviour amounting to improper conduct" in the wake of his side's 5-0 defeat by Manchester City, The Football Association has announced.
The ban will take effect for Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Arsenal to Villa Park.
