December 2025 Player of the Month announced
Fri 23rd January 2026 | League Awards | By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for December 2025 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for December 2025 has gone to Charlie Higgine of FC Isle of Man. This is the first time that Charlie has won this award with last time that an Isle of Man player winning it coming in August 2024 through Sean Doyle.
Charlie has been with FC Isle of Man since the start of the 2021/22 season. He has made coming up to 150 appearances for the Ravens in that time and scoring 53 goals. This season has seen the 22-year old really step up with 20 goals in 25 appearances.
The opening game of the month for Charlie was was at home to Irlam at the start of the month. He was alert from the second minute when he shot across goal and opened the scoring on 17 minute with a low shot into the corner. He caused chaos in the box just before half time which led to a disallowed goal, and restored his teams lead in the 71st minute from the penalty spot when he found the corner. The only downside to Charlie's day in the 2-2 draw was hitting another penalty against the crossbar for his hat-trick, but he was consoled after the game when he was awarded the Man of the Match.
Next was another home game against AFC Liverpool. He scored the second goal of the game when he danced his way through the Liverpool defence and fired home, and scrambled home the fourth goal from a corner with 20 minutes remaining. Once again, Charlie was rewarded for his performance with the Man of the Match award
Third up was an away game at Glossop North End just before Christmas. He had a couple of efforts at the start of the second half that were hit over, then found the net in the 86th minute with the Ravens vital third goal as Dean Pinnington sent him clear. They won that match 2-1.
The final game was a home game against Stockport Town, which was a day to forget overall as Isle of Man went down to a 0-4 defeat. For Charlie though, his performance was marked with his third Man of the Match award of the month. Remarkably, its his 13th of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
Four games, five goals and three Man of the Match wins is certainly a great return for Charlie this month.
Congratulations Charlie!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
The First Division North Player of the Month for December 2025 goes to Oliver Hodgson of Bacup Borough, the first winner of this award for the club since Joseph Fallon won it in December 2023. This is the first win of this award for Oliver.
The 19-year old came through at Nelson where he made the First Team squad at just 16, and was selected for the Lancashire FA Schoolboys team after impressing in trials. After two years there, Oliver moved across to Bacup where he is now in his second season. Despite not even being 20 yet, he has made 83 appearances in the NWCFL so far.
This season started slowly for Oliver with just two goals in the first eleven games through to mid-October. Manager Brent Peters though knows how to nurture players, and he has been rewarded since then with Oliver scoring in 11 of Bacup's last 13 games, with December being his best month to date.
The month started with a home game against Holker Old Boys. The game finished 1-1 with Oliver awarded the Man of the Match for his efforts on the day.
Next came another home game against Squires Gate. After falling behind early, Oliver equalised on eight minutes with his movement pivotal to being in the right place to tap the ball home from a cross from the right. Then after falling behind again, Oliver repeated his equaliser on the hour mark, this time with a superb strike past Taylor from the edge of the box. He was also denied a hat-trick by a superb Taylor save with six minutes to go, with his performance getting him another Man of the Match award.
The third game was away at Garstang, with Oliver levelling just after the half hour. He didn't win Man of the Match here, but was praised by his manager afterward for his hold up and link up play.
The final game was at home to Daisy Hill on Boxing Day and again Oliver's work rate was commended by all. Oliver grabbed both goals for Bacup in a 3-0 win, netting the vital opener just a minute before the break and then securing all three points with the third on 70 minutes, this being a superb first time strike from the edge of the box that found the top corner. Again he picked up Man of the Match in this game.
Like Charlie in the Premier, Oliver played four games, with five goals and three Man of the Match wins.
Congratulations to Oliver on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
The First Division South Player of the Month for December 2025 goes to midfielder Joe Bevan of Sandbach United. This is the second time that Joe has won this award after winning the December 2024 award, and the first for Sandbach United since Ryan Goodwin in January 2025.
The 28-year old is no stranger around the NWCFL, first joining Avro back in the 2018/19 season. Spells have followed at New Mills, Wythenshawe and Abbey Hey, before he joined Sandbach United at the start of last season, making 63 appearances for Sandbach since signing.
It was a slow start to the month for Sandbach, with their games at Haughmond and Cheadle Town both postponed. They finally got going midway through the month at Allscott Heath where they drew 1-1. Despite not scoring, he ran the back four ragged all afternoon ensuring Allscott struggled to break forward in the game.
Next came a midweek tie at home to Stockport Georgians, with the visitors finding themselves two goals ahead after just nine minutes. Sandbach piled on the pressure with Joe instrumental in their comeback, scoring a goal in each half with both clinical finishes that gave the keeper no chance. They left themselves too much to do in a 3-2 loss, with Joe getting Man of the Match.
The third fixture was a 9-1 win at Haughmond, and a game that Joe really shone. He scored FIVE of the 9 goals and set up Robbie Hatton up for the fifth. It was a real mix of goals with some poaching, some outpacing the centre backs and a couple of trademark narrow angles shots ending in a very well deserved second Man of the Match award for the month and one of the performances of the season. Joe also became only the third Sandbach player to score five goals in one game.
The final game on Boxing Day was at home to Alsager where not to be deterred from an early disallowed goal, Joe gave Sandbach the lead just before half time with the all important single winning goal that broke a dogged Alsager with the time of the goal.
Overall one of the best months Joe has ever had in terms of strike rate. 8 goals in total from 4 games, a rate any forward would dream about, and two Man of the Match wins. This makes him more than deserved of the player of the month for December.
Congratulations Joe!
