The EFL announced their winners for the League Two manager and player of the month for February, on their official website.
Stockport County manager Dave Chalinor was handed the manager of the month in the fourth tier, with Hartlepool United’s Dan Kemp announced as player of the month.
Dave Chalinor
Stockport have been an ever impressive and solid outfit since promotion from the National League last season. They’ve built up a resilience that has allowed them to acclimatise to life back in the EFL. This has been achieved thanks to the hard work done by manager Dave Chalinor and his squad, with Stockport County engrossed in a tense promotion battle, currently occupying 6th position.
Chalinor left Hartlepool in League Two to move closer to home. He arrived at Stockport to help regain County’s Football League status after an 11-year hiatus, and the work of him and his team saw them do it, after just pipping Wrexham to lift the illusive National League title.
After a slow start to the campaign, they have improved dramatically, especially in the month of February. This good form has seen Stockport climb to 6th in League Two with back-to-back promotions firmly on the cards. Stockport will be hoping that they can continue their good run to be able to reach League One.
Dan Kemp
Hartlepool are in a perilous position, with the Poolies league status hanging by a thread with Crawley clipping their heals at every move, but a stand-out player has been Dan Kemp, who’s fine displays has given some fans some hope in the North East.
Since arriving at Hartlepool in January from MK Dons, Kemp has proved pivotal as the Pools have hauled themselves from the bottom three to just outside, with five goals in six appearances earning him the league’s player of the month.
It is paramount that they keep Kemp fit and on form as they looked to steer themselves from trouble and to remain a Football League side.
Writers View
Chalinor has been monumental to Stockport’s success, as they have surged up the table, helped by a fantastic group of players. There has been other standout managers that deserved recognition also, despite the fact I firmly believe Chalinor was the correct choice. Mark Hughes has helped Bradford City to the play-offs and Sutton’s Matt Gray has kept the club competing admirably against the league’s big hitters.
Dan Kemp is a top pick, with him single handedly dragging Hartlepool United to a position where survival is in their hands, despite most of the squad criminally underperforming.
