New signing Andre Green and his Rotherham United injury

NEW boy Andre Green would have been named in Rotherham United's opening-day team this weekend had he not been hit by a pre-season injury.

The striker suffered groin damage late last month soon after hitting the target twice in two trial games to earn a contract and was forced to sit out yesterday's 4-1 Championship defeat at Stoke City.

The issue isn't thought to be too serious but he is likely to also miss Tuesday's Carabao Cup first-round tie at AESSEAL New York Stadium against League Two Morecambe.

"It's just a tightness in his groin," manager Matt Taylor told the Advertiser after watching his team come unstuck at the bet365 Stadium.

"It's a real shame. We signed him after he performed well in those two trial games and he would have been a starter today."

The former Aston Villa prospect, who has spent the last two years in Slovakia where he won the league title with Slovan Bratislava and played in the Champions League, reported discomfort on

Friday July 28, three days after scoring the winner in a friendly triumph over Premier League Sheffield United.

The Millers were still happy to complete his signing on a two-year deal which was announced last Wednesday.

The player hadn't been through a pre-season programme before Rotherham offered him the opportunity to impress in a ten-day spell with him and he had to push his body hard in a bid to earn a contract.

"You come in on trial and you have to put yourself forward and play the games you do," Taylor said. "It's not a long-term one but we couldn't put him out there today."