Jamie McCart on what it means to finally be given his Rotherham United chance

The centre-half has been putting two years of Millers misery behind him to become a first-team regular in the opening stages of the League One campaign.

Now it's all about the future, with his only focus being on him extending his run of appearances and rewarding new manager Steve Evans for the faith the fellow Scot has shown in him.

“Yeah, it's been very tough,” he admitted. “I don't really want to dwell on the past, to be honest.”

He was referring to the time he was unwanted at AESSEAL New York Stadium under previous boss Matt Taylor and spent most of his time on loan at Leyton Orient and then Barnsley.

“All I've ever asked for is an opportunity and thankfully the gaffer has stuck by me,” the 27-year-old said.

McCart was on the transfer list for much of the summer but overcame a pre-season calf problem to force his way into the thinking of Evans who has spoken of his desire for the player to stay beyond the close of the transfer window.

The former St Johnstone defender has started every league match so far and is poised to continue that record when high-flying Huddersfield Town come calling at New York on Saturday for a Yorkshire derby.

“The gaffer gave me a chance as soon as I was fit and I'm just trying to repay him for that,” he said. “I enjoy working under him.

“It's nice to hear that he wants me here. It was a tough summer with the injury and not knowing where I'd be.

“I've always had the mentality that if I was given a chance to show what I could do, I would stay in the team.

“We have a very competitive squad so in every performance you need to be at your best.”

Saturday's clash against the second-placed Terriers is an important one for Rotherham.

Despite being one of the favourites for promotion and topping the division for goal attempts, they have taken only a single point from three games and can ill afford to see further daylight appear between them and the leading pack.

McCart knows his way around the division after his experience in 2023/2024 when he made 30 appearances for Barnsley as part of the side that reached the play-off semi-finals and reckons climbing out of it is an even stiffer challenge this time around.

“It was tight at the top last year but I think that there will now be more teams competing for the top six,” he said. “Stockport County and Wrexham have come up and the teams that have come down – ourselves, Birmingham and Huddersfield – have really strengthened.”