Frank Lampard’s outstanding 2025/26 season was highlighted on Monday night when he received the League Managers Association’s Manager of the Year award.

With the exception of a week in early February when Middlesbrough briefly took the league lead, Coventry led the second division from the October international break until the end of the season in May, finishing 11 points ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town.

The trophy, named after renowned former Aberdeen and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, has already been won by Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Arsène Wenger, and Jürgen Klopp, so Lampard joins an illustrious group of managers with his victory.

Sir Alex Ferguson sends a message to Frank Lampard following the LMA’s Manager of the Year award.

Ferguson was unable to present the award to Lampard on Tuesday night because the Scotsman was still recovering from medical treatment following Manchester United’s victory against Liverpool earlier in the month.

England manager Thomas Tuchel presented the Coventry boss with his medal and read out a letter written by Ferguson.It’s not the same without Sir Alex, and we wish him the best and a rapid recovery so that he can join us on stage again next year. “Until then, I have the privilege to read this letter to you, Frank,” Tuchel told Coventry Live.Dear Frank, congrats on being named the LMA Manager of the Year. You should be proud of your team’s accomplishments.This season, your team’s confidence and self-belief have reflected your personality as a manager and leader, and I’ve enjoyed watching you.Speaking with you, I recognize your humility and want to learn.I’m sure winning this accolade will be very important to you, Frank, and I wish you the best of luck in the Premier League next season.”

Lampard beat off Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, Pep Guardiola, Andoni Iraola, and Keith Andrews for the accolade, all of whom have had excellent Premier League seasons.

As a result, receiving the award over some of his contemporaries and having the endorsement of someone widely regarded as the greatest manager in football history is a fantastic achievement for the Championship-winning manager.

Frank Lampard will be aiming to propel himself into Manager of the Year consideration next season as Coventry City embark on the Premier League.

Lampard has already proven many critics wrong during his time at Coventry, and he’ll be trying to do so again by taking a team that has been out of the top division for 25 years and ensuring their return lasts only one season.

The 47-year-old’s last managerial foray into the Premier League as Chelsea’s interim manager was a disaster, with only one win and eight defeats in 11 games.

Before that, he didn’t have the best record at Everton, losing twice as many games as he won during his nearly year-long tenure.

However, based on how Lampard’s Coventry squad has developed under his leadership, he is clearly a better manager than he was three or four years ago, and it will be interesting to see how they do in the Premier League with him at the helm.

The Sky Blues and their manager have had an extremely successful 2025/26 season, and his LMA Manager of the Year title was well-deserved. Now the focus is on next season and their quest to remain a top-flight team for the foreseeable future.