Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy is among the nominees for December’s Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award.

The Blues went through the final month of 2013 unbeaten – beating Blackburn (3-1, home), Huddersfield (2-1, home) and Doncaster (3-0, away) and drawing against Nottingham Forest (0-0, away), Watford (1-1, home) and Bournemouth (1-1, away) – to go sixth in the table.

McCarthy is up against Lee Clark (Birmingham City), Billy Davies (Nottingham Forest) and Steve McLaren (Derby County) for the award.

An unbeaten month saw a previously struggling Birmingham record impressive away wins at Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers. They also held promotion-chasing Wigan Athletic (away) and Nottingham Forest (home) to goalless draws as Clark instilled growing belief in his team. There were also home draws against Doncaster and Middlesbrough.

Davies guided his Forest side to four clean sheets during a hectic programme which ended with entertaining and convincing home victories over QPR and Leeds United. Three wins and three draws lifted Forest into the play-off places.

It was a December to remember for Derby as McClaren’s side garnered 19 points from 21 and outscored their opponents by a huge 18-6 margin. An emphasis on free-flowing attacking play saw Derby move up into second place.

The only points dropped by the Rams was a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield, with wins achieved against Wigan, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Charlton, Doncaster and Barnsley.

Winners will be announced on Friday.