FOOTBALL: Patterson grabs third Player of the Month award

Along with the four match balls which he's picked up for his hat-tricks on the pitch this season, the league's top marksman has scooped another treble off it after he was named the Carling Northern Ireland Football Writers Player of the Month for February.

It's Patterson third of what is a prolific season and it is the first time any player has ever won three gongs in one campaign since the awards first began.

It completes another memorable month for the goal machine. He notched up seven goals in as many games for the Bannsiders before jetting off to Albania with the Northern Ireland squad.

Nigel Worthington's side slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat in Tirana but Patterson told Times Sport the memory will live long with him.

"Obviously making my Northern Ireland debut was a major honour and although the result was poor, I'll never forget it," said Patterson.

"Winning individual awards is great and I'm as happy with this one as I was with last month's and the one before.

"But the most important thing is that Coleraine are doing well. I think this season can only get better for us."

The Strabane man caught the eye with his cameo appearance in Albania with former Northern Ireland international, Gerry Armstrong, tipping him for big things.

Armstrong, who knows all about scoring memorable goals following his strike against Spain at the World Cup in 1982, believes Patterson could do a job for an English club.

"He looked really sharp and did well in what was a difficult situation, he definitely looked the part," said Gerry.

"I've watched him a couple of times now and he looks like a natural scorer. His record this season speaks for itself.

"It was always going to be about whether he could carry his domestic form to the international stage and from what I saw he didn't look out of place.

"There are always scouts scanning the television screens and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he caught the eye of some clubs in England.

"I would rank him ahead of some players I've seen in League One and Two, so maybe he won't be signing for Glentoran after all."