After a storming start as manager of Sheffield Wednesday, Alan Irvine has been announced as the Championship Manager of the Month for January.

Irvine was appointed as the new Wednesday manager one week prior to his first league match in charge against Barnsley.

The Owls were rooted in the bottom three upon Irvine's arrival but the former Preston boss hit the ground running and steered Wednesday to four wins from five games.

Against the odds, Wednesday recorded back to back away victories against Barnsley and Blackpool before beating Peterborough United on home soil.

Despite defeat to Scunthorpe United, the Owls retuned to winning ways against Plymouth Argyle at Hillsborough.

Irvine said: "It's a fantastic start and the award is a mark of the players working really hard and the staff working really hard behind the scenes. We're all going to have to do this again from now until the end of the season so that we can get to where we want to be."

Also short-listed for the January award were Dave Jones of Cardiff City, Billy Davies of Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe United's Nigel Adkins.

Alan Curbishley, chairman of the Coca-Cola Manager of the Month Awards panel, said: "Alan Irvine has done remarkably well in double-quick time since taking the reins at Sheffield Wednesday. His side are now out of the relegation places and can look forward to the rest of the season with great optimism."

This news was sent first to subscribers to the official Sheffield Wednesday SMS service. To find out more, click here.

After a storming start as manager of Sheffield Wednesday, Alan Irvine has been announced as the Championship Manager of the Month for January.

Irvine was appointed as the new Wednesday manager one week prior to his first league match in charge against Barnsley.

The Owls were rooted in the bottom three upon Irvine's arrival but the former Preston boss hit the ground running and steered Wednesday to four wins from five games.

Against the odds, Wednesday recorded back to back away victories against Barnsley and Blackpool before beating Peterborough United on home soil.

Despite defeat to Scunthorpe United, the Owls retuned to winning ways against Plymouth Argyle at Hillsborough.

Irvine said: "It's a fantastic start and the award is a mark of the players working really hard and the staff working really hard behind the scenes. We're all going to have to do this again from now until the end of the season so that we can get to where we want to be."

Also short-listed for the January award were Dave Jones of Cardiff City, Billy Davies of Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe United's Nigel Adkins.

Alan Curbishley, chairman of the Coca-Cola Manager of the Month Awards panel, said: "Alan Irvine has done remarkably well in double-quick time since taking the reins at Sheffield Wednesday. His side are now out of the relegation places and can look forward to the rest of the season with great optimism."

This news was sent first to subscribers to the official Sheffield Wednesday SMS service. To find out more, click here.