December 2025 Player of the Month announced
Fri 23rd January 2026 | League Awards
By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for December 2025 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for December 2025 has gone to Charlie Higgine of FC Isle of Man. This is the first time that Charlie has won this award with last time that an Isle of Man player winning it coming in August 2024 through Sean Doyle.
Charlie has been with FC Isle of Man since the start of the 2021/22 season. He has made coming up to 150 appearances for the Ravens in that time and scoring 53 goals. This season has seen the 22-year old really step up with 20 goals in 25 appearances.
The opening game of the month for Charlie was was at home to Irlam at the start of the month. He was alert from the second minute when he shot across goal and opened the scoring on 17 minute with a low shot into the corner. He caused chaos in the box just before half time which led to a disallowed goal, and restored his teams lead in the 71st minute from the penalty spot when he found the corner. The only downside to Charlie's day in the 2-2 draw was hitting another penalty against the crossbar for his hat-trick, but he was consoled after the game when he was awarded the Man of the Match.
Next was another home game against AFC Liverpool. He scored the second goal of the game when he danced his way through the Liverpool defence and fired home, and scrambled home the fourth goal from a corner with 20 minutes remaining. Once again, Charlie was rewarded for his performance with the Man of the Match award
Third up was an away game at Glossop North End just before Christmas. He had a couple of efforts at the start of the second half that were hit over, then found the net in the 86th minute with the Ravens vital third goal as Dean Pinnington sent him clear. They won that match 2-1.
The final game was a home game against Stockport Town, which was a day to forget overall as Isle of Man went down to a 0-4 defeat. For Charlie though, his performance was marked with his third Man of the Match award of the month. Remarkably, its his 13th of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
Four games, five goals and three Man of the Match wins is certainly a great return for Charlie this month.
Congratulations Charlie!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
The First Division North Player of the Month for December 2025 goes to Oliver Hodgson of Bacup Borough, the first winner of this award for the club since Joseph Fallon won it in December 2023. This is the first win of this award for Oliver.
The 19-year old came through at Nelson where he made the First Team squad at just 16, and was selected for the Lancashire FA Schoolboys team after impressing in trials. After two years there, Oliver moved across to Bacup where he is now in his second season. Despite not even being 20 yet, he has made 83 appearances in the NWCFL so far.
This season started slowly for Oliver with just two goals in the first eleven games through to mid-October. Manager Brent Peters though knows how to nurture players, and he has been rewarded since then with Oliver scoring in 11 of Bacup's last 13 games, with December being his best month to date.
The month started with a home game against Holker Old Boys. The game finished 1-1 with Oliver awarded the Man of the Match for his efforts on the day.
Next came another home game against Squires Gate. After falling behind early, Oliver equalised on eight minutes with his movement pivotal to being in the right place to tap the ball home from a cross from the right. Then after falling behind again, Oliver repeated his equaliser on the hour mark, this time with a superb strike past Taylor from the edge of the box. He was also denied a hat-trick by a superb Taylor save with six minutes to go, with his performance getting him another Man of the Match award.
The third game was away at Garstang, with Oliver levelling just after the half hour. He didn't win Man of the Match here, but was praised by his manager afterward for his hold up and link up play.
The final game was at home to Daisy Hill on Boxing Day and again Oliver's work rate was commended by all. Oliver grabbed both goals for Bacup in a 3-0 win, netting the vital opener just a minute before the break and then securing all three points with the third on 70 minutes, this being a superb first time strike from the edge of the box that found the top corner. Again he picked up Man of the Match in this game.
Like Charlie in the Premier, Oliver played four games, with five goals and three Man of the Match wins.
Congratulations to Oliver on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
The First Division South Player of the Month for December 2025 goes to midfielder Joe Bevan of Sandbach United. This is the second time that Joe has won this award after winning the December 2024 award, and the first for Sandbach United since Ryan Goodwin in January 2025.
The 28-year old is no stranger around the NWCFL, first joining Avro back in the 2018/19 season. Spells have followed at New Mills, Wythenshawe and Abbey Hey, before he joined Sandbach United at the start of last season, making 63 appearances for Sandbach since signing.
It was a slow start to the month for Sandbach, with their games at Haughmond and Cheadle Town both postponed. They finally got going midway through the month at Allscott Heath where they drew 1-1. Despite not scoring, he ran the back four ragged all afternoon ensuring Allscott struggled to break forward in the game.
Next came a midweek tie at home to Stockport Georgians, with the visitors finding themselves two goals ahead after just nine minutes. Sandbach piled on the pressure with Joe instrumental in their comeback, scoring a goal in each half with both clinical finishes that gave the keeper no chance. They left themselves too much to do in a 3-2 loss, with Joe getting Man of the Match.
The third fixture was a 9-1 win at Haughmond, and a game that Joe really shone. He scored FIVE of the 9 goals and set up Robbie Hatton up for the fifth. It was a real mix of goals with some poaching, some outpacing the centre backs and a couple of trademark narrow angles shots ending in a very well deserved second Man of the Match award for the month and one of the performances of the season. Joe also became only the third Sandbach player to score five goals in one game.
The final game on Boxing Day was at home to Alsager where not to be deterred from an early disallowed goal, Joe gave Sandbach the lead just before half time with the all important single winning goal that broke a dogged Alsager with the time of the goal.
Overall one of the best months Joe has ever had in terms of strike rate. 8 goals in total from 4 games, a rate any forward would dream about, and two Man of the Match wins. This makes him more than deserved of the player of the month for December.
Congratulations Joe!
