We are delighted to confirm that captain Danny Grainger has been named the Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month for December.
Two clean sheets, three goals and an assist were the sizeable contributions at both ends of the pitch in four games of Carlisle’s local hero. The 32-year-old scored with typical power from free-kicks against Colchester and Oldham.
Grainger said: “I’m obviously delighted to get the award. It’s a Player of the Month award, but it’s down to the way the team have been playing lately which has given us all a bit of recognition.
“It’s nice to get the personal recognition, but it’s definitely one for the team. There could have been four or five of us up for this award because everybody has been playing well.
“To win the Goal of the Month award then the Player of the Month award in successive months is nice, but I’d trade them all in to make sure we’re at the top end of the league come the end of the season.
“When lads are getting nominated for these awards it usually means the team is playing well, and that’s definitely the case here. We just want to make sure we do everything we can to keep this run going. We won’t get too high when we win. but we will make sure we enjoy it.
“Like I say, it’s brilliant to have won this because yet again I was up against some fantastic players who are playing really well in their own right. Hopefully we’ll keep seeing Carlisle United names linked with these awards because that will mean we’re competing at the right end of the table.”
Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “Following on from his Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month award for November, Danny Grainger ends a difficult week for the club with the League Two Player of the Month award to add to his mantlepiece.
“Grainger is an old school club captain who leads by example on and off the pitch and steered the club to a victory over Mansfield on Saturday to extend their winning run to a record six games, despite still being without a manager.”
Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies said: “Carlisle were the big movers in Sky Bet League Two during the festive period and local hero Danny Grainger was the stand out performer with two clean sheets, three goals and an assist as Carlisle firmly secured themselves into Play-Off contention.
“The 32-year-old left full back scored with typical power from free-kicks against Colchester and Oldham and a penalty against Colchester. The Cumbrians are now 7/2 for promotion from 25/1 at the start of the month.”
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 EFL trader Ivor Davies.
