A huge congratulations to Shay Raval for winning the Linslade Galaxy FC Player of the month award for November! Shay plays for our U10 Wanderers team.

Regional Sales Manager (Midlands), Nick Gibbons, from Gartec, the trophy sponsor, and who chose the winner out of the team players of the month, said, "Shay sounds like an all round superb footballer, and leader within the team. Injuries always make players stronger and I hope he has a speedy recovery and comes back to the same level he left the team. Keep your head up and good luck on the rehab".

Shay was put forward for the award by his team coaches for the following reasons:

"Shay has played fantastically this month, his creativity, tenacity, ability to pick out a through ball persistently and make things happen on the pitch has been a pleasure to watch and has helped contribute to a 6 match unbeaten run. Shay has also impressed with his goals, one of which is a potential candidate for goal of the season, though this is secondary. It's Shay's overall performances on and off the ball that caught my attention in November. Shay unfortunately suffered a broken toe a week ago which will keep him out for 10 weeks however, his spirits remain high and he's determined to support the team from the sidelines. Well done Shay for November and we all wish you a speedy recovery".

A special shout out must also go to Kiro Williams, who was nominated independently by the coaches of the Saturday and Sunday teams he plays for.

The coaches for U14 Lazio said, "Kiro had a tough start to the season after picking up an injury and having to miss some early games in September. However, slowly but surely Kiro has worked his way back to fitness and back into the team. In November Kiro was asked to help the team out by playing in a different position at right back. With no complaints or fuss Kiro has slotted in there and put in some great performances, highlighted by picking up player of the match against BPR and also grabbing a goal in the friendly at St Albans. Well played Kiro, keep up the hardwork".

Meanwhile, the coaches for U14 Spartak said, "Kiro is starting his first full season with Spartak and is starting to establish himself into the team with some commanding performances in November and chipping in with some crucial goals. Despite having quite a commute to training and games Kiro has been an ever present this season and always trains with a smile on his face and is always the first over at the end of games to show his appreciation to the coaches, referee & linesmen. Well done Kiro, keep working hard".

There were plenty of other excellent performances in matches and training across the Club throughout November and these are recognised by many of the coaches, who put forward these players as their team's player of the month.

Becky Ngathe (U8 Meerkats)
"Becky has proven key to getting us a foothold in games recently with her tough tackling, and powerful runs. Our recent game against Aylesbury epitomizes Becky, a huge yawn 30 seconds before the match starts and suddenly she's a bundle of energy. Becky has used training to improve her game, and whilst sometimes is the cheeky voice of the dressing room, she's also willing to put the team first by playing through the odd bump, and a bit of tiredness. We can feel her first goal of the league season is ever closer, but the territory gains have got her team mates in positions to take advantage and hit the scoresheet. Well done Becky, and to all Meerkats for yet another month of great progress."

Wilf Rattigan (U8 Titans)
"Wilf has been a fantastic leader on and off the pitch in the short time Titans have been together. He has been playing with heart, skill and tenacity and is developing into a fine player. The way Wilf supports his fellow players to keep them focused, organised and motivated is wonderful to see and a credit to him as a person. Wilf has been a role model in both matches and in training with great attitude and work rate. Well done, Wilf".

Jamie Smith (U9 Atletico)
"Jamie is our goalkeeper and is absolutely awesome in goal. We have lost count the number of times he has got the team out of a sticky situation. He has gone from strength to strength and fully deserves all the praise he gets. He doesn't get enough credit. He just gets on with the job in hand and goes under the radar. He is a vital part of our team."

Robyn Johnson (U10 Bobcats)
"As the pitches have started to get muddier and the rain coking down, Bob has embraced the conditions and leaves every game covered in mud with the biggest smile on her face. Her jinking runs have got us a few goals and wins in November, as well as the bravery to tackle any player on the pitch".

Rob Varey (U10 Juve)
"My midfield maestro, Rob, has the best work rate I have ever seen, running himself completely into the ground on many occasions. He is a menace with and without the ball and I'm sure the opposition must dread playing against him, but Rob truly is a coach's dream. He works hard at every aspect of his game, and is an integral part of our team. Rob still has a little way to go but I'm excited to see the finished product. He scores goals only he is capable of and blows his own mind sometimes. Well done Rob, keep doing what you doing, and remember keep smiling".

Denver O'Shea (U11 Barca)
"This is Denver's first full season with Galaxy and he has integrated really well the lads and always applies himself at training and on match days. Denver scored five goals in November, including a hat-trick and an assist against Wixams Wanderers. Keep working on your pressing and hold-up play Denver and many more goals will come. Well done!".

