ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman should coast to victory when the League Two manager of the year award is handed out on May 23, according to his assistant Jimmy Bell.

Coleman missed out on the manager of the month award for the third month in a row yesterday, with Bury’s Richie Barker taking the honour.

The Stanley boss has now been nominated for the League Two monthly award seven times without ever winning it, with the Football League convention being to award it to the manager who has picked up the most points during the month – regardless of resources or circumstances.

But the League Managers Association’s annual awards, to be held in London in later this month, are voted for by fellow managers and Coleman’s battle against cash problems to guide Stanley into the play-offs is likely to work in his favour.

John Sheridan, whose Chesterfield side are favourites to clinch the title today, may also be among those in contention but Bell believes Coleman’s feats this season have been unrivalled.

“John deserves to win manager of the year by a street with what he's had to work with and what he's done in the last four or five months,” said Bell, who is now hoping to rearrange his testimonial match against Burnley for pre-season – with the Clarets’ failure to make the play-offs meaning the game will now not place next week.

Stanley travel to Burton in their final game of the regular season this afternoon and Charlie Barnett has been another to reserve praise for Coleman.

“The amount of pressure and stress he works under and the squad he’s managed to get together, he’s done a really good job,” said the midfielder.