Sky Bet award for Rotherham United hitman Michael Smith

ROTHERHAM hot-shot Michael Smith is the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month for October.
Winner Michael SmithWinner Michael Smith
Winner Michael Smith

The 13-goal top scorer beat off competition from Fleetwood Town full-back Danny Andrew, Wigan Athletic winger James McClean and Accrington Stanley midfielder Harry Pell to land the coveted award.

Paul Warne, boss of the promotion-chasing Millers, was among the four nominations for Manager of the Month but was pipped to the prize by Plymouth Argyle's Ryan Lowe.

Smith scored five times and provided two assists in the league in October and was also hit the target in the EFL Trophy.

A three-man judging panel of Sky Sports EFL pundit Don Goodman; EFL communications director Mark Rowan and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies decided on the 30-year-old as the winner.

Smith's citation read: "Enjoying one of his most prolific seasons, he scored five goals and assisted two others in five games, using his physicality in the box to hold off defenders. His cheeky back-heeled goal against Sunderland underlined his confidence."