Brentford head coach Dean Smith and QPR boss Ian Holloway have missed out on being named as Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for October with Derby County manager Gary Rowett claiming the gong.
October was the month in which Derby announced themselves as promotion contenders. Four wins from four earned Rowett’s men a maximum 12 points, but it was the manner of the victories he inspired at Norwich and Leeds which impressed most.
Rowett said: “I think it’s a nice honour for everyone at the club who’s worked incredibly hard.
"It feels a little bit silly, me, getting the award on my own because of course it’s a reflection of the whole staff that are working incredibly hard behind the scenes and of course the players that perform so well in the games.
“It was a big month for us and it was a month that we needed to get us back up into contention.
“We were determined to find the right balance, which we didn’t feel we’d found in the first period of games. We’ve shown a little bit more belief recently.
“Our aim has always been the same, to be around the top six positions, of course you want that to be the top two. Consistency is what every team is after and we’re working very hard to achieve that.”
Bolton's Phil Parkinson also missed out on the award.
