Notts County keeper Kasper Schmeichel has won the PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for January.
Magpies shot-stopper fans' favourite in January
Notts County might be waiting to appoint their third permanent manager of the season but they have all waxed lyrical about PFA Fans' Player of the Month Award winner Kasper Schmeichel.
The goalkeeper was signed for a club record fee in the summer from Manchester City as Sven-Goran Eriksson assembled a squad that would hopefully guide them into League One.
Whilst off-field rumours have subsequently dogged the Magpies, there has been no denying Schmeichel's qualities as they chase down the top three.
Son of legendary Manchester United shot stopper Peter, he has kept two clean sheets in his past two games against Dagenham & Redbridge and Barnet and has been an integral part of their fine FA Cup run.
County's first manager of the season - Ian McParland - was happy to have signed Schmeichel when he pitched up at Meadow Lane in August.
Significant part
He said: "We're very pleased that Kasper has chosen to come to Meadow Lane. He's a significant part of the jigsaw puzzle."
Those words have proved to be prophetic as the shot-stopper has been a tower of strength for the Magpies all campaign and McParland's successor, Hans Backe, had nothing but praise for the player he had worked with at Manchester City.
"He is, how do you say... brave, very brave. His reactions are marvellous. It's absolutely a dream to see him work," he said at the time. "He has a bright future, I'm absolutely sure of that. I have said it all the time.
"What I saw at Manchester City and what I have seen here, he is a very brave goalie. He doesn't feel pain in a way and also now he looks better in the air. He's not the biggest one or the highest one, but his timing is growing all of the time for crosses.
Hardworking
"He's still young and wants to improve all of the time, by extra training. His attitude to training is always excellent. He's very lively and a very positive guy, a hardworking one. It will be interesting to see what he can do, for sure.
"Being at Notts County is a possibility for him to have a really good journey with the club, if things work out well. I think he will be a big part of that, absolutely."
The Danish star uses unorthodox methods to keep himself at the top of his game and works hard away from the training ground on a variety of other sports.
He said: "I play a lot of tennis and badminton because I think it relates to being a keeper. It is all about small rapid movements, having good feet and it can also be quite explosive as well. It is close to what I do and it is about keeping yourself fresh and ready for when you play again."
The first goalkeeper to win the award this season is proof that he is really making a difference at Meadow Lane and the County faithful hope his safe hands can guide them towards automatic promotion this term.
To cast your vote for February's winner and be in with a chance of presenting the award to the player click here.
