Language barrier: But Scouser Joe Rafferty is still finding plenty to like about life at Rotherham United

Liverpool-born Joe Rafferty is offering up a Scouse-ism after being left nonplussed by a series of Yorkshire-isms a few days earlier.

He and Rotherham United teammate Joe Powell, a Londoner, hadn't fared too well when they'd been asked to explain the meaning of a series of words and phrases unique to their adopted county for a YouTube video.

“Not really, no,” he grins when I ask him if he enjoyed the light-hearted test. “There were a few tough ones in there. The media lads stung me a little bit. I didn't have a clue on half of them!”

The Scouser pitched up in these parts last May after starting out at Rochdale 13 years ago and then moving on to Preston North End and Portsmouth.

At the age of 31, the right-back is closing in on 450 career appearances and has lower-league promotions with Dale and Pompey and Championship football with the Lilywhites on his CV.

Yorkshire-isms don't suit him but Yorkshire does. He set up home in a village in Rotherham during the summer with his wife and young son and a new arrival – another boy – has just added to the family unit.

“It's really good here,” he says. “We're enjoying it. It's quite quiet where we live.”

We're talking in the media suite last Thursday when AESSEAL New York Stadium threw open its doors for an open training station.

He looks tired. Two kids is more than twice the work of one and an illness to his three-year-old lad hasn't helped any of the Rafferty clan get much rest.

“Yeah, there have been a few sleepless nights," he says. “There's been a bit of disruption in the last couple of weeks.

“The manager has been understanding. When I've needed to skip a session, he's been fine. The baby and wife are really well. You couldn't ask for much more.

“It's been a little bit more difficult recently with us having the little one; just for child-care and stuff like that. Our parents have been brilliant, coming down and helping out. They've stayed for a full week.

“At times when they've not been here, it's been quite hard, especially when the three-year-old is causing havoc around the house. I allow that because I love it when he causes havoc!”

Rafferty chose Rotherham because he wants to add a third promotion to his tally. That won't be happening this year after a disappointing League One campaign and the defender is offering no excuses.

“We've had a disrupted season because of injuries, we've had some big players out,” he says. “But let's have it right: it happens to other teams as well and you just have to deal with it. We haven't dealt with it.

“We all know there are good players in the dressing room. We just haven’t been consistent enough.”

Fourteen games remain. The Millers are too unreliable to push much higher than their present 15th place and should have enough about them to not drop much lower so those matches are unlikely to alter the club's fortunes this term.

However, Rafferty believes that they could have a major influence on proceedings in 2025/26, having experienced at Pompey the power of a strong end to a campaign.

“A good finish can have a real effect,” he says. “It lingers through the summer.

“I got promoted from this division with Portsmouth last season and the year before that we changed manager from the Cowley brothers to John Mousinho in January.

“We lost only a few games up to the end of the season and everything felt really good. We had a really solid base and made some additions in the summer. The next minute, we were going into the new season and going 19 games unbeaten.”

After three and half years with Preston, he spent the next two at Fratton Park where his displays earned the respect of a demanding crowd.

“I had it quite good,” he says. “We didn’t get beaten many times while I was playing there.

“There was a time in my first year before the Cowleys got sacked – I sound like I am blowing my own trumpet here – where I played the first ten games under them and I think we won eight and drew two.

“I got injured and spent four months out and that’s when it went a bit pear-shaped. I came back around the time Mousinho took over and we barely lost.”

He was looking forward to another taste of the second tier when Pompey dropped the bombshell that no contract offer would be put on the table.

“What we achieved last season was unbelievable, it was the best season of my career," he says. “I was gutted when they told me I wasn’t going to get a new deal.

“I was really surprised, but I spoke with the manager and he told me that he had lined up a young player to come in and the club were going in a different direction.

“It was hard to take. Even the fans were shocked. As much as I disagreed, we shook hands and did things professionally. There was no massive falling-out or anything like that.”

Portsmouth's loss has been the Millers' gain as Rafferty has been one of the team's best performers since putting his signature to a two-year stay.

“I wouldn’t have moved to Rotherham if I didn’t think we could get promoted,” he says. “It’s a great club with so much potential. I’ve got a massive hunger to be successful here.”

I badger him for a Scouse-ism. “We've got loads,” he replies and thinks for a bit before coming up with one.

“If you just say ‘apnin’ it's short for ‘what's happening?’” he informs me.

“When I went down south I had to stop myself saying it because people had no idea what I was on about.”