At the halfway stage of the 2024-25 Canada Life Premier League football season, Eric Clague takes a look at how Media Isle of Man’s Team of the Week has shaped up so far.
There have been nine hypothetical XIs selected thus far this season, with three players finding a regular place in the side and a total of 68 different players making an appearance.
Ayre United all-rounder Shaun Kelly, who won the Gordon Clague Football Writers’ Player of the Year trophy in the 2021-22 season, has made the most TotW appearances so far with eight, closely followed by Peel striker Tomas Brown who has already picked up several Under-21 Player of the Month awards this season after a ruthless start to the campaign in front of goal.
In third place in the list with six TotW appearances is Kelly’s Ayre team-mate Jamie Callister who has excelled as Tangerines captain in the northerners’ defence.
Corinthians striker and Golden Boot hopeful Joe Middleton together with Foxdale captain and centre-back Stephen Bettridge have both appeared three times already.
Unfortunately, the latter looks set to miss a large part of the season after suffering a long-term injury recently.
No fewer than nine players have won two places in the side: defender Graham Kennish of Ramsey, midfielder Josh Kennaugh from Onchan together with Foxdale’s Lee Gale and Sam Gelling of St Mary’s.
In attack, places were found for Andy Asbridge (Onchan), Rhys Oates of Peel and Callum Taggart of St John’s.
The versatile Johnny Shields of Ayre United as well as Union Mills goalkeeper Mason Prince are the final players to have appeared twice so far in Team of the Week.