Millers boss tells it straight to fringe men

SOME of Rotherham United's contracted players have been told they are free to pursue futures away from the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
Stephen Kelly was one of the players released by the Millers yesterday.Stephen Kelly was one of the players released by the Millers yesterday.
Stephen Kelly was one of the players released by the Millers yesterday.

The Millers released eight players yesterday including Lee Camp, Stephen Kelly, Kelvin Wilson, Tom Thorpe and Joel Ekstrand as manager Paul Warne starts refreshing his squad ready for League One.

Other departures would give the club more room for manoeuvre in the transfer market and while not mentioning specific names, Warne said it was better to be honest with people.

"Some players will leave, I understand that," he told the Advertiser. "Sometimes you have had your time at a club after one, two or three years and it is naturally best to go and play somewhere else.

"We need to freshen the squad up. There are still players contracted here I have told can look for another club and if they don't find one then they come back pre-season and I will welcome them in to fight for a place.

"I have been open and honest and told them that really their future isn't here."

Moving on...Lee Camp.

Meanwhile, Richie Smallwood, Joe Mattock and Richard Wood are mulling over new contract offers while a deal is also on the table for Cardiff City loan man Tom Adeyemi. The Millers have also triggered a contract extension option on striker Danny Ward.

Warne added: "Two months before the end of the season I told the lads out of contract that if they wanted another one then they had to prove they wanted to be here, that means in training and in games.

"The ones offered deals have played really well and buy into what I want to do.”

Catch this week's Advertiser for news of impending Millers cash bids for two targets and coverage of all the latest happenings at the NYS.