Sky Bet EFL: Player of the Month and Manager of the Month winners for April

Sky Bet Championship

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been named the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for April.

While the Blades’ automatic promotion rivals faltered, Wilder instilled a clarity of mind in his players that allowed them to ignore the glittering prize on offer and concentrate on collecting 14 points from six games, completing the job superbly.

Wilder said: "It has been a fantastic end to the season and we’ve been celebrating reaching our ultimate goal this week. It is a team effort, including the players, staff and supporters, and this award should be shared by all Unitedites."

George Burley chairs the Sky Bet Manager of the Month judging panel and he added: "Chris Wilder has kept Sheffield United’s focus on securing promotion through the whole season.

"Never more so than in the massively important final games during the traditionally tense month of April.

"Fourteen points from six games was enough, as their rivals fell away.

"Wilder is a Blades’ hero and has taken the club to the Premier League with attractive and attacking football."

West Brom striker Dwight Gayle has been named the Player of the Month.

Gayle rediscovered his scoring touch just in time for the Play-Offs with six goals in as many games. His hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Preston was the highlight – three unerring finishes to prove his form.

West Brom Caretaker Head Coach Jimmy Shan said: "Dwight's award is thoroughly deserved. His goalscoring prowess is there for all to see but what we have learned at Albion this season is that he is fantastic character too with a great attitude to his football and within the team.

"Dwight is a huge asset on the pitch but equally he is invaluable around the dressing room.

"He has shown in April and throughout the entire season, which is why he was voted the club's Supporters' Player of the Season.”

On the award, Gayle added: "It’s nice to win the award and I have got to give a big thank you to my team-mates as a lot of my goals have come from in the six-yard box, so there’s a lot of great passes and great assists from the team.

"I want to be scoring as many goals as I can to help the team out and luckily this month was one of the months that I managed to score a few.

"Getting a hat-trick is nice and I’m going to have the ball to remember it by and hopefully I can get another one before the season finishes."

Sky Bet League One

Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has been named the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month for April.

It would have been easy for him to allow his players to free-wheel towards the play-offs, but Bowyer still had eyes on automatic promotion. He drove his team on to win five of their six April games and almost achieve their goal.

George Burley chairs the Sky Bet Manager of the Month judging panel and he said: "Lee Bowyer pulled out all the stops in April to earn as many points as possible in an attempt to secure an automatic promotion place.

"They did all they could, recording five wins out of six while scoring 13 goals and conceding only three in a month which included a fine win against league-leaders Luton Town. This momentum will stand them in good stead in the Play-Offs.”

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman added: "It’s testament to Lee’s managerial abilities that he’s managed to reach the Play-Offs for a second consecutive season, bringing good times to the Valley in very difficult circumstances when that seemed impossible not that long ago.

"He is the fastest Charlton manager to reach 100 points since the inception of three points for a win in 1981. The shame is that they didn’t start their incredible run just a few games earlier, as they’ve only just missed out on the automatic places. I’m sure Lee will galvanise his troops and hope to improve on last season’s Play-Off efforts."

AFC Wimbledon striker Joe Pigott has been named the Player of the Month.

Pigott’s immense contribution led to Wimbledon climbing out of the relegation zone for the first time since the autumn.

He led the line with passion and scored five of his side’s six goals in the month.

AFC Wimbledon manager Wally Downes said: "Joe’s contribution during the past month has been fantastic, he’s led the line superbly well, and the way he has blended with James Hanson has been really pleasing.

"His all-round game is coming on superbly. When you have a hard-working team, it starts from the front. Everybody can see the two forwards and if they are working hard it’s an incentive for everybody else.

"Joe and James have done great for us up front, but Joe has been the one who has got the goals so I can understand why he has got the accolade."

Pigott added: "It’s an amazing achievement to get this award, but it’s testament to how well that we’ve done as a team recently. I’m just happy to contribute as we try to pull off a Great Escape, but we need to get over the line on Saturday.

"I think the form I’ve shown since January is something I want to produce more of in the future. I’ve always known that I can score goals, but it’s about doing the rest of the bits and pieces that are vital to the team."

Sky Bet League Two

Newport County manager Michael Flynn has been named the Sky Bet League Two Manager of the Month for April.

April began with Flynn dismissing the Play-Off places as too far away, but ended with Newport roaring into them as his ability to raise his players’ performance levels shone through, with 15 points from seven games and just one goal conceded.

Flynn said: "It's a fantastic team effort, not just the boys on the pitch, it's the entire squad, the staff, I couldn't do it without them. It's a real team effort. I wish they were in the photo, but we'll have to do with just me and Joe."

George Burley added: "What a month Michael Flynn’s team gave the supporters of Newport County.

"Fifteen points from seven unbeaten games, which included excellent wins against leading clubs Lincoln City and Bury, was enough to climb into the Play-Off places and ensure a dramatic end to the season."

Newport goalkeeper Joe Day has been named the Player of the Month to complete a double for the Exiles.

A busy month for Newport was made easier by the form of Day who, astonishingly, kept six clean sheets and conceded just one goal in seven games. His shot-stopping ability was particularly sharp in the 0-0 draw with Swindon.

Day said: "I am delighted to receive this award, It's a very proud moment for me to win it, in all honesty, it has been a real team effort throughout April.

"The results we have picked up and ground out have been amazing, from the front to the back of the team, it has been massive."

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman also commented: "It’s not often that a goalkeeper wins the Player of the Month, but when your team moves into a Play-Off berth courtesy of six clean sheets, people tend to sit up and take notice.

"Newport went into April with one of the worst defensive records in the EFL but only conceded one goal in the month, despite playing three of the top five, a quite remarkable turnaround."

• The judging panel for the Sky Bet Player of the Month comprises Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan, League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.

Follow Sporting Life on social media - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC

Related football links

• Sporting Life's betting tips
• Inside the Premier League title race
• Play Super 6
• Latest football fixtures
• Football results
• Latest Paper Talk