Blues boss Kieran McKenna and forward Conor Chaplin have been named EFL Manager and Player of the Month for April.

McKenna has carried off his gong for the second successive month, while Chaplin previously won the player award in December.

The Town boss saw his side to seven wins and a draw from eight games during April, which proved enough to see Town to promotion back to the Championship.

The Blues scored 27 goals during the month, conceding only two, recording six clean sheets.

“I think it speaks mostly about the work that everyone’s put it,” said McKenna, who insisted that all the staff at Playford Road were photographed alongside him with the trophy.

“You don’t have the season we’ve had, and you certainly don’t have the finish of the season that we’ve had, without the work that goes on all through the year.

“We really wanted to represent that with the photograph, the spirit and the togetherness in the club is fantastic and everyone’s pulling in the same direction.

“That’s a massive part of what’s been successful and it’s a nice chance to recognise that today.”

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman, a member of the judging panel along with EFL chief executive Trevor Birch and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies, said: “It’s back-to-back Manager of the Month awards for Kieran McKenna as Ipswich continued their relentless march to promotion.

“The frightening pace set by the league leaders in League One has given neutrals a brilliant spectacle in 2022/23 and showed once again the strength in depth in the football pyramid in this country.”

Also nominated were Cambridge United’s Mark Bonner, ex-Blues academy player and coach Liam Manning, who is in charge at Oxford United, and Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher.

Chaplin, League One’s top scorer on 26 goals going into the season’s final weekend and the winner of numerous Town Player of the Year awards earlier this week, netted 10 times in April, including a hat-trick in the 6-0 hammering of Charlton Athletic.

Former Barnsley, Coventry and Portsmouth attacker Chaplin was similarly joined by all his teammates for his photo.

“It’s good, very, very good,” he said. “Pleased about it. Not just because of the goals and the award but because of the month we’ve had as a team, as a club.

“I think it goes to show how consistent we were as a team in April and also how well we were playing as well.

“The amount of goals we’ve scored is a testament to all the boys and my teammates for all the chances we’ve created.

“It was a month with a lot of games, eight games, which is not normal other than December really, but I’m really, really happy.”

The 26-year-old paid tribute to his teammates who have laid on the opportunities which have led to his goals.

“I think if you’re in a good team, it’s a lot easier to get chances and score goals, so obviously the more chances you create as a team, the easier it’s going to be to score goals,” he said.

McKenna says Chaplin fully deserves his award: “Conor’s had a fantastic season and deserves the accolades he’s getting but he also knows he’s had a wonderful set of teammates in that dressing room, who have helped him in training every day and helped him out on the pitch.

“I think individual awards, whether that’s for managers or for players, they’re a reflection of the work of a lot of people and it’s nice that Conor was able to recognise that as well.”

Sky Sports’ pundit Goodman added: “No stranger to recognition after picking up three prizes at Ipswich Town’s end of season awards earlier this week, Chaplin has been in scintillating form all season.

“An incredible tally of 26 league goals led his team to promotion and leaves him in pole position to secure the League One Golden Boot, too.”

Former Blues striker David McGoldrick (Derby County), Sam Smith (Cambridge United) and Cole Stockton (Morecambe) were the other nominees.

Photos: ITFC

ImAbeliever added 06:13 - May 5 Good!
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Help added 06:42 - May 5 oh no the dreaded manager of the month award :-)
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terryf added 06:54 - May 5 Well deserved awards just a pity there is not a Team award as we would have smashed that too. Just as we will do in the Championship next season.
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Europablue added 07:28 - May 5 If they didn't win I would have lost all faith in humanity. Well deserved! It's also impressive that they waited for the month to be over to give the award rather than the player of season and manager of the season awards.
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Bomber added 08:22 - May 5 Great news for the club & thoroughly deserved. Europablue I agree with you it is ridiculous that the season awards were made weeks before the end of the season, Chaplin should have got player of the season & to be fair I think Schumacher would have deserved the manager award what he has done at Plymouth is pretty amazing with the resources available. That said "we've got super Kieran McKenna" COYB!!!!!

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SlippinJimmyJuan added 08:31 - May 5 “The frightening pace set by the league leaders in League One has given neutrals a brilliant spectacle in 2022/23" - Plymouth fans will love that quote from Goodman.
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Foreverdon_Blue added 09:00 - May 5 These last couple of weeks have just been brilliant! COYB!
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ArnieM added 09:17 - May 5 I don't know about manager of the month, I think rookie manager should be manager of the year! 🎶 We've got super Kieran McKenna…. He's knows exact what we need. Woolfie at the back …. Ladapo in attack… We're going win the f***** league 🎶
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Europablue added 09:39 - May 5 It's undeniable the KM is manager of the month, but manager of the year is a toss-up between him and Schumacher and I would say that would be decided based on who finishes first. These are two very different feats of management. Schumacher continued a job on firm foundations (admittedly he helped build those foundations) and was an evolution, rather than the revolution that we have seen with KM. It is incredibly difficult to turn around a relatively big club with all of the expectations and mostly the doom and gloom surrounding the club. I have a lot of admiration for the job Schumacher has done, and even if we win the league, I might still consider him manager of the year, but KM will be manager of the decade and there is no doubt in my mind that Town will outperform Plymouth next year.

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Karlosfandangal added 10:18 - May 5 I remember saying just before the Bristol Rovers game that the next 5 Town needed to win as the five after that were hard games and expected to drop points. We know the result and I said looks like play offs now. I can see why I am not a football manager. Fully deserved awards and so right to put the whole Team in the photo as it has been a team effort Chaplin again fully deserved but as the picture shows and as he said himself anyone could have got the award. Walton in goal has kept Town in a game with some excellent saves. Morsy and Luongo have been massive in the middle of the park. Never understood why KMK wanted Hurst….see why now and Broadhead is pure class and at times reminds me of my hero Paul Mariner. Ladapo has been excellent when he has come on I could go on and on. For me the match away at Derby was one I loved the most……they put Town under a lot of pressure and played some excellent football…but Town held firm and the counterattacks were wonderful to watch. The ball from Walton that cross from Broadhead the lay off by Burns and then Chaplins finish. Would love to see Town lift the title but credit to Plymouth if they do. Town Plymouth Sheff Wed and even Barnsley have helped make this one hell of a season.

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MickMillsTash added 12:04 - May 5 New Mantelpiece on order for Chaplin Can he expense this back to the club ?
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Saxonblue74 added 12:36 - May 5 Please Mr Ashton, don't forget a nice big new trophy room when we redevelop. We're going to need it!😁
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Europablue added 13:00 - May 5 Saxonblue74, that lot up the road might have some trophy cabinets they won't be using, so could be cheap.
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therein61 added 16:07 - May 5 Well deserved you guys and all those behind you who made it possible C.O.Y.B
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Saxonblue74 added 16:18 - May 5 Wouldn't want anything from there if they were giving it away Europa!🤣
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midastouch added 08:11 - May 7 We've got Chaplin, super Conor Chaplin, I don't quite think you understand. He plays in blue and white, He's f**king dynamite, we've got super Conor Chaplin!
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