Schumacher Wins October Manager of the Month Award

Steven Schumacher has been named the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month for October.

It is the second month in a row that Schumacher has won the award, and the third time in total since becoming Argyle boss in December 2021.

“It’s always good to get some recognition,” said Schumacher. “Winning it back-to-back shows how well the players are doing. It’s a really good achievement, something I am really proud of.

“Teams can have a good month and put a patch of results together, but to do consistently over 14 games in September and October, it shows how well the players are playing. We’ve worked hard to get the results. It hasn’t been easy; it’s been a tough couple of months.

“The results have been fantastic, we just need that to continue.”

In October, Argyle won six and drew one of their seven League One games. A 1-0 away win over Wycombe Wanderers was followed by a dramatic 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield Wednesday, with Sam Cosgrove’s late winner sending a sold-out Home Park into raptures.

The Pilgrims defeated Accrington Stanley 3-0 at home, then won 4-1 at Milton Keynes Dons. After a 2-2 draw at Bristol Rovers, the only dropped points of the month, Argyle produced a second-half comeback to beat Shrewsbury Town, then concluded the month with an unforgettable 4-2 win against Exeter City, live on Sky Sports.

Asked for some personal highlights, Schumacher quickly reached for two particularly memorable Home Park nights.

“Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the month, that was brilliant,” he said. “Sam Cosgrove scoring a last-minute winner, that was unbelievable, and obviously what topped it off was the derby game against Exeter, beating them at home in front of a packed Home Park. The way we did it, on Sky, rain lashing down. They were two special moments that stand out.”

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “You can’t keep Steven Schumacher’s name off this award, and he’ll have a few more on his mantelpiece by the end of the season if Plymouth continue to be so impressive.

“Argyle are a joy to watch and so hard to get the better of, as evidenced by a completely unbeaten month of October.”

As it happens, the trophies do not live on a mantelpiece, but Schumacher has taken rather a shine to them.

“I quite like these trophies,” he said, wryly. “There’s a couple of them now on the window ledge in the office. I’m not allowed to take this stuff home. My missus doesn’t allow me to, she says the footy stuff has to stay in work.

“It will stay on the ledge - hopefully the collection keeps getting bigger.”