Melt the butter in a large deep roasting pan, season the pheasants and brown on all sides, remove and put to one side.
Add the bacon, onion, celery and sage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the onions are soft.
Return the pheasant to the pan, scatter over the apples and pour over the cider and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and put into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 190°C/375F/Gas Mark 5 until the pheasants are cooked.
Remove the birds from the pan and keep them warm, let the liquid bubble and reduce by half, then add the cabbage and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream, check the seasoning and cook for another minute.