Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for September after an unbeaten three-game run featuring emphatic home wins and a resilient away draw.
Town’s month began with a 5–0 demolition of Sheffield United at Portman Road and a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth on Suffolk soil, before a 1–1 draw at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate. McKenna was pictured with the trophy alongside club staff at Playford Road earlier this week, reflecting the collective approach he highlighted upon receiving the award.
“I am happy to accept the award on behalf of all the staff at the club and thank them for the hard work they have put in since the start of pre-season,” McKenna said.
“We are pleased with the progress we are making and have had some good results in recent weeks, but we are all aware we need to keep pushing over what is a long and challenging season in the Championship.”
McKenna topped a four-man shortlist that also included Paul Heckingbottom (Preston North End), Nathan Jones (Charlton Athletic) and Julian Stephan (QPR).
The recognition capped a strong individual month for Ipswich personnel: winger Jaden Philogene was among the Player of the Month nominees thanks to a hat-trick against Sheffield United and a curling strike versus Portsmouth. However, Hull City’s Oli McBurnie ultimately won that award.
Kieran McKenna’s Success At Ipswich Town
The September honour is the latest in a growing list for McKenna. Since taking charge of Ipswich in December 2021, he has overseen a rapid rise which included back-to-back promotions to the Premier League and a return to the second tier, and he previously collected the EFL Championship Manager of the Month awards for September 2023 and March 2024 as well as the 2023–24 Championship Manager of the Season.
Attention now turns to the schedule ahead. Ipswich return from the break with a trip to Middlesbrough on Friday, 17 October, a fixture that will test the balance McKenna referenced between acknowledging recent results and maintaining standards across a long campaign. With the staff recognition prominent in his acceptance, the emphasis remains on process as much as outcome.
Writer’s view
This award neatly reflects a compact but convincing month: ruthless against Sheffield United, efficient against Portsmouth and composed at Bristol City. The notable thread is collective execution: McKenna’s choice to accept “on behalf of the staff” mirrors the performances that delivered five unanswered goals in one game and enough control to take a point on the road in another.
The real measure comes after the break at Middlesbrough, but September’s template is exactly what Ipswich will need to sustain if they’re to turn a strong month into a strong autumn.
