Paul Mullin sickness adds to Rotherham United woes

Top scorer Paul Mullin has given Alex Bruce an extra selection headache as the Rotherham United boss sifts through his ravaged squad and tries to pick a side that can do battle in the FA Cup this weekend.

Under normal circumstances, the eight-goal hitman would be the first name on the team sheet for Saturday's first-round tie at Bromley and would wear the armband in the absence of injured captain Joe Rafferty.

However, the striker has been laid low by illness and is a major doubt for the long trip to the Copperjax Community Stadium in London's south east.

"He's got a really bad dose of flu," Bruce told the Advertiser this afternoon. "Things depend on how he feels tomorrow, what he's like after a good night's sleep.

"I'm conscious about him being around the lads. Him sitting on the bus for four hours and spreading it around, that's the last thing I need at the minute.

"It might be one where he meets us down there. Whether he's fit enough to play or not, we'll just have to see how he is over the next 24, 48 hours."

The attacker was sent home from training this morning when it became apparent how severe his symptoms were.

League Two strugglers Rotherham are without nine senior men through a mixture of injuries and suspensions for a match that sees Bruce come up against his old boss, Karl Robinson, who was today appointed manager of League One's basement club.

The former coached under the latter at Salford City before accepting the hot-seat at AESSEAL New York Stadium in the summer.

"It's amazing how football throws these things up," Bruce said. "I spoken to Karl a couple of times and he said he might be getting the job. I'm pleased for him. He's been out for a while.

"He did a good job at Salford and he's a good acquisition for Bromley. He'll bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to them. He's a good manager."

Robinson was sacked by City at the beginning of June even though he had just taken them to the League Two Play-off Final.

Dominic Iorfa this weekend serves his one-match ban for the red card he was shown at Swindon Town and the centre-half won't be suspended for any league games.

Bruce will start with the best side he possibly can as he hopes to bring an end to a sequence of 10 matches without a victory.

"I'll always pick the strongest team available," he said. "It's the first round of the FA Cup. We're taking on a team in the league above. We know it is going to be a tough task, but I'm really looking forward to it.

"It's a chance for the players to take the shackles off. It's a cup game, with none of the pressures of the league. It's a chance for the lads to get a good result and give us that winning feeling again.

"I don't think that, performances-wise, we've been far away, I have to tell you. I am just hammering home that message. if you go and get a scruffy win, it can change people's form, morale, confidence levels, things like that. That's what I am looking for."

Meanwhile, the kick-off times of two Millers games have been changed because the matches have been selected for live Sky TV coverage.

The Tuesday-night fixture at Newport on January 19 will start at 8pm, 15 minutes later than first scheduled, and the home clash with Swindon Town on Saturday January 30 moves forward to 12.30pm.