FC MMIX Player’s Player Of The Year

Opening the voting to any player that was currently part of the FC MMIX playing squad, a whole host of votes were received spreading over as many as 8 players but the obvious choice and runaway winner was Callum Moon. Billed as ‘Mr Consistent’, Callum went on to feature in 28 games over the course of 2011/12 (missing only two) and put in consistently reliable performances in a whole host of positions including centre-back, wing-back and most notably in the heart of the midfield. He also scored the first ever goal  in his MMIX career during the 2-0 victory over New City Saints, a blistering 30-yard effort into the top corner, to cap off yet another fine season for the ever blossoming ‘Moonie’.

FC MMIX Player Of The Year 

There were a whole host of players that could have realistically deserved this award but the club opted to give the award to Aden Turner in his first season with the club. After signing in pre-season and netting a perfect hat-trick on his debut – the 10-0 victory over P+MM in August 2011 – Aden instantly went on to install himself as a necessity in the matchday  squad, finishing 2^nd in the goalscoring stakes with 19 goals in just 18 games as well as chipping in with a massive 14 assists in all competitions as well despite having to play 1 ½ games between the sticks, filling in for Michael Morton’s injury. A true team player, and a thoroughly deserving winner.

FC MMIX Golden Boot

In a thoroughly entertaining season, the race for the ‘Golden Boot’ went right down to the final game of the season and was eventually won by Marc Lee in his first full season with the club. Making his debut in a pre-season friendly against Deanshanger Veterans back in August 2011, his first goals in an MMIX shirt came in the shape of a brace in the 10-1
mauling of Buckingham United six weeks later and from that point on, he didn’t look back. Netting regularly and consistently, he finished the season in fine goalscoring form with 8 strikes in the final 5 games of the season including a hat-trick against MK Legends and a brace against Stoke Hammond MK one week later and ended 2011/12 with an impressive 20 goals from 21 games in all competitions, as well as chipping in with 8 assists as well.

FC MMIX Goal Of The Season

An award that was incredibly tough to call because of the quality of goals on show in 2011/12 – and the amount, with a total of 114 goals needing to be considered – the club drew up a short-list of approximately 8 goals and whittled it down from there. Taking into account the build-up play and the relevance to the team, as well as the strike itself, the eventual – and deserving – winner was Chris Harper’s first-half strike during the 2-2 draw with Olney Town back in October 2011. A 25-yard effort on the stroke of half-time, it came during easily MMIX’s best performance of the season and is a goal that people are still talking about today.

The club would like to thank everybody that attended the evening, and hope that a good night was had by all.

In yet another eventful campaign that has seen an MMIX side registering their highest ever league position as well as progressing further in the County Cup and domestic Knock-Out Cup than they ever have before, a total of 115 goals were scored in just 30 games over a gruelling 9-month season that has seen the club travel far and wide to venues never seen before such as Deanshanger, Aylesbury and Chesham.

Finishing 3^rd in Division One with an impressive 16 wins from 22 games – ending the season with a goal difference of +50 – MMIX did the ‘double’ over Stacey Bushes, MK Legends, Buckingham United, MK United, New City Saints and Stanton Manor (albeit by default) as well as forcing a 2-2 draw with champions Olney Town and defeating runners-up AFC Santander in both league and cup.

The players now go their separate ways for the summer before the pre-season schedule begins, currently pencilled in for roughly the middle of July.

Keep checking back for updates on pre-season training, pre-season friendlies and potential new signings / departures as the club begins its preparation for the 2012/13 campaign and its push for the Division One title.

AFC Santander, currently in second, will be hoping that Olney slip up on the final day as they themselves are still in with a chance of winning the title after they beat MK Legends 4-0 this past weekend to keep up the pressure at the top.

Elsewhere Punjab United’s final game of 2011/12 ended in defeat after losing 4-0 to Stanton Manor.

The table looks like this:

There were no Premier Division games this weekend as Stony Stratford booked their place in the Knock-Out Cup final after a 6-0 victory over Kings Arms thanks to a ‘man of the match’ performance from Darryl Wilson.

Their opponents though are currently unknown after the other semi-final between Trade 2 U and Loughton Athletic was postponed. Athletic are currently under investigation as a) they may be folding, and b) it appears that in their quarter-final against Great Mile Ash, they fielded at least one ineligible player.

Watch this space.

Elsewhere, the two Stantonbury Social sides competed for a place in the Bill Johnson Supplementary Cup final (with the A team coming out on top) where they’ll meet the OU, who progressed with a 3-1 victory over Stoke Hammond MK.

It means that both sides now sit on 52 points with 2 games remaining, although Town’s goal difference is 30 goals better than their counterparts so Santander will be hoping that Olney slip-up.

MMIX’s 4-1 victory over Stoke Hammond MK saw them need only 1 point to secure 3rd place for definite, while Stantonbury Social’s 6-0 victory over MK United saw them over-take Hammond and take 4th spot for now.

Elsewhere Stanton Manor beat Buckingham United 6-1.

