The rise of Sean Morrison for Rotherham United after the misery of Sheffield Wednesday

Rotherham United's skipper was talking at pitchside following the 2-0 October loss at Sheffield Wednesday that signalled the beginning of the end for then-manager Matt Taylor.

The Millers had been humiliated by their biggest rivals, Morrison was just coming back from injury and wasn't the centre-half who had dominated centre-forwards for the best part of decade with Cardiff City.

I wanted to believe him, I wasn't sure that I did.

I reminded him of that S6 conversation on New Year's Day when Rotherham had stretched their unbeaten run in the Championship to three matches with a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

The defender who turned 33 earlier this week had been immense, like he had been against Middlesbrough and Sunderland earlier in the festive period, like he would go on to be against Premier League Fulham four days later in the FA Cup.

“It's just great to playing regularly,” he said. “I've missed so much football. I was in the gym and my body was saying 'What's going on here?' and I was building, building, building just to get back.

“When the body feels as good as it does at the minute it's just nice to be out there. I've missed it, Man.”

Morrison was sidelined for a year with the Bluebirds by a cruciate-knee-ligament operation and then required quad surgery that cost him another six months soon after moving to AESSEAL New York Stadium last January.

Bit by bit, as he's returned to full fitness, he's made good on his Hillsborough pledge.

“I feel surprisingly okay,” he grinned after his huge scoring/defending contribution at Ewood Park. “I've was out for 18 months, I played two games in a year and a half, so to be able to play four games in ten days …

“Aches, pains, lumps, bumps, who cares? You've just got to get on with it. I'm a professional footballer and I want to play games. I'm just delighted to be on the pitch and getting back, I feel, to my best.”

Rotherham remain in bottom spot but have been invigorated by the appointment of Leam Richardson and that little burst without a loss that has seen them narrow the gap to safety.

Their results on the road are the reason why they're the basement club. They've generally been decent on their own patch and Morrison will lead them against visiting Stoke City this Saturday; the mean competitor, the inspiration, the rock who, with 20 matches to go, still believes survival is achievable.

“We know we have to improve our away form,” he said. “If we can pick up points away, we know our home form will be good.

“We know New York is a tough place to come to. Teams don't like it. I didn't like coming there when I was an opposition player.

“It's a tight pitch, the home fans are fantastic and the boys get after it. We've got a long way to go. There's a lot of games to be played. We're just going to give everything and see what happens.”

The Millers are now benefitting from the Cardiff version of Morrison.

‘A great asset to this club’.