Robbie Hemfrey and a moment in the limelight for Rotherham United's shy hero against Burnley

He should have been laughing inside the media suite but a packed room brimming with cameras, journalists, questions and voice recorders might have been a bit much for a shy kid from Scotland unused to the limelight.

The guy from the Yorkshire Post and I led him somewhere a little quieter and now the 21-year-old goalkeeper was responding to a light-hearted suggestion that his kicking might need a little work.

“Yeah, I know!” he grinned. “That was the thing that made me the most nervous. I’ve not played in however long — one friendly before Christmas. I’ll get back to practising it on the training ground!”

The Championship cauldron of Rotherham United v already-promoted Burnley had just seen his professional debut. Happily, performing in front of a 10,000-plus crowd in a key clash had been far less daunting for the untested youngster than appearing in front of a dozen or so reporters.

That duff distribution apart, Hemfrey had done himself and his club proud.

He’d been on the bench because regular keeper Viktor Johansson was injured and number two Josh Vickers was needed to replace the Swede. Then Vickers damaged his groin and suddenly raw Robbie’s time had come.

He ran out for the second half and within minutes had pulled off two vital saves to keep the Millers in the match at 1-1. A couple more were to follow.

“It probably helped me that I didn’t know that I’d be playing,” he said. “You don’t have time to think and dwell on it, you’re just straight out there doing your job.

“Them having shots early on is what you want. You wouldn’t want to be waiting until 60/70 minutes before you’ve had a touch. I really enjoyed it.”

He was a likeable, genuine lad, his north-of-the-border brogue betraying his upbringing in the town of Wishaw in North Lanarkshire. Motherwell had been his first club and he arrived at Rotherham, via a development spell at Stoke City, in September.

“I came in as a ‘three’,” he said. “It’s brilliant to work with two keepers in front of me who are as good as they are. They’re probably the two best I’ve trained with. To see what they do every day has helped me and it stood me in good stead tonight.”

Hemfrey’s frame filled the corridor. What he lacks in experience he makes up for in height and stature.

Burnley, he felt, let him off lightly, despite the intensity of those first few minutes on the pitch.

“To be honest, I’m just surprised they didn’t hit more shots,” he said. “When a young sub keeper comes on, test him, have some shots from the edge of the box.

“They didn’t really do it. It’s not their style, they work the ball and play it wide.”

It took a ‘worldie’ to beat him, Manuel Benson taking aim in the 81st minute and bending one in from 25 yards to put the visitors in front for a second time.

“Yeah, it was a great strike,” he acknowledged. “I haven’t seen it back yet. Benson scored a similar one at their place against us earlier in the season. It’s a good point against a team that are going to be in the Premier League; can’t complain.”

The Millers had fought back late on to earn a 2-2 draw and edge closer to sealing their second-tier safety.

At the final whistle, there were embraces for the rookie from the three men who knew better than anyone what it had taken to step up so well: Johansson, Vickers and goalkeeping coach Scott Brown.

Hemfrey hadn’t lacked for confidence. “Talk me through those two dummies,” I said to him, referring to the couple of cheeky stepovers he’d pulled off to allow the ball to run harmlessly over the byline as Clarets attackers bore down on him.

More laughter.

It had been a great night for the Millers, an even better one for him.

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ROBBIE Hemfrey has yet to learn whether he has a future with Rotherham United.

His one-year deal runs out in the summer and there has been no word on whether a new contract will be put on the table.

The goalkeeper is hoping he’s done enough to persuade the club to make him an offer.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked if he’d be with the Millers next season. “I’d love to stay. I’ve enjoyed every minute since I came in.

“The lads here are brilliant.”