Reading striker Yann Kermorgant has been named the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month for April.
In the month in which he announced he will retire at the end of next season, the Frenchman showed he is still at the top of his game with seven goals in as many games, including a one-man highlights reel of textbook powerful headers.Reading manager Jaap Stam said: “Yann has been a great personality and a great player for us this season. You’re never too old to improve and become an even better player and Yann has got a great mentality.
“Yann has been very important for us throughout the season - even when he wasn’t scoring in every game - holding the ball up the field, in getting other players into a position so they can score and defensively as well he has helped his team-mates out, especially at set-pieces and when we’ve been defending leads towards the ends of games.
“He has picked up this goalscoring form as the campaign has gone on - and it’s great that he is getting goals at this stage of the season. Let’s hope he keeps on scoring for us!”
Kermorgant said: "It feels great to win the Player of the Month award, I’m really proud of it as it’s my first individual trophy.
“We’ve done really well in April so I’m pleased to be performing for the last month of the season.”
Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “Kermorgant remains well-loved wherever he has plied his trade throughout his career and no one would begrudge him promotion on top of the Championship Player of the Month award in his penultimate season in football.
“His hot run of form in April secured a spot in the Play-Offs for Reading and he will be desperate to continue that over the next three fixtures.”
Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery said: “Seven goals in the month is a fantastic achievement and Yann’s goals helped Reading secure a top-six spot with games to spare.
“If he can take that form into the Play-Offs, Reading are going to be hard to stop.”
The judging panel for the Sky Bet Player of the Month comprises Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan, League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery.