A huge congratulations to Matthew Hoskins for winning the Linslade Galaxy FC Player of the month award for January! Matthew plays for our U16 Ajax team.

Order Processing Supervisor, Kay Branscombe, from Gartec, the trophy sponsor, and who chose the winner out of the team players of the month, said, "I’m sorry to hear that Matthew is having to cease all sporting activities due to his ongoing back problem, it looks like he has been a vital team member and a beloved captain and will be greatly missed on the pitch by his team. It’ll be lovely for Matthew to leave on a high and to receive this recognition for his contribution to the sport. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling having to step away from his passion and I wish him all the best for the future".

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

"Different reasons for my selection this month. Unfortunately, 'Foxy' had had to cease all sporting activities for the foreseeable future due to an ongoing back problem. Our captain for the last 2 1/2 seasons has been a massive player for the club, amassing 54 goals in 121 appearances! His ability and influence on his teammates will be a devastating loss for Ajax! Thank you for everything mate."

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

Arthur Foulis (U8 Inter)
"Arthur works very hard in training and in matches and is always attentive whenever any of the coaches are talking. His hard work is paying off and we are seeing some real improvement in matches where Arthur is always in the thick of the action. We've been working on closing down opposition players when they have the ball, and Arthur is now doing that very well together with hard tackling and then having the confidence to dribble the ball up the field aswell. He also looks to where his teammates are and unselfishly passes to them if they are in better positions to score than he is".

Orla Evans (U8 Meerkats)
"Orla has shown outstanding dedication to her training, combined with a reputation for lung-bursting dribbles down either wing that consistently put teams on the back foot. She recently captained the team to a heroic victory against Real Bedford - a fixture that has become synonymous with the Meerkats growth, bravery and clear improvements over time. Orla also played a pivotal role in helping the team start the year with back-to-back wins and clean sheets. Orla never gives up. Whether adapting her role for the benefit of the side or getting to grips with unusual and challenging training activities, she approaches everything with commitment and positivity. She is a genuine delight to coach and a thoroughly worthy winner to start 2026".

Frankie Tingey (U9 Titans)
"It has been an absolute joy to watch Frankie play with such confidence this month. She has been dominating in all areas of the pitch, particularly in midfield, where she shows real tenacity, energy, and determination. What stands out just as much is the smile on her face. Frankie is clearly enjoying her football and really coming into her own.
A fantastic attitude, great performances, and well-deserved recognition. Well done Frankie, keep up the hard work!"

Maya Majithia (U10 Atletico)
"Maya is one of our wingers and loves to run up and down it. She whips in some incredible balls for our midfielders and strikers to get onto. She strikes the ball with purpose. She is starting to get more confident with the ball at her feet, taking on players and pushing the ball past her opponent and running after it. She looks up for a team mate and tries to play the 'right' pass. She helps out defensively and offensively. Keep up the good work.".

Ava Higham (U10 Leopards)
"Ava has been really struggling previously for confidence since joining in September. In January 2026, we have seen a huge transformation, and she is completely involved in the game with a noticeable confidence boost in training, and 100% energy on the pitch, confidence to dribble the ball and good tackling. Ava has scored 4 goals in the leopards 2 games of 2026 and won the opposition. Girl of the game and scored a hattrick in our first game back".

Elliot Nieman-Dean (U10 Rojas)
"Our recent promotion to the top division has required some positional changes and Elliott has happily dropped back from midfield to defence to do his part. The team has been more confident and composed knowing Elliott is behind them calmly dealing with lose balls and thwarting opposition attacks. Being in defence has also not stopped his goal scoring! He scored a worldie this month, picking up the ball on the edge of our box, striding through the entire team and slipping the ball past their keeper! A well deserved POTM! Keep up the good work!"

Darcey Anderson (U11 Bobcats)
"Darcey had returned after Christmas with renewed confidence on the pitch and played some lovely football, topped off with a goal and player of the match to end January".

Theo Schulz (U11 Wanderers)
"Theo has been playing with real confidence and, just as importantly, a smile on his face. His attitude in matches has been excellent, and his high energy levels have been instrumental to the team's performances. What stands out most is Theo's resilience. He hasn't let any setbacks get him down; instead, he's harnessed that energy and channelled it positively for the benefit of the team. He isn't afraid to show a bit of flair either, loving a skill or two and being direct, always willing to take players on. A fantastic month and thoroughly deserved recognition. Well done, Theo, keep it up".

George Palmer-Northcott (U12 Barca)
"George is a valued member of the team and has come on massively this season. George has a great temperament and always listens to instructions and carries them out to his best, his harassing of opposition teams and never give up attitude when it comes to tackling and closing down players hasn't gone unrecognised. Well done George, keep up the good work!"

Luca Barreiro (U12 Bayern)
"Luca has shown outstanding determination this month, stepping up when it mattered most. He scored in back to back games, picked up a well-deserved Man of the Match award and capped it off by scoring the winning goal in our quarter final this week, a huge moment for the team. His attitude in both training and matches has been excellent throughout the month, setting a great example for others and showing real commitment to improving his game. A brilliant month from Luca, keep up the hard work, focus and positivity".

Niamh Wood (U13 Lions)
"Niamh recently joined the Lions and has shown a real willingness to be coached and to fit in with her new teammates. Niamh is also competitive, fearless and willing to work hard to support her teammates. This means the Lions are particularly well-placed to stand up to more physical teams. We often deploy Niamh to brilliant effect in a player-to-player marking role, and this month she was fantastic up against a talented player from Luton Town who she marked closely and managed to stop. Well done Niamh, it’s great to have you in the side and we are excited to see how you continue to develop over the course of the season".

Floss Adams (U13 Panthers)
"I have chosen Floss as the player of the month as her game really continues to develop, she is one of the original Panthers and is one of the players playing up a year this year. That hasn’t seemed to bother her at all as she has grown as a player with no fear to go in for a tackle and look to protect the ball. Her passing game has also pushed on this season with her playing some defence splitting passes that are creating both chances and goals and she is also chipping in with goals as well which is fantastic to see".

Ryan Arias (U13 Porto)
"In our two games this month, Ryan has been a constant threat down the right wing. He's contributed two goals and two assists. In our first game, he delivered two brilliant, almost identical crosses for Tom to score. In the second game, he terrorised the opposition, scoring a quickfire double. His trickery draws lots of fouls and keeps defenders guessing".

Lucy Wilson (U14 Lynxes)
"We have been working hard at training to try and improve our link up play, to pass the ball and find some space which Lucy has been doing excellently. It was especially noticeable in our last game with Lucy assisting two goals, her passes cutting through the opposition from left back to allow our forwards to run through on goal. Her link up play with Addison at the back has also been brilliant and allowed them both to keep on top of the opposition. Lucy has been trying hard at training, listening to what we ask and working well on her fitness. She is a pleasure to coach and has shown real improvement to her game in the last few weeks. Well done Lucy".

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