Fleetwood's Rosler and Bolger on awards shortlist

Fleetwood Town boss Uwe Rosler and defender Cian Bolger are in the running for the Sky Bet EFL League One manager and player of the month awards.
Uwe RoslerUwe Rosler
Uwe Rosler

Town built on an unbeaten December by winning four and drawing one of January’s league games.

That unbeaten run has since reached 13 after Amari’i Bell’s late equaliser clinched a point at Charlton on Saturday.

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It is Town’s best-ever unbeaten run in the Football League and has seen Rosler nominated for the second successive month.

Bolger is shortlisted having recently been voted fans’ player of the month for January by the Cod Army.

Rosler is up against Scunthorpe’s former Town manager Graham Alexander, who guided the |Iron to 10 points from four games.

Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst is also in the running after his side reduced a torrent of goals conceded to a trickle and picked up eight points in five games to climb out of the relegation zone.

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New MK Dons manager Robbie Nielson completes the shortlist after a three-game unbeaten January, which ended with 5-3 and 4-0 wins over Northampton and Peterborough.

Looking at the four-man shortlist, Rosler looks odds on to clinch an award that is judged by former Ipswich manager George Burley, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman, EFL marketing director Drew Barrand, League Managers’ Association director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football trading manager Paul Lowery.

A statement from awards organisers SkyBet reads: “A 2-0 victory at leaders and promotion rivals Sheffield United was the highpoint of a month which didn’t have any lows for Rosler’s side. As impressive as their play is the consistency he has inspired which brought 13 points from five games.”

Bolger is up against wingers Mark Marshall of Bradford and Josh Morris of Scunthorpe, and Bury striker James Vaughan.

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Marshall set up two and netted twice last month, scoring a spectacular solo goal against Chesterfield.

Former Town loan star Morris bagged his third nomination of the season after scoring in all four January games.

Vaughan netted seven times in five games, four of them in a blistering 20- minute spell in the 5-1 win over Peterborough.

Bolger stepped into the central role in Town’s back three after skipper Nathan Pond was injured against Bristol Rovers. The winners will be announced on Friday.

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A Sky Bet statement reads: “Cian Bolger provides a reassuring presence as the middle of three centre-halves in a defence which conceded just two goals in five games. Powerful in the air, as he proved with a last-minute headed winner at Coventry, one of his two goals in January.”

The judging panel for the player of the month prize comprises Sky Sports’ EFL expert Goodman, league managers’ association director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet football trading manager Paul Lowery.

Bolger is also up for the Sky Bet League One PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award for January.

Bolger will compete once again with Morris, Vaughan and Marshall with Milton Keynes Dons’ Chuks Aneke and Walsall’s Jason McCarthy also nominated.

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That shortlist was chosen by Sky Bet’s expert panel, which included Sky Sports pundits Paul Merson and Peter Beagrie, Mike Riley - general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials - and Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation.

Voting closes at 7pm tonight with the winner announced at 10am on Thursday.