Nottingham Forest star rewarded for sparkling form as Steve Cooper misses out

Nottingham Forest defender Djed Spence has been crowned Championship Player of the Month for March.

The right-back picked up the award after continuing his brilliant form for the Reds. But boss Steve Cooper missed out on the Manager of the Month honour, despite overseeing some terrific results.

Spence pipped Luton Town defender James Bree, Swansea City striker Michael Obafemi and Bournemouth front man Dominic Solanke to the trophy. March saw him play a key part in a dramatic 1-1 draw at Sheffield United and fine victories over Reading (4-0) and QPR (3-1) - including netting an absolute screamer against the latter.

The judging panel of Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman, English Football League communications director Mark Rowan and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies decided the winner. And it was Spence who got the nod.

Cooper had been nominated alongside West Bromwich Albion chief Steve Bruce, Blackpool’s Neil Critchley and Steve Morison, of Cardiff City, for the managerial award. The judging panel of former Barnsley boss Danny Wilson, Goodman, Rowan and Davies declared Morison should take the honour.

At least for the Welshman, missing out avoids any possibility of the Manager of the Month curse striking. And his focus will very much be on trying to make it three wins from three since the international break, when his side face Birmingham City at the City Ground on Saturday.