Millers new boy set for home bow

Richie Towell makes his Rotherham United debut against Portsmouth last weekend

Attacking midfielder Towell (26) made his debut from the substitutes’ bench in the 1-0 win at Portsmouth on Sunday after arriving on a season-long loan deal from Brighton.

But Warne said he can expect to play a more prominent role tomorrow and against Walsall on Tuesday.

“Richie was a player I wanted to sign in the January window. I tried really hard to sign him then,” he said.

“With Proctor injured it limited my attacking options a little bit and the opportunity came up and we spoke about it earlier in the day and, I don’t mean to be disrespectful to us, but he might have had bigger fish to fry.

“Luckily I got the nod he would be interesting in coming and that allowed Dominic Ball to go to Aberdeen and the rest is history.”

Towell bagged 43 goals in two seasons at Irish outfit Dundalk before joining Brighton in November 2015.

Warne added: “He is a goalscoring midfielder. He is a bit like Frecks.”

“If he doesn’t start Saturday. I will probably give him half-an-hour and start him on Tuesday.”

Warne, whose Millers' side are slight favourites with the bookies for tomorrow’s clash with the Shakers, said he was happy with his squad but admitted he was looking to sign another striker, with one unnamed target in mind.

“I think we are pretty solid. I would like another big striker but they are virtually impossible to get hold of,” he said.

“We have got four full-backs, four centre-halves, four decent centre-midfielders, four goalkeepers — I feel like I am pretty strong throughout.”

Warne also expects summer transfer window signing David Ball to be heavily involved in the next week after impressing in the reserves’ midweek 1-0 win over Mansfield.

Despite Bury’s stuttering start to the campaign, Warne believes they have players at their disposal who can do the Millers harm.

He added: “I think they’ve signed 24 or 25 players.

“On paper I think it’s a stronger team than Portsmouth but their results haven't shown that yet. I just hope things don’t click for them at our place tomorrow.”

Pick up today’s Advertiser for interviews with Will Vaulks and Jon Taylor and more from Paul Warne. There’s also an interview with chairman Tony Stewart and a preview of this weekend’s clash with Bury, which you can follow before, during and after the game on our live blog.