It's very likely that the PFA team of the year will be dominated by players from the top two sides in the table, who seem destined for automatic promotion, namely Portsmouth and Leicester, so I fully expect surprise and shock at some of the selections in MY team. But football is a game of opinions and these are the players who have impressed me this campaign on my First Division travels. I am selecting the side in a 4-3-3 formation. which is capable of switching to a more attacking 4-4-2.
James Walker (Walsall)
Although Jimmy Walker is not the tallest of goalkeepers he is without question one of the best shot-stoppers outside the top flight. He is agile, athletic and has exceptional reflexes, which have been instrumental in Walsall winning back their First Division place after relegation and upon which the club are pinning their hopes of survival this year. One other major plus, as a goalkeeper, he actually CATCHES the ball.
Dean West (Burnley)
Full back Dean combines his main job of defending with a keen desire to overlap down the flanks and he has the extra string to his bow that he can score goals. His recent match-winning strike at Stoke was his fifth goal of the season. He can also tackle well enough to ensure any opponent that gets past him does so on merit.
Marcus Hall (Stoke City)
Left back Marcus has many years of Premiership experience behind him, with Coventry City. Although he is now at the wrong end of Division One with Stoke his full back play and his linking up with midfield and attack augers well for his eventual return to the top flight.
Malky Mackay (Norwich City)
I like Malky's 'they shall not pass' approach to defending. A granite tough Scot from the old school of centre half play, he also stumps up with several goals a season. He would also be my skipper.
Michael Dawson (Nottingham Forest)
Alongside Malky would be Nottingham Forest's highly rated centre half. Not only is Michael a good stopper he is also a football playing centre half who can bring the ball out of defence with calm assurance, and spray the ball about the field with the best of 'em. Also capable of goals, Michael is being tipped as a future England international.
Andy Hughes (Reading)
I have been very impressed with Andy's midfield play this season. He has a great engine, a good football brain and is very athletic and he can operate equally effectively on the right or in centre midfield. He is also a consistent goalscorer, wherever he plays, and his manager rates him as a future Premiership prospect.
Michael Brown (Sheffield United)
I select Michael here because of my need to accommodate my selection at left midfield. Michael gets the vote ahead of his teammate Michael Tonge because of his knack for scoring goals as well as all-action energetic style of play. Plus his ability from set-pieces.
Paul Merson (Portsmouth)
This side needed a creative midfield influence and there has not been a greater exponent this season than Paul Merson. Vastly experienced Paul has led his team just as the team has led the league all season, from the front. Paul has also found the net on a number of occasions so still possesses the goal threat that he always had at the top flight.
Bobby Zamora (Brighton)
I know what you are thinking, how can a striker playing for a team that spent a lot of time on the bottom of the table get the nod ahead of the division's leading goalscorer David Johnson? Well, it's for that very reason because Bobby Zamora has been playing in a side short of confidence and points and yet he has still scored goals, made goals and created them for teammates and, in my opinion, fully justifies all the attention which suggests he will be a Premiership player before long.
Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace)
'AJ' has all the attributes that his manager Trevor Francis had when he set the Second Division alight as a 16-year-old, more than 30 years ago. He has immense physical strength and a turning circle that is reminiscent of the great Gerd Muller. He is not a prolific scorer but is capable of 15-plus goals a season AND he can operate as an orthodox right winger and creator of goals for others.
Steve Kabba (Sheffield United)
Steve got the vote just ahead of Stoke's flying Dutchman Peter Hoekstra simply because accommodating the Dutch master would have meant having to adopt a stricter 4-4-2 formation. I also think that Steve, as Leeds United found to their cost, represents more of a direct goal threat and he has a locker full of tricks of which Hoekstra would approve.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? How many of Beardo's selections do you agree with? Who have been the First Division's top performers this season? Send your Division One dream team to smudger@givemefootball.com
