Sunderland, Scunthorpe and Pool

Sunderland manager Roy Keane, Nigel Adkins of Scunthorpe United and Hartlepool United boss Danny Wilson are all celebrating after being named the Coca-Cola Manager’s of the Month for February.

Keane has engineered a remarkable turnaround in fortunes at Sunderland since taking charge in August last year. After beginning the season as relegation candidates his side are now on the brink of the automatic promotion places and are unbeaten in the league in 2007. February saw the Black Cats record an impressive four wins from five league games, with victories over Coventry City, Plymouth Argyle and Southend United coming without conceding a goal. After a draw at Coca-Cola Championship leaders Birmingham City, Keane’s men ended the month with a late winner to snatch all three points against promotion rivals Derby County.

Chris Kamara, chairman of the Coca-Cola Manager of the Month Awards panel, said: ‘Roy Keane has enjoyed a sensational start to his managerial career at Sunderland. He took over when the club were at their lowest ebb but in the space of just a few months he has totally transformed them. Roy was backed by his chairman in the January transfer window and now has a squad capable of sustaining a serious challenge for promotion to the Premiership.’

Scunthorpe United continue to go from strength-to-strength under Nigel Adkins, with his side taking maximum points from each of their five league games in February. The month began with a home victory over promotion rivals Bristol City and was followed by consecutive wins over Rotherham United, Swansea City and Gillingham. The Iron rounded off a superb month with victory over Crewe Alexandra to extend their unbeaten run to 13 league games and leave them with a healthy lead at the top of Coca-Cola League 1.

Commenting on Adkins’ success Kamara said: ‘It was a big decision for the Scunthorpe chairman to appoint Nigel Adkins as manager when Brian Laws left for Sheffield Wednesday. He was working as the club physiotherapist and his only previous managerial experience had come in the League of Wales. But he has enjoyed tremendous success since taking charge, losing just the one league game and guiding his team to top spot in League 1.’

Vitalview, it’s a while since Peter Jackson won one of these and if we are to make anything out of this season, perhaps we need to see his name in the frame for the March award.

February was another fantastic month for Danny Wilson’s men, with five straight wins seeing them take top spot in League 2 for the first time this season. The month featured three single-goal away wins, at Swindon Town, Torquay United and Boston United, as well as two thrilling wins at home, including the dramatic result against pacesetters Walsall, which saw the two Richie’s – Humphries and Barker – score in the last three minutes to secure a 3-1 win.

This incredible unbeaten run, which now stretches back to 18 matches all the way to November 4th 2006, means that Hartlepool are well on course for automatic promotion in May.

Kamara added: ‘Danny Wilson has already won one manager of the month award this season back in September so to win a second in such a short space of time underlines his achievement at Hartlepool. His side are unbeaten in the league since November and this superb run now sees them as the team to catch at the top of League 2.’

The Coca-Cola Awards panel consists of Sky Sports pundit Chris Kamara, former World Cup referee Jack Taylor, on behalf of The Football League, John Barnwell, Chief Executive, League Managers Association and Steve Cumming, Head of Sponsorship, Coca-Cola Great Britain.