Frank Hays (U11 Bayern)
"Frank has had a superb month, his confidence is growing and he's really starting to express himself with a range and vision of pass that most don't see. Opening up defences, creating chances and couple of superb assists this month. It's not just going forward, Frank shows his battling qualities in midfield and has really grown into the team since joining at the back end of last season. We've also seen on occasions praise and encouragement to team mates - this was highlighted in a recent game with Frank showing great leadership with a team mate who'd made an error leading to a goal - acknowledging and reassuring him it's fine, that error is unlike him and we keep going. Frank's vision and leadership qualities are impressive, even more so when we take into account he is playing a year up. We believe as Frank's confidence continues to grow the better he'll become, he has been a brilliant addition to the team and is deserving of POTM for November. Well done on an impressive run of games and keep enjoying your football.".

Olivia Wimshurst (U11 Lionesses)
"Olivia is not new to the game but is most definitely new to her position on the pitch. Olivia volunteering to go in goal was like finding a diamond in the rough, she has taken to the position of GK like a duck to water. On the way to getting better and better each game Olivia has come through 2 penalty shoot outs in which she only conceded 3 goals. Also Olivia has been nominated player of the match a number of times even in games when we have lost but she has kept the score down to a minimum. Well done Olivia and keep your hard work going because it does pay off".

Florence (Floss) Adams (U11 Panthers)
"I am nominating Floss because she has been in fine form this month with important goals in games, strong reading of the game knowing where to be in the attacking third when she doesn't have the ball and good defensive tracking to follow the runners and help out the defence. Floss is a great team player who always gives words of encouragement to her team mates and always has a smile on her face".

Arianna Brennan (U12 Jaguars)
"Arianna has had a fantastic November, she always comes with a positive attitude to training, which results in fantastic performances in league matches. A strong defender, Arianna has more than played her part in keeping our opponents at bay- with the jaguars winning 4 out of 5 games, with the only defeat a 1-0 loss against top of the league. As well as her footballing skills, Arianna shows great compassion for her team mates, always there to support them. Well done Arianna!"

Keira McKenna (U12 Lions)
"Keira is best described as an old school centre half. She absolutely loves a tackle, is super reliable on the pitch and is no nonsense when getting rid of the ball. Keira also loves talking, both on and off the pitch. As a result she is a well-liked member of the team and a brilliant communicator on the pitch. Last season Keira had to miss some sessions at training, but this year her attendance has improved markedly and as a result of her hard work in training her performances in matches have been excellent. We are really proud of Keira, and like her teammates are delighted to have her playing regularly and thriving in the team again".

James Manning (U12 Porto)
"James has driven the team forward with his energy and desire, showing character throughout each game, no matter what the result. His consistent performances are always there, and he's been a constant engine in the centre of midfield. He makes it hard for the opponents through his tackling and tracking back. As well as getting the ball down well and wide he scored in the cup game with a calm finish".

Grace Wells (U13 Lynxes)
"Grace plays right wing for us and is relentless. She always gives 100% on the pitch and has linked up well with Sophie at right back making our right side of play very strong. She reads the game well, helps out defending when needed, puts some great balls into the box and has had some great goals. Grace is a fantastic team player and can always be heard giving lots of encouragement to her team mates. November has been a cracker for Grace, scoring a goal in the last four games, in particular an excellent free kick against Bletchley Scot which found the back of the net. Well done Grace!"

Alfie Terrell (U14 Sporting)
"Alfie has been a brilliant addition to the team this season. Alfie's ability and creativity on the ball is equally matched with his hard work and willingness to defend without it. In November he turned out brilliant performances in both of sporting's competitive fixtures. One of which being the local league derby against Southcott where he worked tirelessly in midfield whilst being a man down for large parts of the second half. The other being a Man of the Match display against Luton Allstars in the League cup where he matched up well with the opposition’s physicality and lead by example to those around him. Well done to Alfie for a brilliant start to the season, not just November".

Matthew Hoskins (U15 Ajax)
"Our full-time team captain AKA 'Foxy' has shown true leadership skills throughout November. Celebrating his milestone 100th game for Linslade Galaxy with his 44th goal for the club in a tight 2-1 victory. Foxy has led from the front with energy, passion, and full commitment to the cause, which in turn makes the rest of the team show the same effort. There is a lot of (often unseen) pressure on a team captain, but Matthew never shirks the responsibility and is showing the correct attributes of a true leader".

Well done to all the nominated team player of the months - keep up the great work!