Exits likely as Rotherham United boss Steve Evans plots for January

Boss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim BrailsfordBoss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Boss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim Brailsford
ROTHERHAM United are drawing up their plans for the January transfer window, with manager Steve Evans hinting that there will be departures from AESSEAL New York Stadium.

The boss brought in 14 new faces over the summer as he sought to turn the Millers into League One promotion contenders and intends to be active again in the new year.

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Tuesday night's win at Cambridge United – the club's first victory on their travels since November 8 2022 – put them in 17th spot after nine matches.

“It's a long season,” Evans told the Advertiser. “We need to get ourselves in that group of teams in the top half of the table and then we'll do what we need to do in January.

Boss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim BrailsfordBoss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Boss Steve Evans after Rotherham United's win at Cambridge United. Picture: Jim Brailsford

“That's something I've always done as a manager. We'd be foolish not to be already planning.”

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There will be incomings while new signings who haven't worked out so far could find their stays in South Yorkshire turn out to be short ones.

It's possible that players he inherited when he took the hot-seat in April may also leave.

“There are some people who have come in and done really well for us,” he said. “Some people are struggling to get there because of little knocks and niggles which we hope they will come through.

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“Those players who aren't quite there for us in January, we have to change it up a bit.”

Newcomers who have struggled for game-time include centre-half Zak Jules, midfielder Shaun McWilliams and young loan striker Esapa Osong.

Evans was appreciative of the financial backing he received through the summer and knows he will receive the same again in three months' time from the club's chairman.

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“What I know already is that I have the most fantastic support from the man who matters, Tony Stewart,” he said.

The manager was delighted to end the 44-match barren run and couldn't help being critical of previous regimes.

“There's a lot I could say about that two years,” he said. “I'm going to refrain from saying it. Our chairman is a wise man and he sometimes says: ‘Something not said says lots.’

“I won't speak about the two years of not winning an away game but there's a simple word: ‘Shambolic’.”