No knocking on the gaffer’s door for Rotherham United striker Georgie Kelly

Rotherham United's Georgie Kelly in action against QPR. Picture: Jim Brailsford

The super-sub striker from County Donegal opened his account for the season to earn Rotherham United a 1-1 home draw against Queens Park Rangers last weekend and will be hoping for more game-time against Ipswich Town tonight.

Fans would love to see more of the Irishman they have taken to their hearts since he moved to England in January 2022 and scored the goal that clinched promotion to the second tier three months later.

But the 26-year-old, who thought his chance of a career in the Football League had passed him by until the Millers came calling, has no complaints that he has yet to be selected in boss Matt Taylor's Championship starting 11 this term.

“Listen, I'm excited every day just being here,” he said. “I'm not frustrated about being on the bench and I won't be complaining.

“You get some players who knock on the gaffer's door every week. I always find it weird when players do that saying: ‘I should be playing.’ The gaffer is trying to win, he'll do what he thinks best.

“We're all on the same page here. It's not like he has any vendettas against players. He'll use me as he sees fit.

“You might get some managers who make decisions off emotions. The gaffer isn't like that. He knows what he's doing, he has his own ideas. He'll decide if and when to start me. I feel like he knows best.”

Kelly notched four times - all from the bench - in last season's survival campaign and his ratio of goals per minutes on the pitch is up there with the top marksmen in the division.

Against the Hoops last Saturday he scored with a clinical volley at the back post, cheered on by a big group of pals who'd travelled from Ireland to South Yorkshire for the occasion.

“I had loads of mates over,” he said. “College friends, 15 or 16 of them. It's the first game they've come to. It was a good one for them to choose!”

He knew how the evening was likely to go. “I'll meet them for a couple maybe,” he grinned.

A couple of starts wouldn't go amiss either, eh, Georgie?

The centre-forward wasn't biting.

“Two years ago, I was back in Ireland playing at whatever level,” he said. “If I get five minutes for Rotherham, I'm buzzing. If I don't, I'm not going to be sitting sulking.”