McKenna wins manager of the month for September

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been named the Championship manager of the month for September.

After a slow start to life back in the second tier at Portman Road, the Tractor Boys began to find momentum in September, claiming seven points from a possible nine to stay unbeaten, including a 5-0 demolition of Sheffield United, a 2-1 win over Portsmouth and a 1-1 draw under the lights at Bristol City.

Chosen ahead of Charlton's Nathan Jones, Preston's Paul Heckingbottom and QPR boss Julien Stephan, he said: "I am happy to accept the award on behalf of all the staff at the club and thank them for the hard work they have put in since the start of pre-season.

"We are pleased with the progress we are making and have had some good results in recent weeks, but we are all aware we need to keep pushing over what is a long and challenging season in the Championship."

Sky Sports' EFL pundit Don Goodman said: "Ipswich didn't make the start that many expected but they certainly turned it around in September.

"Kieran McKenna's side are one of the favourites for promotion this season and he will be hoping September has set them on their way and will prove to be a catalyst for a Premier League return."

BBC Suffolk commentator Brenner Woolley said: "I'm really pleased for him. I think some people have gone a bit overboard in recent weeks when Town have only lost one game this season.

"He's not above criticism, some things have not gone right for him in 2025 but he deserves respect and time to build a new team, which is what he's trying to do.

"We're in mid-October and he's lost one game this season, away, through a penalty, against the team who are fourth in the league. It's not been a disastrous start.

"We are seeing some signs that could be very positive in the long term. There's still work to be done but there are signs this could click at some stage and be special."

Tractor Boys winger Jaden Philogene, who was nominated for player of the month after finding the net four times in the side's three completed matches in September, missed out on the award to Hull City forward Oli McBurnie.