Town boss Kieran McKenna was named the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Season at this evening’s EFL Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London this evening, while Wes Burns, Leif Davis and former Blues skipper Luke Chambers were also honoured.
McKenna fought off fellow nominees Daniel Farke of Leeds and Hull City’s Liam Rosenior, a former Town loanee, to win the gong.
Accepting the award, McKenna was asked how he and his team have managed to take to the Championship so comfortably this season with the Blues currently top with three games to go.
"It is tough,” he said. "It’s certainly not easy and it’s a testament to a lot of people at the football club and I can only thank all of them.
"This award’s on behalf of everyone at the football club, from the board and Mark [Ashton], the chief executive, putting their faith in me to the work of all the staff, some of whom are enjoying their night tonight and, of course, for my coaching staff and, most of all, for a great group of players as well.”
Burns’s brilliant outside-of-the-boot strike against Coventry City at Portman Road won the EFL Goal of the Season gong, which McKenna accepted on the Wales international’s behalf with none of the Town players present at the dinner having been given some time off following the recent busy spell of fixtures.
Davis was the only Blues player named in the Sky Bet Championship Team of the Season, the 24-year-old having recorded a new second-level record for a defender of 17 assists, as well as netting two goals and helping Town to 11 league clean sheets.
Former Blues skipper Chambers was honoured by being awarded the Sir Tom Finney Award for his commitment to the EFL, the 38-year-old having announced his retirement on Life's a Pitch TV earlier in the season.
"It was a bit of a surprise, to be honest,” Chambers said accepting the award. "No one really let on to what was happening. To be here is absolutely incredible, surrounded by so many unbelievable people, players, staff, people that are involved in the EFL. I’m a little bit speechless.
"I believe I led my career being as selfless as possible, being the captain of every club I played for. Trying to lead the best way I knew how, but always putting my teammates and the club first, so to be recognised at the end of 20 years of giving absolutely everything is absolutely unbelievable.”
Former Blues loan keeper Will Norris, now with Portsmouth, was named in the League One Team of the Season.