Aaron Collins' fine form for Bristol Rovers has been recognised with the forward up for the EFL League One Player of the Month award.
The 25-year-old has continued his fine form from last season – when he finished with 18 goals – into the new campaign. He has seven goal contributions in as many league games, and it is his three goals and two assists in the opening month of the season that have seen him nominated for August's award.
An EFL spokesman said: "Given the freedom to drift around the pitch, the Welshman is never happier than picking the ball up deep and running at defenders, as he proved with his two goals at Burton, part of a haul of three goals and two assists in five games."
Sheffield Wednesday's Liam Palmer, Cambridge United stop scorer Sam Smith and Joe Ward, of Peterborough United, have also been nominated, with the winner set to be announced on Friday. The winner will be decided by Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman, EFL chief executive Trevor Birch and Ivor Davies of SkyBet.
Portsmouth's Danny Cowley, Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, Darren Moore of Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle's Steven Schumacher are the nominees for League One manager of the month.
Collins' rise at Rovers has been meteoric. It took him four months to get off the mark after joining from Forest Green Rovers in 2021, but since he found his form he has been a talismanic presence for the Gas.
The Welshman scored five goals in the final two games of last season, playing a crucial part in Rovers' promotion, and he has made the step up to third-tier level seamlessly.
He scored in Rovers' opening-day defeat to Forest Green before producing a brilliant brace in the 4-0 win at Burton Albion. He followed that up with a clinical finish in the loss at Portsmouth.
SIGN UP: To receive our free Rovers newsletter, bringing you the latest from the Mem
READ NEXT:
