November 2025 Player of the Month announced
Wed 10th December 2025 | League Awards | By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for November 2025 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for November 2025 has gone to Liam Atkinson of Longridge Town. This is the second time that Liam has won this award with other coming back in October 2024, that also being the last time that a Longridge player had won it.
Liam joined Longridge Town at the start of last season having been playing Sunday football previously. He was spotted by Manager Lee Ashcroft when Longridge hosted a Blackburn Sunday League Cup Semi Final, with Liam standing out. Ashcroft took the gamble and it paid off with Liam going on to score 24 goals in the 39 games that he played.
This season saw Liam score 15 goals by the end of September, buta bad injury kept him out of the team until the start of November when he was ready to begin his comeback. Player welfare is such an important aspect of football at every level these day, and Liam has struggled when unable to play with Longridge managing his comeback carefully, conscious of the heavy surfaces that naturally occur at this time of the year and the busy fixture schedule that comes with the FA putting 24 clubs in our Premier Division.
Liam has managed to train sporadically, but has saved his energy to good effect and he has certainly let his performances do the talking.
November saw other players at other clubs play more games and score more goals than Liam, and indeed this was possibly one of the closest months to decide with several players at around four clubs being strong contenders for this award. However in the four games that Liam played, he picked up Man of the Match in three of those games, more than any other player in the division. And of the ten goals that Longridge Town scored, Liam was directly involved in seven of them with four goals and three assists.
The opening game of the month was his first game since September away at Atherton LR. Liam had a couple of good opportunities to open the scoring but saw his efforts saved, with the home side finishing the first half strongly to open up a two goal lead. That soon became three, but Liam kept pressuring and pulled one back with three minutes to go as he raced clear and slotted past the keeper. Then in stoppage time, he crossed for Ben Trafford to head home their second of the game, although minutes later the whistle went with LR winning 3-2. Liam picked up Man of the Match for his performance here.
Next up was Euxton Villa at home, with Euxton taking an early lead. Enter Liam. On 40 minutes he found himself in the box before setting up Jack Anderton to level. On the hour, he glanced in a header from an Anderton corner to make it 2-1, before Euxton quickly levelled again. On 68 minutes, Liam showed his predatory instincts as he sidefooted home his second and Longridge's third after Ryan McLean's effort was saved. Again Euxton levelled, but just when it looked like a draw was on the cards, a McLean cross was headed in by Liam for his hat-trick as he gave Longridge a 4-3 win. This saw him win another Man of the Match.
The third game was away at Barnoldwick Town with Storm Claudia hammering the North West. Liam started this game as he ended the last, as he got clear after just three minutes to force a fine save with Luke Smith sweeping in the loose ball. Longridge went on to add a second with Barlick pulling one back before the weather got too much with the game abandoned.
The final game for Liam was at Stockport Town in a 2-1 for his side that put them 10th in the league table. Whilst not direcly involved in either goal, his tireless running and ability to hold up the ball and set up teammates for chances brought him a third Man of the Match of the month.
Liam played four games in total, scoring four goals and getting two assists as well as picking up Man of the Match in all three completed Longridge games he played in.
Congratulations on a fine month Liam!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
The First Division North Player of the Month for November 2025 goes to Miles Storey of Colne, the first winner of this award for the club since Lucas Weaver won it in January 2024.
The 31-year old is an ex-professional who started his career at Swindon Town. He played 39 times for them, including scoring twice against Aston Villa in the League Cup. He had loan spells at Portsmouth and Newport County before finding success in the Scotland, playing over 200 games for Aberdeen, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Partick Thistle. He moved into non-league with Hereford and first played in the NWCFL with Bury in 2023/24. He moved to Colne last season.
Miles has had as perfect a month as you could possibly have for Colne in November, playing five games for the club in the month, picking up Man of the Match in every game and scoring six goals.
The month started for Miles and Colne at MSB Woolton. The First Division South newcomers scored twice in the first half to lead at the break, with Miles instrumental in hauling Colne back into the game. On 55 minutes he controlled a long throw in in the box before finding the net, and two minutes later he latched onto a poor back-pass before dinking it over the keeper to equalise. The game finished 3-3 with Miles winning the Man of the Match award, his fourth of the season.
Next up was a trip to Daisy Hill. After going behind on 15 minutes, Miles pulled Colne level with a header into the top corner of the net from a Barney Wiggin cross. Two second half goals gave the Cutters the win, but the performance of Miles earned him his second Man of the Match award of the month.
Next up was Darwen at Colne's Haffners Eats Stadium. Miles set up Barney Wiggins for the opener on five minutes with a pinpoint cross, and two minutes later grabbed his first goal of the game when he rounded the keeper and found the net from an acute angle. Colne soon went three up with Miles unlucky not to get another himself as he forced a superb stop from Morgan Newns. His second of the game did arrive though on 62 minutes with Alex-Ray Harvey sending a ball over the top that Miles raced onto and finished coolly. Darwen grabbed a consolation with the game ending 3-1, with Miles picking up another Man of the Match award.
