Steve Evans and the Rotherham United recruitment meeting

The 61-year-old, who spent three successful seasons with the club a decade ago, returned to the hot-seat for yesterday's goalless home Championship draw with Birmingham City and has two games left before the relegation campaign closes.

The boss is confident he will be given a sympathetic hearing by the man who brought him back to South Yorkshire for a second spell.

“I will present my analysis of the next two weeks to the chairman and the board,” he said. “The one thing you know about Tony Stewart at Rotherham United is that he supports you.”

Evans liked much of what he saw in the clash with Birmingham and may offer deals to existing squad members but he is also planning on a number of new arrivals.

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the City clash, he said: “We believe if we recruit players in the summer to work as hard as the boys have done today and keep some players from today then it gives us a real opportunity to progress back from League One.”

Rob Scott, who now has the title of director of football recruitment after the club scrapped the short-lived director-of-football role, will be part of proceedings.

Evans, who left Stevenage to rejoin the club where he says he's spent the happiest times of his career, has been in the hot-seat for just four days and is already focusing on a promotion push in when 2024/25 season gets under way.

“I want to do it for me, I want to do it for the fans, I want to do it for the chairman,” he said. “We'll be decent next year.”

Evans was overwhelmed by the reception he received from the crowd as he occupied the home dugout for the first time since 2015 and had pledged to do all he can to reward their loyalty.

“They work hard to afford to come and support our team,” he said. “I can promise them that same hard work from the team in return.”