YOUNGSTER Tom Kennedy has capped a great personal few weeks by being voted Bury FC player-of-the-month for December.

The talented 18-year-old left back, who only made his full league debut last month, was the choice of the Shakers' fans in the monthly Forever Bury award.

Kennedy is the son of former Gigg Lane favourite Keith who made more than 450 appwearances for the club during the 1970s and 1980s and nephew of Alan who played with great distinction for Liverpool and England, scoring the only goal in the 1981 European Cup final against Real Madrid.

Clearly, producing quality full-backs is a Kennedy family trait and Tom, like his dad and uncle, is comfortable both defending and getting forward to link-up in the last third.

Tom's prize is a meal for four at the Eastern Eye Restaurant in Ramsbottom and he will be presented with his prize on the field before tomorrow's home match against Swansea.

He received 30 per cent of votes cast ahead of Canadian midfielder Terry Dunfield in second place and there were even votes for former player-manager Andy Preece!

But Preecey - now with Carlisle United - needn't be too downhearted at missing out on this accolade as he this week picked up the Nationwide League's Umbro Isotonic Third Division Player of the Month Award for December.

After parting company with the Shakers in the middle of the month the 36-year-old quickly got fixed up with the Cumbrians and has made a talismanic difference to their results.

They had lost 12 league games on the bounce and were 15 points adrift at the foot of the table before he arrived but since then they have been unbeaten winning two and drawing one in December including a Boxing Day triumph over the Shakers at Gigg Lane.

The judging panel said: "It is rare that one player has such an impact on a club but Andy Preece's arrival and Carlisle's turnaround in fortunes cannot be a coincidence.

"He has been using his experience to lead the line brilliantly and after scoring on his debut he has helped create many of Carlisle's goals."