Rotherham United career looks over for Thorpe

ROTHERHAM United’s planning for next season seems certain not include versatile defender Tom Thorpe.
Tom Thorpe has been on loan at League one promotion chasers Bolton this seasonTom Thorpe has been on loan at League one promotion chasers Bolton this season
Tom Thorpe has been on loan at League one promotion chasers Bolton this season

The 24-year-old has had a career-reviving season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, playing an active role in their push for promotion back to the Championship.

The Manchester United-schooled former England U21 international was brought to the New York Stadium by Steve Evans in 2015 but failed to break through and had a stint at Bradford City last season.

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His Millers contract is up this summer but speaking in the run-up to tomorrow’s home clash with Ipswich Town, manager Paul Warne said Thorpe wasn’t in his plans.

“Tom has enjoyed his season at Bolton,” said the Millers chief. “I’ve watched him twice live and must have had him watched about eight other times. No disrespect to him, but he is not a player I would have on my shopping list.”

Warne, meanwhile, wants Rotherham to build upon the positives of Monday’s narrow defeat at Reading when they take on an Ipswich side who arrive at the New York Stadium fresh from a big win over Newcastle.

He’s expecting a physical test but will ask his relegated side, without a league win since January, to front up and extract the most they can from the remaining three games.

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“Unless you are fighting for something, the end of the season is in nigh for everyone at this stage,” Warne told the Advertiser.

“Ipswich were excellent against Newcastle. I would expect them to set up similar, in a 4-5-1, and although they played on the counter-attack on Monday, they will probably be more on the front foot this time.

“If we could get a win it would be good. I took a lot of positives from the Reading game because we competed well down there. Hopefully we can get some more from the last three games and come to some finite conclusions on a few things and get a good team together during the summer.”

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Rotherham have no fresh injury concerns, with Joe Newell, Carlton Morris and Darnell Fisher all having shaken off knocks picked up at Reading.

Kick-off is 3pm.

Catch today’s Advertiser for in-depth coverage of the Millers and you can follow all the matchday developments on our Live Blog.