WORCESTER City duo Carl Heeley and Sean Geddes have been rewarded for a memorable month by scooping the Vanarama Conference North manager and player of the month.
Manager Heeley has overseen one of the side’s best runs in recent times, with four wins and a draw coming in a busy November for the Blue and Whites.
A comeback 2-2 draw at Leamington was followed up by the historic 2-1 FA Cup win at Coventry, before the Brakes fell victim to City once more.
Impressive 3-0 wins away at Harrogate and at home to table-toppers Barrow, in the FA Trophy, capped off a month which saw Heeley also become a dad for the third time.
“I would like to thank the Football Conference and the competition’s title sponsor Vanarama for this prestigious award,” Heeley said. “Vanarama are proving to be a fantastic partner for the competition and have significantly raised the profile within non league.
“Worcester City Football Club have come through some challenging times recently and many more lie ahead with trying to return home from our current ground share at Kidderminster Harriers.
“I receive this award on behalf of everyone connected with the club and their hours of hard work and dedication that never gets seen.
“We are striving to be as competitive as possible and continue our run of good form into the new year and this award is a recognition that we believe we are heading in the right direction.”
The official award panel added: “Without a shadow of doubt Worcester City have confounded many over the past two months with a marvellous sequence of unbeaten results stretching back to mid September, and this has raised the club to national prominence.
“As well as remaining unbeaten in the Vanarama Conference North in November they also recorded tremendous victories in the FA Cup and FA Trophy with wins over Coventry City and Barrow respectively. Carl Heeley is well deserving of his award.”
Former Manchester United trainee Geddes has been the lynchpin in Worcester’s midfield since his arrival back in September, already finding himself at the top of the scoring charts with nine goals.
His five goals in five games, including a brace in the FA Cup victory at the Ricoh, have caught the eye of higher suitors but it was his sensational ‘rabona’ in the 3-0 trophy triumph which has grabbed attention from all over the world.
The online clip of the audacious strike has been seen by more than 1.4 million people.
Geddes said: “I’m really happy to win the Vanarama Conference North Player of the Month.
“It’s been a great month for me and the club but I didn’t expect it to win the award. We’ve had two wins and a draw in the league and a giant-killing in the cup.
“Obviously I scored a brace at Coventry, but the whole team have been playing well. Our defender Wayne Thomas won the award last month.
“I practiced it (the ‘rabona’) a lot in training and luckily it came off. Some of my mates have joked that I only did it because I’ve got no left foot.
“The goal has gone viral now and I’ve got friends in France, Norway and America who have all told me they’ve seen it on the news over there.”
The official award panel added: “Though the whole squad at City have been outstanding during the past month, with a number of their players having caught the eye, the stand out candidate for the award this month has to be Sean Geddes.
“His clinical finishing and five goals came from, free kicks, penalties and strikes from the edge of the penalty area. He certainly deserves this recognition. Congratulations.”