Blackburn Rovers skipper Andy Todd today thanked Mark Hughes for rescuing his career.

The 30-year-old defender was named the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Association player of the year for the second year running at a special presentation evening at Ewood last night.

And an emotional Todd was quick to praise Hughes for saving him from football's scrapheap after it looked like he had no future at Rovers until the Welshman succeeded Graeme Souness eight months ago.

"I owe a lot to Mark Hughes," said Todd.

"There's no hiding the fact I was on my way out under Graeme but things have changed and I don't look back on those situations now, I just get on with it.

"As soon as the new manager came in everyone started with a clean slate and I was one of those players.

"Fortunately, towards the end under Graeme I got injured so I couldn't play and I couldn't move.

"If I'd been fit then maybe I wouldn't be here now, but I got injured at the right time and when the new manager came in I was able to start with a clean slate again."

Todd's Rovers career took a turn for the worse 12 months ago when a bitter fall-out with Souness led to him being axed from the first team.

At one point the former Bolton and Charlton defender was slapped on the transfer list and told to train with the reserves but then Hughes arrived to replace Souness in September and Todd has not looked back since, turning in some commanding performances at the back which led to the supporters voting him their player of the year again last night.

"I feel priveleged to win this. It's a great honour," said Todd.

"It's been a long hard season but to get an award like this is what you strive for and I'm over the moon about it.

"The fans have been brilliant with me, particularly after what happened in the press following the semi-final.

"I got stick, the players got stick, and so did our fans but I think they've been great and to get an award off them is fantastic.

"We're only a small town but we get good crowds and the following we got at Cardiff was brilliant, regardless of what the press said."

Looking back over a rollercoaster season, both on a personal level and for the club as well, Todd said the highlight was leading Rovers to safety in the Premiership.

"Being given the captaincy was a great honour but to guide the club to safety was the highlight," added Todd.

"It was tough because we were in the bottom three for a while and to then drag yourself out was hard, and to stay out of the bottom three was even harder.

"I don't just mean physically either, it was mentally tough as well and I don't think people realise just how hard it is to stay out of the bottom three.

"But we did it and we should all be proud of that."

Meanwhile, Morten Gamst Pedersen was named the Junior Rovers player of the year at last night's presentation evening, and Matt Derbyshire was voted the supporters' young player of the year.