No break for Ossama Ashley as Rotherham United new boy seeks to re-ignite his career

The midfielder managed only 19 matches for Salford City in their 2025/26 League Two campaign because of injury and missed out on their date at Wembley in the League Two Play-off Final.

So, while other players were grabbing the chance of some down time in the summer, he got straight down to work.

"I've had only four days' holiday," he said. "That tells you it all. I've been grafting through this off-season. I ain't had no rest. I'm probably more ready than ever to get started."

Rotherham United hope to be the beneficiaries of that dedication, having signed the midfielder on a one-year deal. They were wary of committing to a longer contract for someone with past fitness issues, but know they have a real player on their hands.

Last term might not have gone so well for Greenwich born 26-year-old who came through AFC Wimbledon's youth ranks and had a spell at West Ham United, but the year before was a different story.

In his first season with Salford, he racked up 36 appearances and proved himself one of the best operators in the fourth tier. No-one enjoyed facing a player who makes it his job to get in opponents' faces.

"I'm a workhorse, someone who puts in every single bit of effort I have," he said. "I love a tackle. My biggest thing is always trying to make it difficult to play against me. I won't be your best friend on the pitch. I'm often hated!"

The Millers weren't the only club keen on acquiring his services but no other side in the queue could offer the lure of working with a former England boss.

"I had quite a few teams interested and just eventually got a call from (head of football) Steve McClaren," Ashley said. "I had a conversation with him and he told me what he thought of me. He told me about the plans he has for this place and it really motivated me to come here. When you have someone with that sort of background wanting you, it 's a no-brainer to decide to come here, to be honest."

The player completed the deal on July 10 and there was a familiar face waiting him at the Roundwood training - head coach Alex Bruce who himself had joined the club only a fortnight earlier.

The pair had been together at Salford, where Bruce was on Karl Robinson's coaching staff, for much of Ashley's three-season stay there.

"I've got a really good relationship with Alex," he said. "I was close with him for the last two years, two and a half years maybe. That was another thing that really made me make my mind up. I'm really excited to work with him and progress.

"He loves hard workers - people who are robust and give it their all. He always made me keep my standards high when they slipped or if they were about to slip. He would always be the first one in my ear about it. I think that's what really kept my drive going.

"Having Steve and Alex Bruce and (new coach) Steve Agnew here, it's definitely a place I can learn. I've still got a lot of years left in my career. It's never too late to learn. My biggest thing here is to improve on whatever I've got already."

Rotherham haven't rushed him into action. He signed on the day of the Parkgate friendly and took no part in that, then sat out the trip to Emley, happily chatting to Millers fans in the homely stand at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground before kick-off.

His debut came at Matlock Town where he gifted the opposition an early goal with a misjudged attempt at some trickery on the edge of his own penalty area yet went on to demonstrate the smooth manner in which he can receive and give a pass along with his ability to cover plenty of ground.

He kicked on against Alfreton Town at the Solana Stadium where he was one of the best performers in Rotherham's new blue away strip. He then started against Sheffield United last weekend and is due to play at Darlington tonight.

Rotherham find themselves in the fourth tier following two relegations in three seasons, and Ashley, who knows the level well, says unity is the way forward if the Millers are to return to former heights.

"It takes a team that sticks together to have success in League Two," he said. I've seen good teams in League 2 where, player for player, it's a good squad, but if they don't stick together, they don't do well. Knowing that players behind you and players in front of you will work for each other, it gets you through games."

Ashley doesn't believe they'll be in the basement division for long. Those seven seasons in the Championship and five promotions in the last 14 seasons were all extra reasons for him committing the next 12 months of his career to AESSEAL New York Stadium.

"Obviously, the club has got quite a big history," he said. "It's not had the best last three seasons, but it's definitely a club that doesn't deserve to be here. It deserves to be higher up. I've done my own research and stuff. I've seen the fans, seen what it's like on match days. It's a special place. We just need to get the club back to where it belongs."