Claudio Ranieri has been rewarded for leading Leicester to their improbable Barclays Premier League triumph by being crowned the League Managers Association manager of the year.
The 64-year-old becomes only the second non-British manager to win the prestigious accolade, after Arsene Wenger, who won it in both 2002 and 2004.
Ranieri had already picked up three manager of the month awards in the course of his side's remarkable campaign, and was named Italian manager of the year in his homeland last month.
He succeeds Eddie Howe, who took the overall award last year after leading Bournemouth into the Premier League, pipping Jose Mourinho, who had to settle for the top-flight title.
Ranieri's spectacular success in his first season with Leicester came despite widespread predictions he would struggle after replacing Nigel Pearson in the summer.
In the @SkyBetChamp, the #ManagerOfTheYear award went to @OfficialBHAFC's Chris Hughton. pic.twitter.com/nTguuMCWuo
— The Football League (@football_league) May 17, 2016
Former Irish international Chris Hughton was named Championship manager of the Year.
Hughton steered Brighton to third in the table, only missing out on automatic promotion to the Premier League on goal difference.
When he took over in January 2015, the Seagulls were in 21st place but avoided relegation before going on a 21-match unbeaten league run at the start of this season.
