Trollope scoops Manager of the Month

Bristol Rovers coach Paul Trollope has won the Coca-Cola manager of the month award for October and declared the customary curse which accompanies the title has been and gone.

Trollope watched his side overhauled in dramatic fashion against Leicester at the Walkers Stadium on November 1 and suffered no less than three full backs lost to injury.

The three points the Pirates seemed to have won, courtesy of a wonder strike from forward Jo Kuffour, vanished in the final four minutes when Matty Fryatt struck twice to steal the win for Leicester. To compound the horror of Gas fans, players and officials, Aaron Lescott (hip), Joe Jacobson (ribs) and David Pipe (hamstring) all picked up injuries.

But their coach was delighted with his award for the fine run of results in October and believes the Leicester game contained enough bad luck to shake off any curse, real or imagined.

“The curse is gone,” he said. “Two late goals at Leicester mean the curse has gone. We hope that’s the case anyway.

“It’s always an award for everyone at the club. The staff and especially the players who have performed. It’s been a good month and we’d like to repeat it.

“We’ve not started this one well with a defeat at Leicester and we want to bounce back quickly. Trollope, who is now in his fourth season at the club, has won the award once before when he led Bristol Rovers into the League Two play-offs in the 2006/07 campaign which saw them promoted to League One.

“It’s always nice,” he said, “but the points are better than the award. We tweaked the system a bit (during October) and the players have responded very, very well to it.

"The spirit is very good and even in defeat at Leicester we kep the performance level which we’ve had and that was crucial. We know that if we can get there more often than not we will win games.

"We were disappointed to lose at Leicester after a good run but determined to get it going again.”

After some poor results in September Trollope’s men enjoyed four wins and a draw in October from their five league fixtures. The Pirates began the month with victories against Colchester United away (1-0) and Leyton Orient at home (2-1) before sealing an important point away at Huddersfield Town with a 1-1 draw.

Their impressive run continued with back-to-back home wins against Oldham Athletic (2-0) and Southend United (4-2), ensuring Rovers headed into November with the Play Off places firmly in their sights.

Also short-listed for the October award were Danny Wilson of Hartlepool United, Roberto Di Matteo of Milton Keynes Dons and Peterborough United’s Darren Ferguson.

Chris Kamara, chairman of the Coca-Cola Manager of the Month Awards panel, said: “Paul Trollope has taken to management brilliantly since being appointed Bristol Rovers boss just over three years ago.

“His side endured a difficult opening to the season but got back to winning ways in October, remaining unbeaten and picking up thirteen points from a possible fifteen during the month.”

Dave Jones of Cardiff City won the award in the Championship and Lincoln City’s Peter Jackson was given the League Two accolade.

The decision to present the Coca-Cola League One Manager of the Month award was made by the Coca-Cola Awards panel headed by Sky Sports pundit Kamara, former World Cup referee Jack Taylor, on behalf of The Football League, Richard Bevan and Olaf Dixon of the League Managers Association and James Williams, Head of Brand Experience, Coca-Cola Great Britain.