MIDDLESBROUGH head coach Kim Hellberg and star forward Will Lankshear are both in the running for the Championship's divisional awards for October.

Hellberg is competing for the managerial gong and his rivals for the accolade include Southampton chief Tonda Eckert.

Last month, the German received a six-week ban – suspended for two years – for his part in the Spygate scandal involving Saints and Boro at the end of last season.

Hellberg's Boro scored 14 goals in five unbeaten matches in October, pocketing an impressive 13 points.

NOMINATED: Middlesbrough coach Kim Hellberg (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

placeholder image — NOMINATED: Middlesbrough coach Kim Hellberg (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Boro hit the heights in a 5-1 televised victory at Bolton and also claimed an important 1-0 success over promotion rivals Wolves.

Saints also claimed 13 points from five matches; Portsmouth chief John Mousinho and Birmingham City boss Chris Davies are also nominated for the gong.

Lankshear, currently recuperating from a slight hamstring issue which prevented him from featuring in Boro's recent games at Wrexham and Watford, has been nominated for the player's prize.

The England under-21 striker struck seven times in five games – including braces against Bolton and Charlton – and netted at least once in every match for Boro in October.

GOAL MACHINE: Will Lankshear (Image: Harriet Massey/Getty Images)

Also shortlisted for the award are Birmingham forward August Priske, Blackburn Rovers striker Andri Gudjohnsen and Southampton's Wakefield-born full-back James Bree, who started his career at Barnsley.

Winners will be announced on Friday.