Derek Adams (Morecambe)

January began with Morecambe bottom and League One’s lowest scorers. Three wins out of four masterminded by Adams and a remarkable 12 goals scored, including five against both Burton and Bristol Rovers, lifted the Shrimps out of the bottom four.

Steve Cotterill (Shrewsbury Town)

Cotterill’s forte is instilling belief for 90 minutes and making telling substitutions. A haul of 12 points from five games owed as much to late wins over MK Dons and Forest Green as it did four-goal victories against Burton and Cambridge.

Darren Moore (Sheffield Wednesday)

Cup success limited Wednesday to three league games. Yet, by winning them all by a 7-0 aggregate under Moore’s steady hand, they picked up more points than automatic promotion rivals Plymouth and Ipswich did in more matches.

Paul Warne (Derby County)

Steady progress over Warne’s first three months in charge at Pride Park gave way to perfection in January with all four games won and a 11-4 goal differential. Most impressively, the month was sealed with a late comeback win at Port Vale.

The January nominations for the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month Award are:

Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers) - striker

A second successive nomination for Charles whose importance to his team can be gauged from the fact that every one of his four coolly taken goals in the month either opened the scoring or gave Bolton the win. Also added an assist.

Scott Fraser (Charlton Athletic) – midfielder

The fulcrum of Charlton’s revival under Dean Holden, Fraser has thrived in an advanced midfield role. Added to a headed goal and thoughtful assist against Lincoln was an elegant finish at Portsmouth where he also struck the bar with a free-kick.

Luke Leahy (Shrewsbury Town) – midfielder

Three goals and two assists in five games for the former defender who has been converted into an energetic box-to-box midfielder, as adept at heading away balls into the Shrewsbury box as providing a creative spark at the other end.

Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday) – striker

Always willing to shoot, Windass led the Owls from the front in January with three goals in as many matches. As well as an assist against Fleetwood, his first career hat-trick against Cambridge comprised three finely judged low shots.

Sky Bet League One: January Manager and Player of the Month nominees

Sky Bet League One: January Manager and Player of the Month nominees