Four seasons in and the Squad of the Week has grown arms, legs, and opinions.
That’s where Hugh Dunnit steps in.
Where numbers meet nonsense, and the performances actually tell the truth… mostly.
Listen up. I’ve sifted through the chaos — the flying tackles, the footballs launched into orbit, and the strikers who finally remembered what the two big sticks are for.
Some of you lot were heroic. Some were lucky. A few just happened to be standing in the right place while the opposition quietly self-destructed.
Hugh Dunnit — GCFA Team of the Month
#GCFAAlive #SaturdayMorningFootball #ScottishAmateurFootball #AmateurFootball
Either way, here’s the XI that dragged their teams kicking, screaming, and occasionally cramping into relevance this month.
Stats included — because apparently we all need homework now.
Shape: 4-3-3
Because it keeps the full-backs busy and gives me three midfielders to blame when everything goes wrong.
🧤 Goalkeeper
🧤 GK — Ross Gallacher (Clydebank Red Star)
Let’s start with the bloke who keeps his team from turning every weekend into a crime scene. Ross didn’t just make saves — he made the right saves, at the right times. Those are worth their weight in gold, or at least worth a pint.
His shot-stopping kept Clydebank Red Star competitive in matches they had no business remaining in. Strong hands, quicker reactions than a man told VAR’s checking a penalty, and a calm authority behind a defence that occasionally defends like it’s optional.
Month summary: Match-preserver. Score-protector. Sane-keeper of an otherwise chaotic back line.
🛡 DEFENCE
RB — Derek Elder (Rutherglen Glencairn AFC)
Right-backs are usually either failed wingers or moody centre-backs. Elder’s neither — he actually defends.
Week after week he’s been called “excellent,” not just in the performance sense but in that veteran “we’d collapse without him” way. His MOTM outing sealed the deal: he locked down his flank, won duels, and delivered the kind of reliability that keeps managers from aging prematurely.
Month summary: Rutherglen’s insurance policy — calm, controlled, and consistent.
CB — Ciaran McMahon (REMO FC)
This lad plays centre-back like a man owed money. Aggressive, dominant, and decisive — he’s spent the month clattering strikers into existential reflection.
Winning every tackle and duel isn’t a statistic — it’s a threat. Add aerial domination and a performance lauded as MOTM at national cup level, and it’s clear he’s not just good — he’s a problem.
Month summary: The rock, the hammer, the guy whose name keeps opposition strikers up at night.
CB — Aaron “Fudge” McFadyen (Camby Milan)
Route-one football is a horrible thing — big lads lumping it forward and hoping for chaos. McFadyen saw it off like he was bored.
He won everything in the air and half the things on the ground, then had the audacity to score the winner on top of it. That’s what centre-backs are for — defend your box, then go bully theirs.
Month summary: Aerial superiority + decisive goal = automatic selection.
LB — Marc McKay (Bishopton FC)
Part full-back, part marathon runner, part handyman.
McKay owned the left side like he’d bought naming rights. He contributed an assist up the flank, then spent time in central midfield without anyone noticing the difference — that’s versatility and consistency rolled into one frightening bundle.
If footballers were measured by mileage alone, he’d be on the podium.
Month summary: Energy, adaptability, and end product — the modern full-back, minus the drama.
⚙️ MIDFIELD
CM — Mo Benghellab (GCR)
Every team has a “what would we do without him?” player. For GCR, it’s Mo.
A month of standouts, capped by an equaliser so outrageous he may as well have pointed to the top corner beforehand. Not just a highlight merchant — his overall play has driven GCR’s form upward, dragging the squad toward respectability.
When GCR needed composure, he provided it; when they needed inspiration, he scored it.
Month summary: Big goals, bigger performances. A midfield force.
CM — Ali Naysmith (Lokomotiv)
Three assists, three different scorers. That’s not luck — that’s orchestration.
Naysmith dictates games like they’re his private concert. His passing range opens scissors-tight defences, and his composure means Lokomotiv always have someone to trust when possession actually matters.
He doesn’t just get involved — he sets the tone and rhythm.
Month summary: Creative conductor with end product every game.
AM — David Connolly (Rhu Colts)
A midfielder with a hat-trick and an assist in one performance should be locked up for cruelty. Connolly’s influence is constant — carrying the ball, positioning smartly, linking play, and then ending the move himself like he didn’t trust anyone else.
His final ball is purposeful, not hopeful. And he’s repeatedly described as a threat every time he has possession — which is what attacking mids should be instead of just taking nice photos for Instagram.
Month summary: Goal threat + creator = nightmare.
🎯 ATTACK
RW — Rizwan (Burnhill FC)
Five goals this month — and one was a direct free-kick. That’s a statement.
He doesn’t just finish; he bullies defenders, holds the ball up, drives at the line, and makes every touch matter.
If your back line tried to mark him, odds are they’re still chasing shadows and making excuses.
Month summary: Goal machine. Physical threat. Impossible to ignore.
ST — Leroy Smith (Rutherglen Glencairn AFC)
Another hat-trick merchant who didn’t stop there — he actively tortured centre-backs this month.
He doesn’t just score; he creates fear. Constant movement, smart angles, and a finishing touch that should come with a silencer.
When a striker repeatedly bags three, it’s not form — it’s habit.
Month summary: Relentless. Efficient. Untouchable.
STR — Stephen Mullen (Cambuslang FA)
Another hat-trick hero, but what makes Mullen stand out is his ruthlessness — no wasted touches, no dithering, just pure striker instinct from wide positions.
When a winger records numbers like a No. 9, you pay attention. The opposition clearly didn’t.
Month summary: Ice-cold finishing from a wide threat. The kind of winger you’d hate to play against.
🔁 Bench
These lads just missed the cut, but still ruined dreams all month:
GK: Andrew Patterson — Big saves throughout the month.
CB: Calvin Neil — Early goal + dominant at the back
MID: Seoras — Ran the midfield out of position like a veteran
MID: Marc Buckley — Two goals, including one from the heavens
ST: Ethan Furze — Match-winner, constant threat
ST: Luke Kimmins — Equaliser + winning penalty under pressure
David’s Dynamos—The Nethercraigs Ascent
The highest point in a club’s history is not stumbled upon; it is achieved through focused, sustained brilliance. And brilliance is precisely what Nethercraigs FC, under the stewardship of their manager David, has delivered over the past month.
To guide a side to their highest-ever league position is a monumental achievement that demands recognition. In a sport often defined by marginal gains and relentless pressure, David has successfully cultivated a winning environment, translating tactical nous into tangible results on the pitch.
This milestone is a testament to more than just a few lucky results; it reflects exceptional managerial effort, detailed preparation, and powerful leadership. David has clearly motivated his squad to perform above and beyond expectations, setting a new benchmark for the club.
His efforts deserve to be lauded within the wider sporting community. This is the kind of performance that defines a manager’s tenure and inspires the next generation of players and coaches alike.
Well done, David. A monumental effort worthy of every accolade.
“You can keep your fancy stats — these lads made things happen. Goals, graft, and guts. The rest will just have to chew on it.”
Thanks to the clubs who sent detailed nominations — they make this sharper every week and build on Hugh’s touchline viewings. Keep them coming, with context, so we can spotlight the shifts that swung points
#GCFAAlive #SaturdayMorningFootball #ScottishAmateurFootball #AmateurFootball
Seen it different? Nominate your standouts for next week and tell us why the moments mattered.
Footy Focus season 25/26 
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