Alex Bruce on what comes next for Rotherham United sending-off offender Jili Buyabu

Rotherham United will give red-card culprit Jili Buyabu the chance to revive his loan spell after the "act of stupidity" that saw him last for just four minutes of the club's most recent league match.

Boss Alex Bruce admits he felt like telling the attacker that he would never wear a Millers shirt again following the early dismissal for elbowing an opponent in the face at Swindon Town on Oct 31.

However, after a period of reflection, the head coach has pragmatically decided to leave the door open for a return to the squad for the 23-year-old Sheffield United loanee who begins a three-match suspension tomorrow's FA Cup tie at Bromley.

"Listen, it's very easy to turn around and say he can't play for the club again," Bruce told the Advertiser. "I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't feel that kind of sentiment, that kind of belief, on that Saturday night when I'm driving away after a week's prep.

"A player getting himself sent off in the way that he did after four minutes is something that we don't want to see from anyone. It was an act of stupidity."

"However, I am short on numbers, I've got a hell of an injury list, I haven't got the biggest of squads, I haven't got many left-sided players and I know what Jili's capable of."

Rotherham are without nine first-teamers for the first-round cup trip to south-east London because of a crowded treatment room and suspensions for two other players who have received red cards, Kian Spence and Dominic Iorfa.

Buyabu's antics cost the League Two Millers any prospect of a win at Swindon. They went 2-0 behind before fighting back with nine men and almost forcing a draw in a 2-1 defeat that left them 22nd in the table.

There was a backlash on social media, with many fans saying they didn't want him to step on to the pitch in Rotherham colours again.

Bruce told Buyabu to stay away from the training ground for a few days and the player wasn't seen at Roundwood until yesterday.

The player showed contrition for his act, the head coach revealed.

"You can see it in him that it's hurt him," Bruce said. "I need to give him a chance to come back and resurrect himself. If he applies himself in the right way, trains properly and gets back to what I know he can be, then we'll see how it pans out."

Buyabu has scored twice in 17 outings and his speed and trickery on the flank have, at times, made him a potent threat. There have also been signs of immaturity and a short fuse, though, and he has come close to incurring the wrath of referees on other occasions.

It remains to be seen whether he stays at New York beyond the January transfer window or heads back to his parent club.

His absence tomorrow is a blow as his teammates bid to end a run of 10 matches without a victory against opposition from the division above.

Bruce believes his men can take inspiration from the comeback of a Premier League team, who had been winless in nine games, in the Champions League in midweek.

"I've got a good set of lads and I know they're giving their all," he said. "Confidence can be affected by a run of games, I get it. But confidence can easily come as well.

"We've seen it, on a larger stage, with Manchester United and that result against Roma. 2-0 down at half-time, they go and get a last-minute winner and Matheus Cunha's in the crowd with his top off.

"It can galvanise things. We need something similar. I've got confidence in the players that they can do it."