Leam Richardson's call to Rotherham United for the nine-match run-in

The Millers are 20 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and their drop to League One following two seasons in the second tier could be confirmed by the end of the month.

Events in the last two matches, which have both brought 5-0 defeats, have left the head coach saying he felt “physically sick” and he is intent on sparking an upturn in form before the campaign comes to a close.

“We have nine games left that we have to take some pride from," he declared. “I'm not prepared to just let the season fizzle out. Hopefully the players aren't prepared to do that either.”

The former Wigan Athletic manager took the hot-seat in December when injury-hit Rotherham were already at the foot of the table and he is looking to instigate a major overhaul of his first-team group in the summer.

Until then, he will soldier on with the men he inherited and says none of them can complain that they have been left out in the cold.

The 44-year-old has barely named the same team twice in a row and he said: “Everybody has had a go. It's only fair to give everyone a fair crack.

“No-one can knock on my door and say they haven't played. Everyone has had an opportunity to prove themselves. They know what I expect moving forward.”

Following successive 5-0 losses, at Coventry City in midweek and then at Norwich City yesterday, Rotherham are back on home territory next weekend when they take on Huddersfield Town.

The Yorkshire derby will see a first return to AESSEAL New York Stadium of midfielder Ben Wiles who left South Yorkshire to join the Terriers last August.