Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock has been named as the Nationwide Manager of the Month for Division One after an eventful month of cup and league action.
The Blades could only fit two league games around their various cup matches but won both matches, against First Division leaders Portsmouth and Steel City rivals Wednesday, to put themselves in the hunt for automatic promotion.
Having twice beaten Barclaycard Premiership opposition to reach the semi-finals of the Worthington Cup, Warnock's men recorded a fully deserved victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their tie, winning 2-1 at Bramall Lane.
Despite a valiant effort at Anfield two weeks later, The Blades were beaten 2-0 after extra time, narrowly missing out on a trip to Cardiff to face Manchester United.
Their hopes of success are still very much alive in the FA Cup however after wins over Cheltenham and Ipswich saw them through to the fifth round, where they will face Division One rivals Walsall.
United cruised to a 4-0 victory over the Second Division strugglers and seemed to be doing the same against Ipswich - taking a 3-0 lead after 64 minutes – but Joe Royle's men drew level with three goals in five minutes setting up a frenetic finale to an enthralling match.
It was Warnock's side who emerged the victors however, thanks to substitute striker Paul Peschisolido's 89th minute winner.
Although The Blades' promotion ambitions were dealt a blow with a loss to Millwall in their first February fixture on Saturday, January was certainly a month to remember for the players and the manager alike, and despite once saying that he would have to win nine games out of eight to win the award, Warnock was a fully deserving first manager of the month of 2003.
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