Christian Nade is the Ladbrokes Championship Player of the Month

Dumbarton hitman Christian Nade has been named the Ladbrokes Championship Player of the Month for March.

It’s been a great month for French striker Nade, who built on his part in the late-February win over Hibernian as the catalyst in Dumbarton’s pivotal win against Alloa Athletic next month.

That crucial win preceded a hard-fought draw against Falkirk, and with seven points from five games, Dumbarton have made huge strides in their bid to escape the threat of the relegation play-off. The victory over Alloa also means they are all but safe from occupying the bottom spot once the season ends.

The 3-1 triumph over the Wasps was a moment Nade will cherish, both on a personal note and for the team as it included a first career hat-trick for the 31-year-old.

But the talented forward isn’t one to rest on his laurels, telling Ladbrokes News “it’s not just about being on top form, it’s about staying on top form.”

However, there is no doubt that Nade’s recent good form has been a boost for him and those around him. “I was very confident afterwards, in the game against Falkirk, and we managed a draw”, the striker remarked. “We’re coming into every game with really high spirits.”

So why have Dumbarton proved such a good fit? Nade says that manager Stephen Aitken has identified the fact he is most comfortable “as a target man” and the boss is playing the former France U21 international “in the right position to score goals.”

He is full of praise for his young manager, who joined the Sons after impressing in his three seasons in charge of Stranraer. “He is liked by all the players, which is very difficult to achieve at any club”, Nade explained. “The training facilities and the way we train [at Dumbarton] is great.”

The west coast club are still fighting to avoid the drop though Dumbarton’s January recruit is confident they can prove a match for any side in the Championship. “We have proved this season that we can beat the full-time teams” he asserts.

“Sometimes we can feel more tired than their players but we have a good squad. We are not losing many games now and I think next season we will be even better.”

If Nade keeps banging in the goals at the Bet Butler Stadium throughout this campaign, the positivity at Dumbarton will continue to grow.

Nade is 6/1 to be the first goalscorer as Dumbarton play host to Morton this weekend, with a Sons victory at 13/5.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.