Cobblers boss handed February's top honour
Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder has been named the Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month for February, a second successive Sky Bet Manager of the Month award for the Cobblers boss.
Wilder has kept a steady head and his players motivated while they added 16 points from a possible 18 in February.
Wilder said: "As I have said about the other awards, this is a group effort.
“February was a hectic schedule for us as a football club, and on and off the pitch we achieved great results in that period.
“We had some tough games against teams in and around us, there was a lot of travelling as well, so it is testament to the preparation from everybody, the coaching staff and the professionalism of the players that we got the results we did.
“It was all of those things combined, and we had fantastic backing from our supporters as well.
“So it has been a big effort from everybody for the award, which we are grateful for, and we now move on to another big game on Saturday.”
George Burley chairs the Sky Bet Manager of the Month judging panel.
He said: “During the month Chris set a new club record of nine consecutive league wins which is an incredible achievement for any club.
“They collected 16 points out of a possible 18 available in February, which has kept them comfortably ahead in the division.”
Sky Sports’ Football League pundit Don Goodman said: “Chris Wilder thoroughly deserves a second manager of the Month award in succession, after extending Northampton’s lead at the top of League 2 to an almost unassailable points margin.
“His hard work and determination earned five wins for the Cobblers in February as they kept marching towards the title.”
Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery said: “Northampton are a relative lock in for promotion, with Sky Bet no longer taking bets.
“The Cobblers were only denied a perfect February by a 0-0 draw away at Hartlepool, and only conceded a single goal in the whole month. This included wins at Leyton Orient and Oxford, the former being a 4-0 success at odds of 80/1.
“Entering February as 5/4 favourites to win League 2 Northampton are now as short as 1/20, and surely League 1 beckons for Wilder’s men.”
The judging panel comprises former Ipswich Town manager George Burley, Sky Sports’ Football League expert Don Goodman; Football League Chief Operating Officer Andy Williamson; League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery.