New Steve Evans twist in Rotherham United manager search

The name of the 61-year-old featured high up in discussions among the club's top brass around the time that Matt Taylor was sacked following last Saturday's 5-0 Championship defeat at Watford.

But it is believed the Millers are now more focused on other potential targets as they choose the man to take on the challenge of guiding them out of the second-tier drop zone.

Evans won back-to-back promotions from League Two to the Championship with Rotherham in 2013 and 2014 and kept them up for a season before his departure when he and the club felt it was time to "head in different directions".

He is presently working wonders with Stevenage, who are in the top six in League One after being promoted last season, but hasn't managed in the second tier for more than seven years.

The Millers are targeting someone with more recent experience of the division.

"I am looking for established Championship managers who have 'done it'," chairman Tony Stewart.

Bosses who could appeal to the Millers, who are set to draw up a shortlist of around four names before conducting interviews, include Gary Rowett, who has just left Millwall, and former Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson.

Other high-profile names have also made their interest known to the Millers who are next in action a week tomorrow at home to Leeds United.

"The quality is that good," Stewart said. "The shortlist will be down to three or four, but we have half a dozen (leading contenders) in the bag and they are still coming in.

"I’d be amazed if there’s somebody in before Leeds. We are going to take the luxury of time to make sure somebody fits the slot."

Taylor's number two, Wayne Carlisle, has been placed in interim charge along with coaches Scott Brown and Dan Green.