NO-ONE was happier for Rudy Gestede when he was named the Championship player of the month than his Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer.

But what pleased Bowyer more was what his in-form forward said after he learned he had beaten Burnley captain Jason Shackell, Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Adam Bogdan and Millwall midfielder Nicky Bailey to the award.

Gestede yesterday told the Lancashire Telegraph that while he was delighted to pick up the prize he is not completely satisfied with his own performances.

And that was music to Bowyer’s ears.

“When I hear comments like that from him it gives me an enormous sense of delight because that’s what we’ve wanted to bring into the football club,” said Bowyer, who paid Cardiff City £300,000 to secure Gestede’s services in January.

“That type of character, that type of person, that type of mentality – and the fact that he’s coming out publically and saying that shows you what a top man he is.

“He thoroughly deserves the award because he has been absolutely outstanding.

“His goals have backed up his play and he’s been a fantastic signing for us.”

Gestede scored six goals in six starts in April to take his tally for Rovers up to 11 in 27 games.

The 25-year-old first arrived at Ewood Park in November on an initial loan deal from Cardiff.

And Bowyer believes had Gestede and winger Craig Conway, who also signed from the Bluebirds in January, been at the club longer they would have been in the running for Rovers’ player of the season award.

The winner of the award, voted by supporters, will be announced before the final game of the campaign at home to Wigan today (12.15pm).

And when asked who he would plump for Bowyer said: “The pleasing part for me is that there are several players I could name.

“That’s refreshing to me and it shows we’ve managed to bring the right people in.

“The obvious candidate would be Jordan Rhodes for scoring all the goals and Tom Cairney.

“Tom will get a lot of votes from the female population of Blackburn!

“The effect Craig Conway and Rudy Gestede have had since coming in has been phenomenal while Tommy Spurr has been a fans’ favourite, so I’m delighted there’s going to be lots of choices that’s for sure.”

While Gestede was nominated and subsequently won the Championship player of the month award, Bowyer was not in the running for the managerial prize.

That was in spite of the fact that he had a better points record for April than the four bosses nominated, including the winner, Burnley’s Sean Dyche.

But Bowyer said: “I don’t care about that sort of stuff.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the players and I’m delighted Rudy has got his award and it’s well deserved.”

Rovers have scored 27 goals in their last 11 unbeaten league matches, the longest unbeaten run in the Championship.

Fourteen of those 27 goals have been shared by strike partners Gestede and Rhodes, something else that has pleased Bowyer.

He said: “It’s something we highlighted and had conversations about throughout the start of the season, that we needed a big targetman to play up with Jordan.

“We’ve got that now and they are both scoring but the beauty is that other people are scoring as well.”