Josh Kayode on his first Rotherham United goal and what happens to him in the January transfer window

Josh Kayode’s first goal for Rotherham United had just come on a cold, cold night in Crewe as the Millers were marching into the last eight of the EFL Trophy.

The young striker had waited since the start of the season for this moment.

When it finally came, in his 15th outing, he was happy to share it.

“It’s such a great team,” he said. “It’s the best team to be in as a young player. The staff and other players are great with me.

“I feel like the celebrations meant even more to me than the goal. The lads and coaching staff were all straight up to me embracing me. It was brilliant.”

The 21-year-old made a big League Two impact on loan at Carlisle United last term and is now starting to make his mark in the division above with the side he joined as a shy 16-year-old from Dublin.

After breaking his duck nine days ago in the 4-2 triumph at Gresty Road, he came off the bench last Saturday to give his best display of the campaign as Rotherham pushed Championship QPR all the way in the third round of the FA Cup.

“The team are doing great,” he said. “Top of the league. You couldn’t really ask for much more. Obviously the coaches will ask for a lot more! That’s expected.

“If you’d said to me at the start of the season that I’d play in 16 games by this stage, I’d have snatched your hand off.

“People on the outside looking in will say I haven’t played enough football but I trust the process at this club. I have full faith in the staff and know they’ll always do the right thing regarding me and my development. I’m so happy here.

“This isn’t a bad situation where I’m struggling and not getting game-time. The lads in front of me are really good strikers, probably the best in League One.

“It’s good to have them to look up to and to train with every day. I can pick bits and pieces out of their play and implement them in my game. I’m just going to keep working hard and hopefully the time does come when I’m in the starting 11.”

Anyway, back to that teeth-chattering Tuesday ... a sharp bit of anticipation and an emphatic 81st-minute header to convert Chiedozie Ogbene’s right-wing delivery.

“It was a great ball by Chieo,” he said. “He’s been telling me he’s going to get more assists. I was delighted to put his cross away.

“As soon as I made the movement and got in front of the defender, I was thinking: ‘There’s no way I can miss now, I’ve just got to direct the ball towards goal.’

“All the lads had been telling me that it would come and that I should just keep on doing what I’m doing.

“As a young boy coming into a first-team environment, that’s what you need: the whole team being behind you and taking all that pressure off your shoulders.”

Kayode was born in Nigeria and raised in Dublin before crossing the Irish Sea to England when he was 16 and progressing through the Millers’ youth system.

He was quickly earmarked as a top prospect and is now honing his craft in the presence of three of League One’s most formidable hitmen: Michael Smith, Freddie Ladapo and Will Grigg.

“Those three have been unbelievable,” he said. “They’re always giving me advice. Freddie’s advice is usually harsher than the other two. He tells me exactly how it is. There’s no holding back. I’d rather have it that way. The gaffer and the coaches are always giving me advice as well.”

The youngster has plenty of admirers elsewhere and the transfer-window calls have been flooding in from teams keen to take him on loan.

However, there’s nowhere he’d rather be than AESSEAL New York Stadium as he makes progress in the pro ranks.

“I’m happy to stay and for it to be as it is,” he said. “I never came back from Carlisle thinking: ‘I’m going to be the main man now.’ I knew it could be a development year for me.

“As long as I keep working hard in training and keep being in the manager’s and coaches’ eyeline, anything can happen really. I’m ready whenever I’m called upon.”

And one day, maybe, the scene at Crewe could be repeated in a Republic of Ireland setting. Ogbene is already in the senior side while Kayode has been scoring in the junior set-up and the duo could come together as men in green.

“Fingers crossed, Mate,” the centre-forward grinned. “A good part of the Ireland fan base have been saying that on Twitter.

“I’ve still got the under-21s campaign (European Championships) to come and I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully I’ll get a few more games and a few more goals, then who knows?”

For now, though, that Rotherham goal will do just fine.

“It’s very important,” he said. “It’s been on my mind ever since I started the season. It’s good to have that weight lifted off my shoulders and I can just kick on from here.

“It does get to you.

“A few appearances go by and you’re, like: ‘Mate, I can’t hit a barn door.’ It was such a great feeling to score.”