Why Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore is nominated for League One manager of the month award

The Owls boss oversaw five league matches in the month, winning four and leading his side to within a win of the top of the table as the month turned into September.

Saturday’s defeat to Barnsley may have given the side something of a jolt, but Wednesday are still very well placed in fourth, having already played a number of the division’s stronger sides at this early stage of the campaign.

Moore is up against Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, Portsmouth’s Danny Cowley and this week’s opposite number, Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher. Indeed, the four nominated managers are in charge of the four top teams in the table as things stand.

A press release from the EFL announcing the nominations read on Moore’s nomination: “Play-off defeats can leave a lingering impact.

“In Wednesday’s case, it has left a determination to gain automatic promotion this time, still with the style Moore preaches. Four wins from five games with a clean sheet in each has set them up nicely.”

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Wednesday’s only defeat of the month came in trying circumstances as Reece James was sent off at Peterborough United. McKenna and Cowley are surely the favourite for the award having picked up 13 points from a possible 15 in the month and both going unbeaten.

Should Moore win it would be the third manager of the month gong of his career, adding to his April 2018 Premier League award and the Championship award of September that same year, both as manager of West Brom.