BLACKBURN Rovers’ red-hot striker Rudy Gestede has been nominated for the Championship player of the month award for April.

But Rovers boss Gary Bowyer is not in the running for the manager of the month prize – despite boasting a better points return than the four bosses nominated.

Gestede scored six goals in six starts in April. He netted a hat-trick of headers in the 4-2 win at Birmingham City and also was on target in the victories over Ipswich Town, QPR and Charlton Athletic.

Gestede’s fellow nominees are Burnley’s promotion-winning captain and centre-back Jason Shackell, Bolton Wanderers’ goalkeeper Adam Bogdan and Millwall midfielder Nicky Bailey.

The nominees for the manager of the month award are Leicester City’s Nigel Pearson, Burnley’s Sean Dyche, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Oscar Garcia and Millwall’s Ian Holloway.

Pearson led Leicester to promotion and then the title in April, picking up 14 points from a possible 21, while Dyche's Burnley secured the second automatic promotion spot with a haul of 13 points from six games.

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Garcia’s Brighton and Holloway’s Millwall both went unbeaten in the month, taking 13 and 12 points from seven and six matches respectively.

But Bowyer’s Rovers also went unbeaten in April but they took 15 points from a possible 21, winning four and drawing three of their seven games, and scoring 17 goals.

Young Rovers midfielder Josh Morris, on loan at Fleetwood Town, has been nominated for the League Two player of the month award. The winners will be announced tomorrow morning.