Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has been named SkyBet Manager of the Month for February. Additionally, Shea Charles’ winner against Leicester has been nominated for the SkyBet Goal of the Month.
Southampton are in for a brutal run-in until the season concludes in May. While it’s the same for all promotion contenders, the Saints’ FA Cup commitments add further strain to their schedule.
As the only Championship side still alive in the FA Cup, Southampton have an additional 6th-round tie to navigate. This is when they’re already dealing with fixture congestion from a rescheduled matchday caused by their 5th-round knockout.
Notably, Southampton have as many as three games within the next eight days. The Saints take a trip to league leaders Coventry, before hosting Norwich and Oxford United at home next week.
Factor in how listless Southampton looked against West Brom recently, and it could be a worrying time for fans before they travel to Coventry. But the wait has just become much more bearable after a positive double update for the Saints.
In the first Championship announcement, Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has been named the SkyBet Championship Manager of the Month. The club confirmed the news, saying: “We’ve got Eckert! Our Head Coach has been named @SkyBetChamp Manager of the Month.”
In further good news, Shea Charles’ winner against Leicester in the memorable 4-3 comeback has been nominated for February’s Championship Goal of the Month.
Tonda Eckert wins Manager of the Month for February
Saints boss Tonda Eckert stood in contention against Norwich’s Philipe Clement, Coventry’s Frank Lampard and Millwall’s Alex Neil for the February Manager of the Month recognition.
A look at their February results read:
Tonda Eckert: 13 points in 5 games(4W, 1D)
Philippe Clement: 12 points in 5 games(4W, 1L)
Frank Lampard: 13 points in 5 games(4W, 1D)
Alex Neil: 12 points in 5 games(4W, 1L)
As the tally suggests, it was a close call between Tonda Eckert and Frank Lampard. But the remarkable turnaround Eckert orchestrated over the past month gave him the edge he needed to claim the award.
Notably, Southampton had entered February sitting in 14th spot. Coming on the back of a decent run of two wins, two losses, and a draw in their last five games, the Saints’ playoff hopes seemed to be dwindling.
Then came Southampton’s invincible February run that has lifted them to within touching distance of the playoff places. Not only has claiming 13 points out of the maximum 15 helped their promotion charge, but it has also earned Tonda a Manager of the Month award within 4 months of his permanent appointment.
In this process, Southampton surged from 14th to 7th in the Championship table. Their unbeaten February featured: a 1-0 win over Watford, a 4-3 fightback victory against Leicester, a gritty draw with Charlton, a 5-0 thrashing of QPR, and a comfortable 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
This dramatic turnaround deserves recognition, and Tonda has rightly received the SkyBet Championship award for it. The manager collected the Manager of the Month memento with his staff at the club facilities.
Hopefully, this is the first of many awards for Tonda Eckert at Southampton. While the manager has successfully edged Frank Lampard for the Manager of the Month title, now his side is expected to do the same when they face Coventry next.
Shea Charles’ winner Vs Leicester nominated for Goal of the Month
Southampton’s February turnaround was built on a series of memorable results. But if one moment defined it the most, it has to be Southampton’s 4-3 comeback win over Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
While the scenes of that seven-goal thriller will still be fresh to Southampton fans, it hasn’t been forgotten by the Championship either. Shea Charles’ 4-3 winner has been nominated for the SkyBet February Goal of the Month.
According to the EFL, Charles’ goal is shortlisted alongside Abdul Fatawu’s volley against Birmingham, Max Bird’s screamer against Wrexham, and Jack Rudoni’s long-range strike at West Brom. While all these goals fully deserve their nomination, Charles’ goal stands out for its beauty and timing.
Notably, Southampton trailed 0-3 to Leicester at half-time. While second-half goals from Ross Stewart, Jack Stephens, and Ryan Manning ignited the comeback, Shea Charles completed it by unleashing a sublime curler from his left foot.
Ross Stewart teed up Charles inside the box with a brilliant link-up play. The defensive midfielder didn’t miss, and his stoppage-time winner secured a 4-3 victory for Southampton.
According to EFL voting rules, fans have until 5:00 PM GMT on Monday, 16 March 2026, to cast their votes for the February Goal of the Month. Now it’s over to the Saints faithful to help the club add another accolade to its collection, following Eckert’s Manager of the Month success.
