Brechin City pair win Ladbrokes League 1 awards for April

Brechin City striker Robert Thomson and boss Darren Dods have won the Ladbrokes League 1 Player and Manager of the Month awards for April, respectively.

The Angus club were bottom of League 1 when the month began, but an incredible upturn in form – with four wins in five – saw Dods’ men rise to seventh place, three points above the relegation play-off spot.

City began the month with a crucial 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Stenhousemuir, with Thomson netting the only goal of the game.

A narrow defeat at Cowdenbeath followed, before three victories on the spin secured the Glebe Park club’s League 1 status in impressive fashion.

The blistering 5-1 defeat of Peterhead included a spectacular hat-trick from Thomson, whose striking prowess has seen us offer 5/2 on the hitman managing 15+ Championship goals next season, with his move to Dumbarton now complete.

That result was followed up by a 1-0 home victory against Stranraer and a 2-1 win at Forfar, with City showing a potent combination of skill and confidence throughout the month.

While Thompson’s excellent goalscoring form may earn him the bulk of the plaudits from Brechin fans, his manager’s tactical nous was equally important.

Dods saw his side through tight, tense victories – two of which City had to see out with 10-men – and allowed his side to let loose and boost their goal difference against Peterhead.

Everyone at Glebe Park can now prepare for another campaign in Ladbrokes League 1, and if their good form continues into next season, they could soon be focusing on matters at the top end of the table.

That view is shared by Dods, who told Ladbrokes’ Will O’Neil: “If that run had come at Christmas time, we’d have been in a good position going into the last quarter of the season to go and challenge for the play-offs.”

However, the 40-year-old was also quick to heap praise on his team’s League 1 survival, remarking that “the players kept momentum and confidence going to do it.”

The season’s positive ending also means Thomson will head to Dumbarton with fond memories of his time at Glebe Park.

“The end of the season was pleasing…we got a settled team after Christmas and I started to enjoy my football a lot more up top as a striker along with Andy Jackson”, Thomson told Ladbrokes.

Those of a Brechin persuasion will be hoping the savvy Dods can find a similarly effective replacement for the prolific striker this summer.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.