September's Superstar: Dan Dolling

September saw Manchester Central take the necessary step in achieving their ambitions for the campaign, finding their first league win of 2023/24 and claiming their space in the quarter-finals of the Manchester FA County Cup... and the man dragging the team along as ever? Dan Dolling.

When informed of being awarded September's Man of the Month award, Dolling remarked "How's that happened? We've conceded twelve goals!". And, whilst he's not wrong, it is the mentality that demands continuous improvement that makes Dan such a great leader, and a vital part of the side.

Whilst on paper Dolling's defense is yet to keep a clean sheet, the numbers do not reflect the impressive performances which the side have displayed. Furthermore, it does not consider the unsettled nature of the back-line in the early part of the season, with Janney only recently returning to availability and the full-back roles only recently being locked-down by Spinola and Skingsley.

However, to reduce Dolling's contributions to the team to simply goals conceded would be a massive malfeasance.

Dan's progressive passing spurs attacking moves, whilst his communication helps to configure the midfield and defensive structures. His forward runs break opposition lines and, perhaps most importantly of all, his leadership keeps Central ticking over.

Furthermore, his influence extends beyond the pitch. In the changing room, it was Dan's motivational speech at half-time against Manchester Gregorians which inspired the side to their 2-1 win.

That said, it is the humble attitude displayed by Dan which makes him such an asset - one who has become a friendly face to the new additions, but also a seasoned captain for his long-term colleagues. So, what did Dan have to say about being September's man of the month?

"It feels good to win the award, and whilst things have come a long way over the previous month, I still feel that we have a long way to go."

"Finishing September with two wins back-to-back should hopefully kick-start us to push on in the league, helping to achieve our ambitions and cement us as one of the front-runners."

"Also, with the win over Manchester Gregorians, I hope that another cup run is on the cards. We've had a few in my time at Central, and I hope that progressing to the quarter-finals will help to give the lads that extra incentive to play for the team and perform as well as we know we can."

"However, in general, I'm pretty happy with how the side has come together and progressed in September. A few of the team's additions have definitiely helped to push us in the right direction."

"For example, I think that Max [Winterton] has been invaluable in the last couple of games. He offers a cool, calm and collected aura on the ball in midfield, helping to progress us forwards."

"Thi-Reece [Lenihan] has also been exceptional. His work rate is unmatched - he's here, there and everywhere! I really believe that these are the type of players we need at Central to really keep us progressing."