Rotherham United door still open for Grant Ward but it never was for Ben Pringle

PAUL Warne is planning to renew contact with Grant Ward as he refuses to give up hope of a Rotherham United return for the Millers old boy.
Grant WardGrant Ward
Grant Ward

The Millers manager, whose League One side travel to Gillingham this weekend, accepts that the chances of a deal that brings the winger back to AESSEAL New York Stadium are slim.

However, the boss is still ready to offer Ward a route back into football as the free agent nears the end of his rehabilitation from a cruciate knee ligament injury.

He spoke last month to the attacker, who has been released by Ipswich Town after three years at Portman Road, and plans to follow that up with another conversation tomorrow.

"I'm planning to text him on the way down to Gillingham," Warne said. "I like to touch base with people when I'm on the bus. He's aware of our interest. I'm not going to stalk him."

Ward was close to rejoining the Millers in the summer but at the last minute opted to wait until he was closer to a comeback before deciding on his future.

Warne isn't an advocate of players returning to their old clubs but would make an exception for the 24-year-old. who spent a successful season on loan at Rotherham from Spurs in 2015/16, because of his relatively young age.

One player he has never attempted to re-sign is winger Ben Pringle - a hero of Millers back-to-back promotions under Steve Evans in 2013 and 2014 - who now plays for tomorrow's opponents, the Gills.

"It sound a stupid thing to say seeing as I came back here when I was a player, but I always think it's difficult to bring back a player for a second spell at a club," Warne said.

"There have been several I've been tempted to try to bring back - I love Craig Morgan and Alex Revell, for example. But players get older and if they come back and they're not as good as before then your memory of them is tarnished.

"I like the fact that Rotherham fans think Prings is 'ledg'. So they should. He was brilliant for us, as were Morgs and Revs.

"But it's rarely the same the second time around. I think I bucked the trend when Robbo (Mark Robins) brought me back!"