Former Cardiff City goalkeeper Dillon Phillips joins Rotherham United

ROTHERHAM United today brought in their first new face of the summer by signing former Cardiff City goalkeeper Dillon Phillips on a two-year deal.

The 28-year-old was a free agent after leaving the Bluebirds and the Millers had to fight off competition from other clubs to add him to their Championship squad.

He has significant second-tier experience but his career had stalled in South Wales and he spent last season on loan with KV Oostende in Belgium's top division.

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor knows Phillips from their time together as players a decade ago at Charlton Athletic and expects him to pose a real challenge to AESSEAL New York Stadium number one Viktor Johansson.

"For whatever reason, things haven't quite worked out for Dillon over the last couple of seasons but we feel he is a Championship-quality keeper," the boss said.

"He's had a little time abroad. He needs to find a home again, which is what we feel we can provide. I'm delighted we've got him because he had suitors elsewhere who were offering him guaranteed game-time. He's here to compete with Viktor for the first-team jersey."

The new boy was a league ever-present for Charlton in their 2019/20 second-tier campaign and made 33 Championship appearances during his three years with Cardiff.

Rotherham needed a new shot-stopper after losing understudy Josh Vickers to Derby County. Keeper coach Scott Brown was placed in charge of the search and Phillips was already familiar to him.

"Dillon has a bit of a relationship with Scott ," Taylor said. "He's a character I trust and his game will only get better once he gets his rhythm back.

"He's got a massive point to prove. Ever since his big season at Charlton he's not had the game-time he wanted and felt he deserved. He trains properly every single day."

Phillips was in goal for Cardiff when the Millers suffered last-day relegation to League One at Cardiff City Stadium in May 2021 and had also been between the sticks in the Bluebirds' 2-1 triumph at New York earlier in the campaign.

He becomes the fifth pre-season arrival following last term's free-agent old boys, Lee Peltier, Sean Morrison, Tyler Blackett and Grant Hall, signing new 12-month deals.

The manager believes the Millers were able to bring Phillips to New York only because of his lack of recent game-time. The keeper had 19 Cardiff outings in 2021/22 and 12 for Oostende last term.

"If he'd played the last two seasons at Championship level he's not in the conversation with ourselves," Taylor said. "We feel the best is yet to come from him and that's an exciting prospect."

The Millers' roster of shot-stoppers is now complete: Johansson, Phillips and teenager Nat Ford who has been promoted from the club's academy ranks.