Fitness update on Rotherham United summer casualty Hamish Douglas

Rotherham United youngster Hamish Douglas is closing in on a comeback after being forced out of pre-season action by injury.

The centre-half featured in the opening two friendlies, against Parkgate and Emley, and wore the captain's armband in the latter game.

He picked up an Achilles issue at the Welfare Ground on July 4 and was sidelined for the next five summer matches, but is back to full fitness.

"He's joined back into group training," boss Alex Bruce said late last week. "However, he's been out for a few weeks, so it's just a case of managing him back in after his problem and making sure that it's not flaring up again. We'll break him in gently."

Another player being nursed towards match fitness is new boy, Tom Bradshaw.

The experienced striker became Rotherham's ninth signing of the transfer window last week, having been without a club since leaving Oxford United at the close of last season.

"He's not done much, so he falls into that bracket of players who I have to manage  carefully,” Bruce said. “I would love him to be match fit so I could throw him straight in at the deep end, of course I would. But he's at where he's at, and it's not as easy as just chucking him straight in."