Storm Claudia affected the next game at home to AFC Blackpool which was abandoned after just 11 minutes with the scores goalless, but four days later Thornton Cleveleys visited with Miles again in the thick of the action. His corner was volleyed in by Barney Wiggins to open the scoring, with Thornton turning the game around to lead 2-1 at the break. Two soon became four for Thornton on a day to forget for Colne, with Miles scoring a consolation with five minutes to play, his sixth goal of the month. Again he picked up Man of the Match in this game.
The final game was at AFC Blackpool, with Miles setting up two good chances in a goalless first half for teammates. The game eventually finished 2-2, with Miles' versatility and blistering pace shining in this game alongside his reading of the game as he picked up his fifth Man of the Match of the month.
Congratulations to Miles on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
The First Division South Player of the Month for November 2025 goes to midfielder Will Saxon of Foley Meir. This is the first time that a Foley Meir player has won Player of the Month since they came into the NWCFL and the first award that the club has won.
The 28-year old has spend a large portion of his career in the Northern Premier League. He joined Kidsgrove Athletic after leaving University before moving onto Nantwich Town. A year later he moved to Leek Town where he spent three seasons before rejoining Kidsgrove. He moved onto Runcorn Linnets for the 2023/24 season before leaving 18 months later to go travelling. He moved to Foley Meir at the start of this season.
Like Miles in the North, Will has had a perfect month for Foley Meir in November, playing in all three games that the club has played, picking up Man of the Match in all three games as well as directly contributing massively to Foley's goals in the month.
The opening game of the month was against Wolverhampton Sporting Community with Foley finding themselves 1-0 down from an early penalty. Will helped rally his teammates and set up Jay Finney to equalise just before half time. The second half saw Foley grab another which was enough to win the game 2-1, with Will named Man of the Match for Foley.
Next came a home game with Shawbury United with Will a constant threat all afternooin. After Foley took the lead, he set up Nathan Barry for the second with a superb through ball, and he was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself with Ashley Rawlins making a superb stop to deny him. The game again finished 2-1 with Will picking up another Man of the Match.
The final game came at New Mills with Foley taking the lead after just five minutes. Leading at the break, Foley then doubled the lead five minutes into the second half when Will got clear and was brought down in the box for a penalty which gave Foley a second goal. With three minutes remaining, Will got clear of the offside trap and pushed the ball past the keeper before rolling it into the empty net for the third. The Millers got a consolation but Foley won 3-1, Will getting his third Man of the Match of the month and his fifth of the season.
Congratulations Will!
November 2025 Player of the Month announced
Wed 10th December 2025 | League Awards
By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for November 2025 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for November 2025 has gone to Liam Atkinson of Longridge Town. This is the second time that Liam has won this award with other coming back in October 2024, that also being the last time that a Longridge player had won it.
Liam joined Longridge Town at the start of last season having been playing Sunday football previously. He was spotted by Manager Lee Ashcroft when Longridge hosted a Blackburn Sunday League Cup Semi Final, with Liam standing out. Ashcroft took the gamble and it paid off with Liam going on to score 24 goals in the 39 games that he played.
This season saw Liam score 15 goals by the end of September, buta bad injury kept him out of the team until the start of November when he was ready to begin his comeback. Player welfare is such an important aspect of football at every level these day, and Liam has struggled when unable to play with Longridge managing his comeback carefully, conscious of the heavy surfaces that naturally occur at this time of the year and the busy fixture schedule that comes with the FA putting 24 clubs in our Premier Division.
Liam has managed to train sporadically, but has saved his energy to good effect and he has certainly let his performances do the talking.
November saw other players at other clubs play more games and score more goals than Liam, and indeed this was possibly one of the closest months to decide with several players at around four clubs being strong contenders for this award. However in the four games that Liam played, he picked up Man of the Match in three of those games, more than any other player in the division. And of the ten goals that Longridge Town scored, Liam was directly involved in seven of them with four goals and three assists.
The opening game of the month was his first game since September away at Atherton LR. Liam had a couple of good opportunities to open the scoring but saw his efforts saved, with the home side finishing the first half strongly to open up a two goal lead. That soon became three, but Liam kept pressuring and pulled one back with three minutes to go as he raced clear and slotted past the keeper. Then in stoppage time, he crossed for Ben Trafford to head home their second of the game, although minutes later the whistle went with LR winning 3-2. Liam picked up Man of the Match for his performance here.
Next up was Euxton Villa at home, with Euxton taking an early lead. Enter Liam. On 40 minutes he found himself in the box before setting up Jack Anderton to level. On the hour, he glanced in a header from an Anderton corner to make it 2-1, before Euxton quickly levelled again. On 68 minutes, Liam showed his predatory instincts as he sidefooted home his second and Longridge's third after Ryan McLean's effort was saved. Again Euxton levelled, but just when it looked like a draw was on the cards, a McLean cross was headed in by Liam for his hat-trick as he gave Longridge a 4-3 win. This saw him win another Man of the Match.
