Gordon Taylor has received the PFA’s merit award for his services to football, despite his controversial four-decade reign as chief executive.
Taylor, 76, is standing down to be replaced by ex-Brighton striker Maheta Molango.
The world’s longest-serving trade union leader announced his resignation when under pressure in November last year.
He had announced his intention to stand down in March 2019 when an independent review into the organisation had been completed, which happened in July last year.
Its recommendations led to a restructuring of the PFA, whose delegates voted unanimously to adopt new governance rules at their annual general meeting last November.
Controversially, though, the review itself has not been published by the PFA.
Taylor was criticised for his £2million-a-year salary and accused of not doing enough to fund research into the links between the game and players suffering dementia.
The merit award was voted for by the PFA’s new players’ board.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne was voted PFA Player of the Year for the second year in a row, while his City team-mate Phil Foden won Young Player of the Year.