Chris Wilder named LMA manager of the year

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder was named the LMA Manager of the Year whilst also being named Championship manager of the year after guiding the Blades to promotion to the Premier League.

Wilder beat competition from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who had earlier taken home the Premier League award, to win the LMA’s top managerial prize.

The 51-year-old claimed the award after a combined votes from the public and football experts. Former Blades player Wilder has been a revelation since returning to his boyhood club in 2016, guiding the club to promotion from League One in his first season and now to the top-flight in his third.

Wilder said on the award:

“To be voted for by your peers to get this award is just unbelievable and caps off an incredible season for me and everybody at Sheffield United.

“I would like to think we have struck a blow for recruitment, training ground, teaching and all the other stuff which goes on behind the scenes – there is no chequebook culture.”

Elsewhere, Danny Cowley won the League Two award for guiding Lincoln to yet another promotion whilst Mick Harford, who took over from Nathan Jones at Luton in January, won the award for the third-tier.

It was a north London double in the women’s awards as Arsenal’s Joe Montemurro claimed the Women’s Super League crown whilst Tottenham’s Karen Hills won the Women’s Championship award.