Curtis Tilt departs Rotherham United in loan deal

CURTIS Tilt today left Rotherham United to join Wigan Athletic on loan for the third time.

The centre-half has completed a season-long, deadline-day switch which sees him return to the DW Stadium where he spent much of last term.

Tilt has managed only one Millers appearance since a £100,000 move from Blackpool in January 2020 but was a big hit with the Latics as he helped them to avoid relegation from League One.

After a takeover, they are in a much healthier state now and are likely to be one of Rotherham's rivals for League One promotion this term.

The Miller have five other centre-halves in Richard Wood, Michael Ihiekwe, Angue MacDonald, Wes Harding and loanee Rarmani Edmonds-Green.

Tilt was on loan at Wigan between October and January last season and, after a brief recall, he then went back there for the remainder of the campaign, making 36 appearances and scoring three goals.

The 29-year-old needed hip surgery soon after his move to AESSEAL New York Stadium and has just spent more than two months on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring pull while on international duty with Jamaica.

He returned ahead of schedule and was on the substitutes' bench for last Saturday's 2-0 derby win over Doncaster Rovers, alerting the Latics to the fact he was close to full fitness.

His sole appearance in a Rotherham shirt came in the final match before the Covid shutdown, a 3-1 defeat at Rochdale in March 2020 during the Millers' League One promotion push.

The Walsall-born former quarry-worker played non-league football between 2015 and 2017 but was an instant success when he moved to Blackpool and at one stage Ipswich Town, then in the Championship, were prepared to pay £1 million for him.

He made 111 appearances for the Seasiders and was a key figure for them before joining Rotherham.