How highly – or otherwise – do Sunderland’s L1 rivals rate?
With football on hold, our League One reporters have delivered their verdict on the managers who have shone – and flopped – this season.
Each writer was asked to select a League One manager for each of the following categories, based on overall performance and how they fared against the writer’s club.
KEY
ROMPED HOME: The manager whose side played the most attractive football.
WON BY A NOSE: The manager who snatched a win without de serving one.
TOP JOCKEY: The thoroughbred in the field.
Man of the moment.
FELL AT FIRST HURDLE: Who disappointed in a strong field? Name: Matt Scrafton Club: Blackpool/Fleetwood Paper/website: Blackpool Gazette
ROMPED HOME - Karl Robinson, Oxford United. The U’ s absolutely battered the Sea sid er sat Bloom field Road back in August yet somehow found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat. Despite the result, it’s the best performance I’ve witnessed from an opposing side this season - home or away. They took revenge when they beat the Seasiders by the same scoreline at the Kassam in February. Honourable mention to Rotherham as well.
WON BY A NOSE - Ben Garner, Bristol Rovers. The Gas were fortunate to beat the Seasiders in David Dunn’s first game in caretaker charge. Pool were by far the better side but let slip a one-goal lead to lose 2-1, the home side coming from behind after Ben Heneghan’s straight red card on the stroke of half time. Even with 10 men, the Seasiders had more than enough chances to make life more comfortable.
TOP JOCKEY - Gareth A ins worth, Wycombe Wanderers.Even though the Chair boys have dropped off the pace a little bit, they’re still well in the hunt - sitting just three points off Rotherham in second. To have his Wycombe side competing at the top end with the budget and players a this disposalis nothing short of a miracle. His side is horrible to play against and extremely difficult to beat. Not only that, he’s the coolest manager going, too…
FELL AT FIRST HURDLE Paul Lambert, Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys should be fighting for the title, not scrap ping to stay in the top half of the table. What he did to earn a five-year contract, I’ve no idea. Even when Ipswich were winning at the start of the season, they never looked convincing. Name: Liam Hoden Club: Doncaster Rovers Paper/ website: Doncaster Free Press
ROMPED HOME - I'd have to go for Karl Robinson and his Oxford side. They've been the only team this season to comprehensively beat Rovers - something they did with a combination of smartly shutting Doncaster down before producing some really good attacking play of their own. They were really dangerous in the reverse fixture too. You can see they're a team that's been built over a few transfer windows and they seem well drilled.
WON BY A NOSE - That would have to be Kenny Jacket ta nd Portsmouth. Rovers absolutely dominated the fixture at the Keepmoat back in September and played some brilliant stuff. Portsmouth showed real ruthlessness to take the lead, and then snatch an injury time winner after Rovers had equalised. The term smash and grab was invented for such a game. This was at a time when Pompey were really they' ve kicked on since.
TOP JOCKEY-It is brilliant what Paul War ne has done again at Rotherham but I' ve got to go for Mark Robins. What he's managed to deliver since taking the job on is exceptional, given the most trying of circumstances at the club, but he has taken it to another level this season. He's go this side playingaggressive football and it' s delivered the goods. The fact that they've only lost once at St Andrews is very the bizarre experience of playing there.
FELL AT FIRST HURDLE - You try to look beyond Paul Lambert at Ipswich but you keep coming back to Paul Lambert at Ipswich. With the relative resources at his disposal there is no doubt Ipswich should be doing much better. But I think the most disappointing aspect has been the manner in which they've dropped off after a start which should have been more than enough to put them firmly in the promotion race. Name: Colston Crawford Club: Burton Albion Paper/website: Derbyshire Live
ROMPED HOME - Russell Martin's MK Dons. They were dreadful when Burton won 3-0 away, with Paul T is dale as October. Under Martin, they lost 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium in January and it was, frankly, an utter travesty that they went away with nothing after 73 per cent possession. They were eager, neat and enterprising and the feeling was "no way they can go down." Yet they still might.
WON BY A NOSE - Lincoln City at Sincil Bank in March. They had been pretty good when they won 2-0 at the Pirelli earlier in the season. They weren't in the return game which Burton dominated in almost all phases. Lincoln had three shots on target, scored three goals, won 3-2. A handball in the build-up to one goal, a man down injured (with the ball out of play) for another, a missed penalty that would have made it 3-3. It was all there.
TOP JOCKEY-It will be no surprise if most respondents do not say Mark Robins. I already knew the bloke was honest and straight-talking from when he ended his playing career at Burton but the job he has done at Coventry City is exceptional. He has managed to make a backs-to-the-wall positive out of not playing at home and they've steadily built momentum. It will be a great achievement to take them back to the Championship, assuming that happens in the end.
FELL AT FIRST HURDLE Equally, I guess most people will say Paul Lambert at Ipswich Town. They have the resources, they have the players and they had the start. To miss out on the play-offs from there is a shocker. The weight of expectationis heavy, granted, but they should be in the top six.