By Jonathan Brown
Valley Rangers Ladies striker Caitlin Rae claimed a sensational double at the NIWFA Awards Night, held at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast on Saturday past. Following an incredible season that saw Caitlin score 52 league goals—over 60 in all competitions—as Valley stormed to an NIWFA Division Four title triumph, she was awarded both the division’s Top Goal Scorer and Player of the Year awards.
Seven of the 23-year-old’s goals came in the Division Four Cup, a competition which was also won by the Bignian Park girls after a 5-1 battering of Ards Rangers Ladies in the final. The Kilkeel native has been in great form for Valley since joining from Lisburn Ladies last year, improving on her tally from the previous season, where she finished as top scorer in NIWFA Division Five with 39 goals.
She’s scored more goals than any player across all seven divisions of the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association league pyramid in 2025, and has played a pivotal role in a Valley side that has now won three league titles in three seasons since re-forming in 2023—winning the Development League, followed by the Division Five title in 2024.
Valley’s Zoe Campbell also received a nomination for the Division Four Player of the Year award after several impressive performances last season.
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