Award-winning Berbatov urges scribes to stop voting for him

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov told reporters to stop voting for him after being named Bulgaria's Footballer of the Year for a seventh time on Monday.

"I prefer to see some of the younger lads winning the award," the 29-year-old said after coming top in the poll of sports journalists.

"Please, don't vote for me anymore."

Bulgaria's all-time leading scorer, with 48 goals, quit the Balkan country's national team in May citing fatigue and family commitments but enjoyed a successful year at United.

Last month, he became only the fourth player to score five times in one Premier League match when he helped destroy Blackburn Rovers in a 7-1 win.

Berbatov expects to spend the rest of his career at United.

"I fought to have a chance to play for United and now I can only go down if I leave," he told reporters. "Why I should do this? It would be better to retire."

Gaziantepspor striker Ivelin Popov and Twente Enschede goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov came second and third in the poll.