Sheffield United striker Leon Clarke has been named the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month for November.
In the footballing month of his life, the much-travelled striker displayed all his skill, impudence, determination and showmanship to score nine goals in just four games, which included a hat-trick against Fulham and all four goals against Hull.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said: “We will always create chances and when you have got a striker in the form of his career, like Leon Clarke is right now, you are always a threat.
“It may have raised a few eyebrows when we brought him in last summer, but the fact that he is a quality striker was never in question.
“I was delighted when he signed and despite a few injury problems last year, he came good at the business end of last season and has carried on his form.”
Clarke said: “It`s a really nice achievement. Personally, it was a good month goalscoring-wise but obviously for the team it wasn`t so good, we didn`t pick up as many point as we would`ve liked.
“Every time I go on the pitch it`s an opportunity to prove to people that doubted me at Championship level.
“To have 13 goals already has hopefully silenced a few people`s opinions of me, but I`m not going to stop at 13 goals, I`m going to keep going and striving to achieve more goals this season.”
Sky Sports` EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “Not since Luis Suarez in March 2013 has a player scored as many goals in a calendar month as Clarke did in November.
“He`s finally found a home and has fans that love him and it really shows. When he`s getting service like he got in November, goals are sure to flow.”
Sky Bet EFL trader Mikey Mumford said: “Leon Clarke has been the standout performer in the Championship in a month which he has scored by the bucket load.
“His nine league goals have elevated him to the top of the scoring charts in the second tier where he can now be backed at 6/1 with Sky Bet having been as big as 20/1 before his excellent four-goal salvo against Hull.
“He then followed that up with a hat-trick in an epic encounter with Fulham where he definitely didn`t deserve to be on the losing side and his goals alongside fellow striker Billy Sharp will be key as the Blades aim to stay in the promotion hunt.”
