McKenna Wins Manager of the Month
Friday, 16th Jan 2026 06:00

Town boss Kieran McKenna has been named the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for December.

The Blues won four, drew two and lost one during the month with victories home and away against leaders Coventry among the successes.

No club in the division picked up more points, although Watford also recorded 14 but with an inferior goal difference.

McKenna beat Hornets’ boss Javi Gracia, Sergej Jakirovic of Hull City and Swansea’s Vitor Matos to the gong.

“This award is credit to everyone involved with the team and also the supporters, because it was a really challenging December with lots of games and lots of travel,” McKenna said.

“Although not every game went our way, we really stuck at it and showed lots of quality and resilience. That took a lot of effort from everyone and it’s especially pleasing for us to win this award in a month which asked so much of us.

“We know it will take a big, big effort over the next few months and it’s now about everyone continuing to work hard, sticking together and seeing where we are at the end of the season.”

It’s the second time the Blues manager has won the award this season, having been named top boss in September.

He previously picked it up in the Championship in September 2023 and March 2024, as well as the League One equivalent twice, in March and April 2023.

The winner was chosen by a judging panel comprising of former Barnsley boss Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.

Photo: Matchday Images

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Blue_Heath added 06:23 - Jan 16 Is the MOTM curse still a thing?
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Bluearmy_81 added 06:41 - Jan 16 We’ll see at 2:30pm tomorrow! Ha
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Dissboyitfc added 07:03 - Jan 16 He does well for a one trick pony! Well deserved and hopefully the curse isnt a thing anymore!
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TractorfactorSteve added 07:24 - Jan 16 Dissboy, you're certainly the right side of the border with that comment. Time to readjust your log in name to ncfc.
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GTRKing added 07:27 - Jan 16 Yay fantastic new! Now let’s get our blinking striker in Happy days let’s win tomorrow
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Edmundo added 07:31 - Jan 16 Fantastic to see efforts rewarded, but the main reward is in May. COYB
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Ebantiass added 07:36 - Jan 16 Oh NO
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mathiemagic added 08:04 - Jan 16 We seem to have 13 forwards on the books in the U-21 team, surely one of those is good enough to step up? - Would much rather promote from within than just keep buying players, especially in January, as you only get unwanted and non-match fit offerings.
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RetroBlue added 09:16 - Jan 16 Well done Kieran, but also " OH NO"!!! lol
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Gcon added 09:19 - Jan 16 How on earth did this get past Blubore? He'll be livid.
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wischip added 09:27 - Jan 16 Noooooooooooooooo, we are cursed!!! (Maybe)
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Guthrum added 09:36 - Jan 16 One in the eye for the bloke who sat behind me in the away end at Leicester, moaning and shouting abuse at McKenna for pretty much the whole game (apart from a few minutes after we scored), calling him a c-unit and all sorts.
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BobbyBell added 09:45 - Jan 16 A well deserved award and it's a mark of the man that he always has a group photo with his staff who share the award with him. We are so very lucky to have him. The same old moaners on here will continue to moan whatever happens as they just love moaning and the attention it gets them.
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:59 - Jan 16 good for him ! cant say he dosnt deserve it , somehow he has got us close to where we need to be and i still think we could do better,just need that goal snatcher .
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poet added 10:02 - Jan 16 Odd isn’t it, that such a good manager in many peoples eyes, including the so called experts of the game, should still attract criticism from a minority of so-called fans. I think that says much more about them than it does about our manager. Perhaps they are watching the wrong sport. Congratulations, he thoroughly deserves it.
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ChrisR added 10:07 - Jan 16 Good for him , and the whole Town team , but what's the odds he ends up at Man Utd at the end of the season along with his old pal Carrick ?
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PhilsAngels added 10:21 - Jan 16 Chris r, who cares, he is here with us right now and if he gets us promoted again I expect he may be gone. Enjoy the ride and stop worrying about what may or may not be.
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bluewarrior added 10:26 - Jan 16

When will the empty headed moaners accept that this young man is already in the top three best managers the club has ever had. He will no doubt go on to bigger and better things but for now we should relish every moment. I know there are many, like me, that have never once doubted him and to top it off he’s a top, top guy - super likeable, respectful and grateful of the opportunity the club gave him and humble. I’m sure he will be the first to admit faults but I can’t see any from where I am.

Steelmonkey added 10:39 - Jan 16 Well deserved award, I hope I’m wrong but I think we will struggle against Blackburn tomorrow and the thought of the managers curse doesn’t help.
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billlm added 11:05 - Jan 16 Blue Heath, no not tomorrow,
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Stato added 11:51 - Jan 16

I'm one of the minority fringe who cannot get excited by McKenna who has won nothing and should not be lauded for getting us out of league 3 behind plymouth. That said I've never called for him to be sacked and beating Civentry twicw in the same month makes him a worthy winner of the award. I hope he ends up winning the end of season award too but promition by any route is the only important goal

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Rozeeboy74 added 12:14 - Jan 16 It won't have been unanimous with Don Goodman on the panel.
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Dissboyitfc added 12:19 - Jan 16 Oh the irony, let me explain I was being sarcastic towards a certain negative poster! Can’t believe I needed to explain that! Tractorfactorsteve… priceless!!
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tractorboy100 added 12:41 - Jan 16

I cannot believe the negative comments and the moaning respond to Kieran McKenna! He has done wonders for Ipswich! You don't get a perfect Manager! Not even Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola! Yes, they will always be people who are unhappy and miserable! Yes, the way that McKenna wants us to play will always be criticize by someone! McKenna is one of the best managers that we have been lucky to have! Or would people who moan be happier with Mick McCarthy!!!!!!