Cameron Humphreys ... from Blades brilliance to Crawley Town nightmare

Rotherham United were leading 1-0 as their clash with Sheffield United entered its closing stages when the ball was pumped into the Millers' half and Oli McBurnie gave chase for the home side.

Cameron Humphreys took possession, sold the Blades striker an outrageous dummy and, suddenly, the visitors were on the attack again. How the away end cheered.

Cool Cam looked every inch a Championship centre-half that November 2022 evening as victory in S2 was achieved for the first time in more than four decades.

It certainly wasn't “under-eights defending”.

Two years on, how times have changed. Now the 26-year-old can't even get in the matchday squad in the division below and may be heading out of AESSEAL New York Stadium next month.

Humphreys was quality in his first year with the Millers. He had the Manchester City upbringing, he'd nutmegged Cristiano Ronaldo in a pre-season game against Real Madrid. His class consistently showed as he did as much as anyone to keep Matt Taylor's men in the second tier.

Big Championship clubs took notice but he stayed.

A hamstring injury did for him in his second season. He came back in February into a relegation-bound side that had too many passengers and too little passion. His best Millers days were already behind him.

There was a League One release clause in his contract and he wanted to leave. This time Championship clubs didn't take notice.

He isn't a Steve Evans type of player and Steve Evans isn't his type of manager. Neither has brought out the best in the other.

The defender's displays this term had been dipping before the player was cruelly and publicly called out for his failings in an October defeat at Leyton Orient.

His appetite and confidence went the same way as his form, prompting Evans' “under-eights” description of his attempt to prevent a Crawley Town winner in West Sussex the following month.

Humphreys – along with his big pal, Cohen Bramall – hasn't been in the matchday 18 since and his manager preferred to use a midfielder in his backline last Saturday rather than issue a recall.

His contract is up in the summer and a parting of the ways in January, if the ‘financials’ can be satisfactorily worked out, would benefit club and player.

His skill set is more suited to the Championship than League One: ball on the ground and an emphasis on passing in one, ball in the air and an emphasis on size and physicality in the other.

Good luck to him if he goes. At his best, in the right surroundings, the boy can play.

Just ask Oli McBurnie.