Hakeem Odoffin gives the inside view on transformed Rotherham United hitman Sam Nombe

He has the misfortune to regularly come up against him in training!

Nombe endured a tough first year with Rotherham United after arriving with a seven-figure price tag early in a season that would end in Championship relegation.

But now the striker's justifying his record-signing status and has hit the target in all of his last three League One matches.

“He's relentless,” said midfielder Odoffin about his Roundwood scrapes against the in-form striker. “That's the kind of guy he is.

“You see the way he presses, the way he runs the channels, the way he challenges for every ball in the air.

“He's deserved his goals. He's been brilliant.”

Fans have warmed to the efforts of the 25-year-old whose next chance to add to his growing tally comes against big-spending Wrexham at AESSEAL New York Stadium this Saturday.

They've honoured him with his own song and a 1,000-plus of them were singing his name to the tune of the old Cranberries classic, Zombie, after he'd struck again at Peterborough United last weekend.

Said Odoffin: “His game has had everything but goals. He's a handful for any defender. Him starting to put the ball in the back of the net puts us in a really good place.”

That ‘really good place’ is being only two points away from the play-off spots, although, in a division more competitive than ever, the Millers are as low as 15th spot despite being unbeaten in their last four third-tier fixtures.

“It's tight,” Odoffin said. “Two points off but 15th place ... it's crazy.

“It's about having an identity and I believe we are definitely building an identity now of never giving up.

“There's been a big turnover of players. There have been some results we've not been happy about, but I feel in the last four games, getting eight points out of 12, we've shown more of what we're about.”

Nombe opened his league account for the campaign with a last-minute winner at Cambridge United, bagged the equaliser in a 2-1 triumph over Reading and then grabbed Rotherham's first goal in the 3-3 draw with Posh.

He's after another when Wrexham, bankrolled by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, arrive in S60.

“We have to make New York an uncomfortable place for teams to come to,” he said.

When the forward was in the third tier with Exeter City in 2022/23 his goal total was 17 and he's out to exceed that figure this term.

“I hold myself to high standards,” he said. “I have to score, that's my job. Once you get that first one the confidence starts to flow.

“Aiming for what I hit last time is my minimum requirement.

“I'm excited by the challenge. Hopefully we bounce back to the Championship. That's the target. We are a good side. We haven't shown our full capability yet.”

“I'm here to use my experience at this level to help us push on.

All together now ... Nombe, Nombe, Nombe.