Michael Skubala has been denied a second Manager of the Month award this season, being narrowly pipped for the December accolade.
However, we like moral wins here at the Stacey West, and when the actual winner is a team you beat in the month, then morally, it does make you a real winner, doesn’t it?
Cardiff City won five and lost one of their games in December, with that one defeat coming against us, although they did beat Stevenage twice and promotion-chasing Huddersfield. Ian Evatt, also nominated, won five and drew one, which, in my eyes, puts him ahead of Cardiff. They drew against us, but also played Rotherham, a bottom-four side, twice.
Peterborough United boss Lee Williams, who was my tip to win it, won four and drew one, with an impressive four points from two matches against Reading. Michael’s record was four wins and one draw, so I can see that with one win fewer, why he didn’t beat Brian Barry-Murphy.
Still, looking at the results, Ian Evatt has every right to feel upset, having taken more points and remaining unbeaten in December, although he won’t want to talk about New Year’s Day. Luke Williams will be happy with how his team did in December, but along with Michael playing one game fewer probably meant they were always going to struggle.
Still, beating a team who win Manager of the Month is pretty big, and also being the only side to take anything from another nominee should surely have counted for a little more.
I’m sure nobody will lose sleep over it. The year Michael Appleton took us to the play-off final, he didn’t win it at all, while Danny Cowley only won it once when we went up as League Two champions back in 2018/19, so any faux-outrage is sorely misplaced.