Bristol City boss Tanya Oxtoby and Tottenham Hotspur’s Karen Hills are the inaugural winners of the LMA Manager of the Month awards for The FA WSL and FA Women’s Championship respectively.
The FA Women’s Super League winner Oxtoby’s tenure started with difficult away fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion and last season’s undefeated champions Chelsea, as well as a tough home match against Manchester City. However, under Oxtoby’s guidance, Bristol City gained five points in three impressive performances.
On receiving her trophy from Thomas Lyte, Oxtoby said: “Firstly, I would like to say that it is a great honour to receive this award. I would like to thank the LMA panel for recognising our performances as group over the last month in what has been a really difficult start to the season with the calibre of opposition we have faced, but we have come through those tests stronger as a group and we are looking forward to the new challenges ahead.
“Receiving this award is down to the collective effort of the group here at Bristol City Women, everyone works exceptionally hard for one another and I’m excited to see how much further we can develop with the level of talent we have got.”
Hills’ side finished the month in second place with a game in hand, having won all three of their fixtures in September. Their 100% start to the season included victories over London Bees, Leicester City and Crystal Palace.
Hills was quick to praise her staff and players upon receiving her Thomas Lyte trophy: “I feel completely honoured and proud. I think it goes to show just how far we’ve come and credit to the staff and the players because it wouldn’t have been possible for me to stand here and collect this award without them, so I collect this on behalf of everyone at Spurs Ladies.
“The girls have been doing a really good job and working exceptionally hard and we’ll continue working in every single training session and every time we come in. The girls are going to work in the day and coming here in the evening and putting in a fantastic shift. We’re all enjoying this experience and we’re all enjoying this journey. There’s still a long, long way to go but this month has been fantastic.”
