Martinez has turned the Swans into a Championship force

Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez has won the Championship manager of the month award for January.

Martinez guided the Swans to wins over promotion chasers Reading, Burnley and Preston, picking up 10 points from 12 after drawing with Southampton.

Swansea are ninth in the Championship and unbeaten in the league in 12 games.

"This sort of recognition after 24 years that we haven't been in this level shows how far we have come as a football club," said Martinez.

"January was a very good month in terms of results and performances and we have a great challenge to carry on these standards until the end of the season.

"It means a lot to the football club. I take it in the name of the staff, the board and the supporters."

Martinez guided Swansea to the Championship last May in his first full season as a manager, ending a 24-year absence in English football's second tier for the Welsh club.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones, Ipswich's Jim Magilton and new QPR manager Paulo Sousa were the other contenders for the award.

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