The third game was away at Barnoldwick Town with Storm Claudia hammering the North West. Liam started this game as he ended the last, as he got clear after just three minutes to force a fine save with Luke Smith sweeping in the loose ball. Longridge went on to add a second with Barlick pulling one back before the weather got too much with the game abandoned.
The final game for Liam was at Stockport Town in a 2-1 for his side that put them 10th in the league table. Whilst not direcly involved in either goal, his tireless running and ability to hold up the ball and set up teammates for chances brought him a third Man of the Match of the month.
Liam played four games in total, scoring four goals and getting two assists as well as picking up Man of the Match in all three completed Longridge games he played in.
Congratulations on a fine month Liam!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
The First Division North Player of the Month for November 2025 goes to Miles Storey of Colne, the first winner of this award for the club since Lucas Weaver won it in January 2024.
The 31-year old is an ex-professional who started his career at Swindon Town. He played 39 times for them, including scoring twice against Aston Villa in the League Cup. He had loan spells at Portsmouth and Newport County before finding success in the Scotland, playing over 200 games for Aberdeen, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Partick Thistle. He moved into non-league with Hereford and first played in the NWCFL with Bury in 2023/24. He moved to Colne last season.
Miles has had as perfect a month as you could possibly have for Colne in November, playing five games for the club in the month, picking up Man of the Match in every game and scoring six goals.
The month started for Miles and Colne at MSB Woolton. The First Division South newcomers scored twice in the first half to lead at the break, with Miles instrumental in hauling Colne back into the game. On 55 minutes he controlled a long throw in in the box before finding the net, and two minutes later he latched onto a poor back-pass before dinking it over the keeper to equalise. The game finished 3-3 with Miles winning the Man of the Match award, his fourth of the season.
Next up was a trip to Daisy Hill. After going behind on 15 minutes, Miles pulled Colne level with a header into the top corner of the net from a Barney Wiggin cross. Two second half goals gave the Cutters the win, but the performance of Miles earned him his second Man of the Match award of the month.
Next up was Darwen at Colne's Haffners Eats Stadium. Miles set up Barney Wiggins for the opener on five minutes with a pinpoint cross, and two minutes later grabbed his first goal of the game when he rounded the keeper and found the net from an acute angle. Colne soon went three up with Miles unlucky not to get another himself as he forced a superb stop from Morgan Newns. His second of the game did arrive though on 62 minutes with Alex-Ray Harvey sending a ball over the top that Miles raced onto and finished coolly. Darwen grabbed a consolation with the game ending 3-1, with Miles picking up another Man of the Match award.
Storm Claudia affected the next game at home to AFC Blackpool which was abandoned after just 11 minutes with the scores goalless, but four days later Thornton Cleveleys visited with Miles again in the thick of the action. His corner was volleyed in by Barney Wiggins to open the scoring, with Thornton turning the game around to lead 2-1 at the break. Two soon became four for Thornton on a day to forget for Colne, with Miles scoring a consolation with five minutes to play, his sixth goal of the month. Again he picked up Man of the Match in this game.
The final game was at AFC Blackpool, with Miles setting up two good chances in a goalless first half for teammates. The game eventually finished 2-2, with Miles' versatility and blistering pace shining in this game alongside his reading of the game as he picked up his fifth Man of the Match of the month.
Congratulations to Miles on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
The First Division South Player of the Month for November 2025 goes to midfielder Will Saxon of Foley Meir. This is the first time that a Foley Meir player has won Player of the Month since they came into the NWCFL and the first award that the club has won.
The 28-year old has spend a large portion of his career in the Northern Premier League. He joined Kidsgrove Athletic after leaving University before moving onto Nantwich Town. A year later he moved to Leek Town where he spent three seasons before rejoining Kidsgrove. He moved onto Runcorn Linnets for the 2023/24 season before leaving 18 months later to go travelling. He moved to Foley Meir at the start of this season.
Like Miles in the North, Will has had a perfect month for Foley Meir in November, playing in all three games that the club has played, picking up Man of the Match in all three games as well as directly contributing massively to Foley's goals in the month.
The opening game of the month was against Wolverhampton Sporting Community with Foley finding themselves 1-0 down from an early penalty. Will helped rally his teammates and set up Jay Finney to equalise just before half time. The second half saw Foley grab another which was enough to win the game 2-1, with Will named Man of the Match for Foley.
Next came a home game with Shawbury United with Will a constant threat all afternooin. After Foley took the lead, he set up Nathan Barry for the second with a superb through ball, and he was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself with Ashley Rawlins making a superb stop to deny him. The game again finished 2-1 with Will picking up another Man of the Match.
The final game came at New Mills with Foley taking the lead after just five minutes. Leading at the break, Foley then doubled the lead five minutes into the second half when Will got clear and was brought down in the box for a penalty which gave Foley a second goal. With three minutes remaining, Will got clear of the offside trap and pushed the ball past the keeper before rolling it into the empty net for the third. The Millers got a consolation but Foley won 3-1, Will getting his third Man of the Match of the month and his fifth of the season.
Congratulations Will!
