Sean Morrison is 'all in' when it comes to Rotherham United. He's moved himself up here permanently from Cardiff with his missus and dog for company

LAST week was a momentous one for Rotherham United player Sean Morrison and wife Stacey.  

Not forgetting Pepper the Dobermann too.

The three of them moved into their new home in the area following the centre-half's decision to be part of the Millers' mission to build on last term's Championship survival.

“Yeah, I moved in on Monday,” he says, sitting in the media suite after featuring in Wednesday evening's home pre-season friendly against Middlesbrough. “It's North Derbyshire/South Yorkshire kind of way.

“The missus and the dog are up, which is nice. It makes life easier when the family are here. We're looking forward to life in these parts and enjoying a different part of the country. We'll be taking the dog out into the Peak District as much as possible.”

Morrison first arrived at AESSEAL New York Stadium last January, after nearly a decade in the second tier and Premier League with Cardiff City, only to be restricted to two appearances during his short-term contract by the need for quad surgery.

“Tell me about that goalline clearance,” I say, referring to the almost-balletic contribution he made to deny Boro a goal soon after coming on as a 61st-minute substitute.

“You won't see many 32-year-olds getting their leg up that high!” he grins. “I put it down to all the yoga I've done off and on over the last nine years in a bid to keep myself as young and supple as possible.”

He's carrying himself a touch gingerly after the exertions of the match and then a blast of running drills on the pitch afterwards but still feeling better than he did during the club's warm-weather trip to Spain the previous week

“It was too hot over there, too hot!” he says. “When you're trying to train in 36 degrees and the humidity is 70 per cent, it's not easy.

“You get the rewards later in the year during the season. We got a good block of work in. I'm glad to be back and working in cooler weather. I've never missed rain so much!”

The hard-nosed hombre has patrolled the upper reaches of the Championship for much of his near-450-game career. Rotherham were able to sign him in the New Year only because a year on the sidelines caused by a ruptured cruciate knee ligament had deterred other second-tier suitors following his release by the Bluebirds.

The quad issue, suffered in training after a win and a draw in his two games, was pure misfortune - unrelated to his past knee issue - and boss Matt Taylor had no hesitation in offering him a one-year deal for the 2023/24 campaign.

“I wouldn't have come back if I didn't feel excited about being here and what Rotherham are trying to do,” the defender says. “My time here was short last season but I really enjoyed it.

“I felt that the manager and myself had a good relationship. As soon as he spoke to me at the end of last season about coming back it was a done deal.

“I've been around the league for a long time and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there on the pitch and showing people I'm still capable of doing it at this level.”

Investing in a property is a sign of his commitment to his new cause. Commuting was never an option.

“Anything I do in life I'm ‘all in’,” he says. “I've always been like that. My wife and I have been extremely lucky that we haven't had to move around a lot in football.

“We had to move from Reading to Cardiff and then we spent a lot of time in Cardiff. A lot of players move around from year to year.”

After a lifetime spent much further south, the Plymouth-born man has found a home up north in more ways than one. He adds as a passing but telling aside: “People are lovely up here.”

Being ‘all in’ has seen Morrison clash with the medical team as he bids to stake his claim for a starting berth on August 5 opening day.

“I've shouted at the physio before because he's pulled me out of a little bit of a session that I wanted to continue in,” he says. “They're just trying to manage, to look after me, and I'm trying to push in the other direction.

“I want to push myself and be as ready as possible come the start of the season because I've missed a lot of football. I understand that they've got my best interests at heart. On the other hand, it's just in me to want to keep pushing and keep going. I've had that my whole career and I'll continue to be like that.”

He's a good talker, immediately friendly with smiling, bright eyes that I've no doubt turn dark in the heat of confrontation. At 6ft 4 he's a big man with an even bigger presence; a competitor, a mainstay, a minder. He can look after himself and he'll look after his teammates.

“I'll do everything I can to help the younger players,” says a leader who has worn the armband more often than not in 15 years as a pro.

In the quietness of a typically-sparse pre-season crowd against Middlesbrough his voice can be heard above all others encouraging and directing. Fitness permitting, he may well be the Millers' next captain.

Rotherham are beaten 2-0 by a strong Boro side that reached the second-tier play-offs last term but Morrison would rather test himself in defeat than coast to an easy victory over lesser opponents at this stage of the year.

“One-hundred per cent you get more out of coming up against good opposition in pre-season,” he says. “Boro showed us what we're going to be facing in the Championship.

“I thought the boys stood up well to them. It was a good test against a team that are probably going to be in the top six again.

“The gaffer is constantly demanding more from all of us. We know we have got work to do. There are new signings still to come in to improve the squad. Hopefully by the beginning of August we're right at it and ready to go.”

Meanwhile, a tough face lights up as he talks about a not-so-tough pooch.

“She's such a softie,” he says. “If you walked past the house and she barked, you'd think 'I don't want to go in there', but she's scared of her own shadow. She's a good dog. Four years old yesterday.”

Pepper: all bark and no bite. Unlike her owner: all bark and all bite.