Ipswich Town: McKenna named March's Championship manager of the month

McKenna led the Blues to four wins in five matches last month, a run which saw them go back to the top of the league table.

He lifted the award over Norwich City's David Wagner, Leeds United's Daniel Farke and Carlos Corberan of West Brom.

Kieran McKenna led Town back to the top of the league in March (Image: Ross Halls)
McKenna said: “Whether it’s as a staff member or as a player, awards are always reflective of the team.

“Any manager of the month award is really a reflection of the work of the players on the pitch, and the work of the players on the pitch is a reflection of the work of so many people at the training ground and also at the stadium.

“It’s nice to share these things with the staff. We won this award this time last year and shared it with the staff at that point, and it was nice to speak to some of the staff about that today 12 months on.

“To be in the position that we’re in, to have progressed how we have done with the promotion and to be sitting here with the least losses in the division, to come through last season having only lost four games, to hit the level of consistency that we have done in the performances and the competitive of the performances in each game, is a testament to the players and, again, all the people here.

“In the middle of a very busy schedule and a busy two weeks, and of course an exciting end to the season, it was nice to be able to share that moment with them and to reiterate that, as I know they will do, that we’ll all keep pushing now until the end of the season and try and finish as well as we can, and give the players the best chance to keep performing as they have been.”

One of Town's wins in March was a 6-0 thumping of Sheffield Wednesday (Image: Ross Halls)
Danny Wilson, who chairs the Sky Bet Championship manager of the month judging panel, said: “They just keep going don’t they?

"Four wins out of five games including a 6-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday has kept Kieran and his team in the two automatic positions in this very tight Championship battle, with all to play for.”

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman added: “Ipswich’s dip in form earlier in the year was consigned to the past in March and Kieran McKenna deserves immense credit for getting their promotion push back on track.

"They scored goals for fun, and you can never write them off until the final whistle, which typifies the mentality and desire around the club.

“They’re in a great position in the Championship table and what an achievement it would be if McKenna was to win back-to-back promotions and guide Ipswich from mid-table in League One to the summit of English football.”

- Leif Davis missed out in the player category, with that award going to West Brom's Mikey Johnston.