Manager scoops monthly accolade for third time this season following his August and October successes
Bolton manager Phil Parkinson has been named the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month for March.
Patient during his side’s stuttering form in the New Year, Parkinson earned his reward for trusting his methods as Bolton erupted for 16 points and 17 goals from six games, which included 4-2 away wins at promotion rivals Fleetwood and Oxford.
Parkinson said: "I’m very pleased to win the award. We’ve had a good month obviously with some excellent results, especially on our travels, and it sets us up nicely for the final run-in.
“My particular highlight of March would have to be the Fleetwood game – at the time, we went there and they were 18 games unbeaten, so to go there and win as convincingly as we did gave us a real lift of confidence.
“We want to maintain the standards we have set during the course of the season during our remaining fixtures – our levels have gone up of late and they need to go up another notch as we look towards the season’s conclusion.”
George Burley chairs the Sky Bet Manager of the Month judging panel.
He said: “Phil has got Bolton Wanderers back to top form again after having a stuttering time at the beginning of the year.
“They had a fantastic month collecting 16 points and scoring 17 goals in six games which included two 4-2 away wins at promotion rivals Fleetwood Town and Oxford United.”
Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “Parkinson’s second Manager of the Month award of the season comes at the business end and he has maneuvered the club into a great position to secure automatic promotion.
“If they are to bounce back at the first attempt, under Parkinson, they will be well equipped to thrive in the Championship.”
Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery said: “Parkinson’s side have been built on solid defensive work so far in this League One campaign, but as the race for automatic promotion places heated up Bolton looked to play a more attacking style and finish teams off.
“What followed were three away victories in which Parkinson’s men scored four goals each time, an achievement rated as a 10,000/1 by Sky Bet.
“The Whites boss led his men to five victories in a month where the chasing pack struggled, and Bolton found themselves 1/20 to make a return to the Championship having entered March still odds against at 6/5.”