Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic)
A busy month for Caldwell’s men with 12 points gained from six unbeaten matches. Their attacking threat at the DW Stadium was evident as they scored three goals in each of their four home games to move up to fourth.
Nigel Clough (Burton Albion)
Taking over a successful side can be tricky, returning to a former club even more so. Clough has cleverly made the transition without disturbing the balance at Burton. Nine points from five games kept Albion on course for automatic promotion.
Neil Harris (Millwall)
Having carefully built the foundations and player trust during his previous 10 months at The Den, he moved Millwall into the Play-Off picture in January by overseeing three victories and a draw in five matches.
Lee Johnson (Barnsley)
Continued the momentum his side built up in December by leading them to a perfect record of five wins from five with a 13-2 goal differential. Has his team playing fluent passing football to which they have added a steely edge.
Players
Tom Aldred (Blackpool) – central defender
A second straight nomination for the lynchpin of a defence which let in just three goals in six games, including fixtures against the top three. His goalline clearance preserved the win over Gillingham and he also scored against Scunthorpe United.
Bradley Dack (Gillingham) – midfielder
Smooth as silk in January, influencing games with his willingness to run at players and his eye for a pass. Followed up a lovely strike against Bradford City with a perfect assist at Doncaster Rovers and a late winner at home to Peterborough United.
AJ Leitch-Smith (Port Vale) - striker
Almost single-handedly carried Vale’s goalscoring burden with four of their five goals, which accounted for seven points, including away wins at Blackpool and Doncaster. His pace and nippy movement were a constant worry for defenders.
Sam Winnall (Barnsley) - striker
Form streaks don’t come much better than this. Seven goals and two assists were rewards for his direct running and bravery in the box. His goal tally included a perfect right foot, left foot, header hat-trick in the 6-1 win over Rochdale.
ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2016
The judging panel comprises Sky Sports’ Football League expert Don Goodman; Football League Head of Communications John Nagle; League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery.
