Ex-Hibs favourite named SPFL manager of month as stunning start matches 124y/o record
Unbeaten start to season earns monthly award for ex-Easter Road favourite
Stenhousemuir boss Marvin Bartley has been named Scottish Championship Glen’s Manager of the Month for August after matching a 124-year-old club record with a stunning start to the season.
The former Hibs midfielder was appointed head coach at Ochilview in June, succeeding ex-Hearts defender Gary Naysmith, who was poached by Ayr United after winning promotion from League One via the play-offs.
The part-timers are competing in the second tier for the first time in half a century but have defied expectations to sit top of the table after five matches, two points ahead of Partick Thistle after collecting 13 points from a possible 15.
Stenny have also reached the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals - where they host Hearts on Friday for a place in the Hampden semis - after coming through the group stages unbeaten before knocking out Motherwell in the last 16.
In all, Bartley's men remain unbeaten across their first 10 matches in all competitions, matching the club record set in 1901/02 and 1902/03, making the 40-year-old an obvious choice for the montly award.
“I’m delighted to receive the award, but it’s really down to the players and the staff around me," said Bartley, who resigned as Livingston manager in May following their relegation from the Premiership. "The players are the ones who have to cross the white line, put the work in during training and then go and perform in the games, which they’ve been doing really well.
“It’s always easy for a manager to sit in front of you with the award and make it look like it’s all about them, but it absolutely isn’t. I’ve got a brilliant support staff around me and everyone plays their part. We’ve got real clarity in what we’re trying to do, whether that’s on the ball, off the ball or from set plays, and the players have taken that on board really well.
“There are always areas where we can improve and that’s something we’ll continue to push. We’ve got a young group with a lot of potential and it’s up to us as a staff to keep helping them develop. Hopefully this isn’t too long a wait between my second Manager of the Month award and my third.”