Walsall Football Club

WITH two months completed, the season is beginning to take shape and with September now over, it is time to reward the month’s stand-out performers, both in the dug-out and on the pitch. 

Football League sponsors npower are proud to reveal the nominations for both the npower League 1 Manager and Player of the Month Awards for September. The winners will be announced on Friday, 12th October 2012, with the final decision being made by two separate Football League judging panels.

The Manager of the Month award is decided by former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley, Football League Chief Operating Officer Andy Williamson, League Managers Association Deputy CEO Olaf Dixon and npower Sponsorship Manager Emma Collins. 

The Player of the Month panel sees Emma Collins joined by Wolves legend Don Goodman, BBC Sport’s Mark Clemmit and The Football League’s Head of Communications, John Nagle. 

The nominations for the npower League 1 Manager of the Month Award for September are: 

With three wins and three draws from their six September fixtures, Keith Curle’s Notts County appear to have mastered the enviable 'hard to beat' mindset and finished September in second place behind Tranmere Rovers. 

Table-topping Tranmere Rovers are having a great start to the season under Ronnie Moore’s guidance. In six September fixtures, they won four and drew two matches allowing them to open up a three point lead over their nearest title rivals at the end of September. Ronnie won the npower Manager of the Month award in August, and with this month’s form he could be on to repeat the feat for September. 

With four wins, a draw and a solitary loss in September, Dean Smith turned around Walsall’s slow start, propelling The Saddlers into the npower League 1 play-off positions by the end of September.  

The nominations for the npower League 1 Player of the Month Award for September are: 

It’s seven goals in six games in September for the Welsh teenager, who is on loan from Wolves until January. He showed his predatory instincts to score a hat-trick in the 4-0 rout of Colchester United and two more in the 5-2 away win at promotion rivals Crawley Town.

The young Belgian, on loan from Premier League side Stoke City, helped to inspire Walsall’s stellar month with his energy, his range of passing and his ability to shoot from distance which was seen with a cultured finish in the 2-1 win at Portsmouth.

The Irishman, a former midfielder, sets up attacks with his passing game from the back. His intelligent positioning and timing of challenges was pivotal in MK Dons’ defensive stability in September with just three goals conceded in six games.