Five managers from across the Championship have been shortlisted for the September manager of the month award, with the winner set to be announced at 06:00 on Friday, 9 October.
Lincoln's joint-bosses recognised for strong September
Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, who share the head-coaching role at Lincoln City, have earned a place on the shortlist after guiding the newly-promoted club to eight points from five matches in September. That haul included impressive away victories at Preston North End and Bristol City, a sequence that will have given Lincoln supporters genuine confidence that the club can hold its own at this level.
Matos chasing back-to-back honours
Swansea City's Vitor Matos is in contention for a second consecutive award, having claimed August's prize. His side took ten points from their five September outings, a run that moved the Welsh club to the top of the Championship table. Sustained form of that kind makes Matos a strong contender to become the first manager to win the award in back-to-back months this season.
Robins oversees remarkable Stoke turnaround
Mark Robins has presided over one of September's most striking reversals of fortune. Stoke City had lost all three of their opening fixtures and found themselves rooted to the foot of the table. Four wins from five games last month, leaving them unbeaten across September, lifted the club up to seventh place. That turnaround, achieved under considerable early pressure, makes Robins one of the more compelling candidates on the shortlist.
West Ham's Nuno backed by prolific attack
Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham United side were the division's most free-scoring outfit in September, netting 18 goals across five matches. Only Millwall stopped them from a perfect month, earning a 2-2 draw at The Den. That attacking output gives Nuno a strong statistical case, and his side's results will have caught the eye of supporters and rivals alike.
A competitive field
The five nominees represent the full breadth of what September offered: a newly-promoted side punching above their weight, a table-topper maintaining momentum, a club reborn after a dismal start, and a team with genuine attacking credentials. Seldom does a single month's shortlist carry quite so many contrasting storylines.
- Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw (Lincoln City): 8 points from 5 games, including wins at Preston and Bristol City.
- Vitor Matos (Swansea City): 10 points from 5 games; Swansea top of the Championship table.
- Mark Robins (Stoke City): 4 wins from 5; unbeaten after losing their first 3 matches of the season.
- Nuno Espirito Santo (West Ham United): 18 goals scored in 5 September fixtures.
The award will be announced on Friday morning, with all four camps having made a credible case for the monthly honour. For Lincoln and Stoke in particular, recognition at this stage of the season would serve as a welcome signal that their respective ambitions, whether survival or a genuine promotion push, are not without foundation.
Frequently asked
- Who is nominated for Championship manager of the month for September?
- Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw (Lincoln City), Vitor Matos (Swansea City), Mark Robins (Stoke City) and Nuno Espirito Santo (West Ham United) are all nominated for September's Championship manager of the month award.
- When is the Championship manager of the month winner announced?
- The winner of the September award is due to be announced at 06:00 BST on Friday, 9 October.
- How did Stoke City perform in September under Mark Robins?
- Stoke were unbeaten in September, winning four of their five matches to climb to seventh place after losing their opening three games of the season.