Rotherham United background paves the way for Richard Wood's return as first team coach

Wood has hooked up again with Hamshaw as first team coach, re-establishing a link with the club that began as a player 11 years ago.

A three-time Rotherham promotion winner and veteran of 256 appearances in a Millers shirt, the 39-year-old knows the place inside out.

And it is that natural affinity with the club that Hamshaw wants as he pieces together his coaching team.

"I’m really excited about the group of staff I’m going to end up putting together,” he told the Advertiser. “They’ve all got Rotherham United running through them, which is important for me because the club means a lot to me and I know it means as much to them.

“Woody has been in a number of positions through his time at Rotherham. He didn’t play and went out on loan at one point. Then he was a mainstay of the side and the team captain and got promoted at Wembley.

"He understands the DNA of the club, he understands the culture of the club and understands how I work. He understands everything about the place and the fans and all that is key for me in bringing members of staff in.”

A few weeks into the top job, Hamshaw’s plan is to recruit an assistant manager, with his current number two Andy Warrington reverting to his more familiar role of goalkeeping coach.

"The people coming in are all very good at their jobs and have been proven, Woody not so much in a coaching capacity so far. He’ll learn off myself and the assistant manager and that will massively help him.

"Then there will be bits in the dressing room and the culture in there. I have spoken a lot about the environment and Woody was a key driver in that when he was a player here.

"He will have his hands on that as well as helping out with the coaching and the defence work and the unit work.”

Wood’s move into coaching comes not long since he retired from playing after a two-year spell at Doncaster Rovers that ended with promotion from League Two.

He said: “I’m buzzing to be back. I only hung my boots up a few weeks ago and the timing of this just seems right. What has come about seems perfectly aligned and I’m excited to work with Matt and at this great club.

"Matt didn’t need to say a lot to me. I’ve known him so many years. We played together at Sheffield Wednesday and in our time at Rotherham he worked a lot with me. He’s a very good coach and I’ve a lot of respect for how he is as a person and his morals and how he conducts himself and I want to follow in his footsteps. He’s all about the culture and he made that clear when he came in. He sees me as part of that.”

Wood has completed his UEFA B coaching Licence and is working towards his A License.

He added: “I was desperate to play on. I wanted to get to 40 and keep playing but my ankle said otherwise.

"I had two great years at Doncaster and I appreciate what they did for me. I learnt a lot from how they did things and I hope that stands me in good stead here.

"I’ll work so hard to try and improve the team and improve myself as a person and as a coach. I can’t wait to get started.”