Scott Parker has spoken for the first time about being named the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year - the most prestigious player prize in the game.
The Hammers inspiration is only the second West Ham United player to claim the award, following in the illustrious footsteps of Bobby Moore, the 1963/64 winner.
"To follow someone like that, it means a lot to me," said a humbled Parker as he faced a press pack eager to speak to the nation's outstanding performer this season.
"Obviously it is a huge honour for me. I just try and get on with what I do, play the best. It is a team effort, but awards like this are something I feel very honoured to be chosen for. I have stated a few times that I have been, and am, playing probably the best football of my career.
"I cannot explain to you the way it has gone for me - on a personal level and the accolades and the awards are massive. Certainly I am over the moon that I have won and I am absolutely over the moon at playing well.
"On a personal level I think things are going pretty well for me here. I just need to keep going and keep working hard and keep everything on the right track."
Now 30, Parker said lessons learned on and off the pitch had helped him to become a complete performer for club and country.
"I am playing in a team regularly. It is like anything, you get a bit older you get a bit more experienced. You learn a lot more and I think some things become a bit easier for you."
Parker will put aside his personal achievement - at least until the FWA awards dinner on 12 May - to focus on helping the Hammers get the points they need from the final five matches of the campaign. He is working around the clock at Chadwell Heath to possibly be back for selection at Manchester City on Sunday week.
"It has been a tough season for all of us, We have still got five games to play this season. It's still very, very tough but we will keep battling away and see what happens.
"Our main aim is to stay in the Premier League. Like I said, we have five games left and they are all big, big games for us - and hopefully we can get the points that we need and stay in this league."
Parker added that he was "really buzzing" to hear the various plaudits that have come his way since the award was announced but admitted there was only thing that he truly wanted come the season end.
"My one main focus is staying in the Premier League with West Ham. If I can do that then that is the achievement I want. If it didn't happen, all the personal awards and accolades would not make up. Not when you would be driving home gutted and disappointed that had happened.
"As I said, we have five games to go and a chance still to get ourselves out of this and we will focus on that. We are still in it, we still have a chance."