TOP AWARD FOR ROVERS BOSS JOEY
BRISTOL Rovers manager Joey Barton has been named the Sky Bet League Two Manager of the Month for March.
Five wins from seven games during the month pushed Rovers into the play-off places. The Pirates kept four clean sheets and conceded just three goals.
Barton said: “I’m delighted to win manager of the month. It’s a collec- tive win for our group and testa- ment to the hard work put in by staff and players.
“The players in particular have continued to improve and as we enter the championship rounds, we must capitalise on our momentum and continue to turn up and pay our dues everyday if we are to get what we want from this season.”
Danny Wilson, who chairs the judging panel, said: “Joey Barton’s men had a super return of points to continue a very impressive consistent run of form. Fifteen points came from their seven games, only conceding three goals, giving them a deserved place in the play-off posi*tions.”
Don Goodman, Sky Sports’ EFL pundit, said: “They may be one of many sides embroiled in the hectic promotion battle in League Two, but few are entering the business end of the campaign with a better platform for success.
“Barton has his Rovers side welldrilled at present and thanks to their sturdy defence, they’ve become very hard to beat, at just the right time.”
Ivor Davies, Sky Bet EFL trader, said: “Rovers were 5/2 second favourites for promotion before a ball was kicked, but after an indifferent first half of the season they were languishing in 17th place at the turn of the year and traded as big as 20/1 for promotion midway through December.
“Those odds have been contracting gradually over the weeks and are now back into 7/2 from 11/1 at the start of March and all credit must go to Barton and his staff – they have turned things around in 2022 and no other club has taken more points than them this year in Sky Bet League Two.”