Evans trusts in new boys

While loan men Tom Lawrence and Emmanuel Ledesma were big losses when they returned to their parent clubs this month, the squad was soon replenished.

Attacking trio Jack Barmby (20), Danny Ward (24) and Adam Hammill (26) all fit the club's desire for young and hungry players with good pedigree.

Ward and Hammill have been out of the first-team picture at Huddersfield lately and Barmby is still work in progress but Evans insists they could be good Championship performers and their debuts at promotion contenders Brentford reinforced his views.

He told the Advertiser: "I think the lads we have brought in are as good as the ones we have lost and I'll tell you in two or three weeks whether they're better.

"For me, Hammill and Ward are top Championship players. They can play in the Derby team and nobody would blink, they could play in the Brentford team and nobody would blink.

"Young Jack is a young man learning his trade but why did I put him and the other two in? The same reason I put Lawrence and Ledesma in, because they're better than what we've got.

"Saturday was Barmby's first Championship game and he was very nervous. He got caught once or twice in possession when he wouldn't normally do and that's the difference to playing in the U21s and reserves when people normally sit off you. He made three good chances and he grew into it and I thought Ward was great after the first 25 and Hammill was a threat throughout."

Here for a month initially, Barmby could stay on because his manager at Leicester, Nigel Pearson, has promised him extra time here if so desired.otherham have until the end of the season to work with Hammill while Ward is here to stay, having had his loan switch made permanent this week, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.

There's much more on Rotherham United, including Steve Evans' exclusive column and a look ahead to tomorrow's match with Bournemouth, in our 16-page Millers Extra supplement, free with this week's Advertiser.