The table looks like this:

In the Premier Division, Stony Stratford returned to the top of the table with a 12-1 mauling of cash strapped CS Athletic while Kings Arms edged AFC Padbury 2-1 and Trade 2 U put 6 unanswered goals past FC Lifesearch.

Stantonbury Social and Great Mile Ash were awarded their fixtures against the OU and Loughton Athletic respectively, meaning that both sides look firm favourites for the drop.

The table looks like this:

Harper will miss the home ties against Stoke Hammond MK and Stacey Bushes as well as the away fixture to Stanton Manor.

The club can now also confirm that Ashley Simpson and Chevon Ramdial are also suspended until the end of the season as a result of their involvement in the incident during the abandoned Stanton Manor fixture earlier in the season.

Elsewhere Stantonbury Social B beat ten man Punjab United 5-0.

The table looks like this:

In the Premier Division, Willen ensured that the lowest they could finish was 2nd with a 7-0 win over Loughton Athletic while AFC Padbury surprised CS Athletic 5-2, Stony Stratford Town remained unbeaten with a hard fought 3-2 win over Great Mile Ash and Stantonbury Social A beat Trade 2 U by 6 goals to 2.

The table looks like this:

The table now looks like this:

In the Premier Division, Stony Stratford Town remained unbeaten with a 3-1 victory over Kings Arms while Stantonbury Social and Trade 2 U played out a 1-1 draw.

The table now looks like this:

Elsewhere, there were 3 Bill Johnson Supplementary Cup quarter-finals taking place - the competition that MMIX won in 2010/11, but weren’t given the chance to defend this time around.

Stantonbury Social B held AFC Santander to a 3-3 draw before knocking them out on penalties, booking their place in the semi-finals alongside Stoke Hammond (who knocked out Buckingham United 6-1), the OU (who progressed after Stanton Manor failed to field a team) and Stantonbury Social’s A team, who knocked out CS Athletic in game week 23.

Stony progressed by default after AFC Padbury failed to field a team, whereas Kings Arms cruised past Olney Town 3-1 and Loughton knocked out Great Mile Ash on penalties after a 4-4 draw.

There was also a Round 1 fixture in the Supplementary Cup (the competition that MMIX won in 2010/11) with Stantonbury Social A comfortably beating CS Athletic 5-0.

In Division One, AFC Santander returned to the top of the table after they thumped Punjab United 9-0 while Stantonbury Social B beat New City Saints 2-1, MK United beat Stanton Manor by the same score-line and Buckingham United beat MK Legends 1-0.

The table looks like this:

In competitive action, MMIX have only twice taken on a Premier Division side. Back in 2009/10, a severely weakened side lost out 6-1 to a then top flight Olney Town despite an early Des Clark strike but in 2010/11, MMIX travelled to take on Great Mile Ash and beat them 3-1 thanks to an early goal from former striker Darryl Wilson and two goals from captain Joe Meddings.

Trade 2 U are currently 4^th in the top flight, having won 9 of their 15 league games so far this season. This, after winning Division One in 2010/11 when they lost only 1 game out of 14 and actually did a double over MMIX – 4-0 in Bradwell Village, and 3-1 over at Manor Fields despite a Rob Whittaker consolation in that game.

But there is definite hope for MMIX, who themselves have won their last 6 fixtures in all competitions, as so far in the competition Trade 2 U have struggled to really impress. In Round 1 they only beat Stacey Bushes 2-0 while in Round 2, they needed a 90^th minute winner to see off Buckingham United 2-1. MMIX received a bye in Round 1 but in the next phase, defeated AFC Santander 3-2 in extra-time despite resting several key players. It’s also worth noting that when the two sides did meet last season, MMIX were a very different team indeed. Of the 19 players used during the two meetings, as many as 11 of the players on show will not be featuring this coming Sunday.

Player wise there will be late checks on several players but one definite piece of news is that top scorer Aden Turner will once again be available, looking to add to the 16 goals that he has already bagged in 2011/12 so far.

Kick-off is at 10:30am, and the match will go to extra-time and penalties if required.

However, prior to that blip Meddings had despatched all 8 of his previous penalties including a brace in the 9-0 victory over MK United, as well as the goal that actually proved to be the 90^th minute winner against MK Legends in only the 2^nd game of the 2011/12 campaign.

Wanting to address his team-mates, he has issued the following statement:

“Plain and simple, I got Sunday’s penalty wrong. When the MK United keeper pulled out an almost uncharacteristic save over at their place 3 weeks ago, it dented my confidence and unfortunately I let it affect my judgement when I stepped up to take the penalty against Stanton Manor this past weekend.

For the first time ever, as I ran up to strike the ball I changed my mind on where I was going to put it and that goes against the number 1 rule of penalty taking. As a result,  I couldn’t get a proper connection and scuffed the ball against the post. The sound is still haunting me today, and believe me, I am determined to put it right!

All I ask is that my team-mates continue to back me to get the job done when the referee points to the spot, as they should all know by now what I am capable of. I give my absolute promise that the next time FC MMIX are awarded a penalty, you will see me step up and ripple the back of the net – and if I fail to get the job done for a 3^rd time, then despite my previous good form from the spot I give my promise that I will re-evaluate the penalty taking situation from then on.”