The last opportunity for people to show that they want to be here ... Rotherham United boss Steve Evans writes for the Advertiser

I had a brilliant meeting, an absolutely fantastic meeting, with the chairman last Friday afternoon and that was one of the topics we discussed.

He wants us to give opportunities to people so we can have clarity in our decisions about who can play a part for us going forward and who we think might not take us to where we want to go.

That will unfold in the next few weeks and I will be sitting down with the chairman, the board and the director of football recruitment at some stage.

We'll have a thorough discussion in which everyone will be able to air their opinion.

It may be that some fringe players step up and show that they deserve to be here.

We've already seen that starting to happen with Josh Kayode, for example.

‘JJ’ had been out on a series of loans and and by his own admission felt that he hadn't been valued here for a long time and hadn't been given a real chance to get out on the pitch and play.

He returned from a spell at Shrewsbury Town and we said to him, if he deserves that opportunity then we'll give it to him.

We've brought him off the bench in recent games and the young man is making the right impression.

Players have to produce performances in the nine matches we have left and demonstrate that they are deserving of being here and being promotion contenders in the 2025/26 campaign.

I know better than anyone what the consequences are for me better if we don't push for the Championship next term.

Players must know the consequences of not stepping up between now and the summer.

If one or two people lower their performance levels from where they should be then they'll find themselves sitting behind me in the dugout and won't be here for much longer.

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TIMES have changed for football managers.

I recognise that the most after we have won a game.

Until a couple of years ago, there was a real buzz after a victory and you were on a high.

You'd go home to your family and be happy and maybe want to enjoy a glass of wine.

Nowadays, there's a very different feeling. You go home, maybe switch the TV on and just let the relief wash over you.

The patience of supporters at all clubs is not what it used to be.

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WE'RE certainly not short of midfielders right now. Long may that continue!

Liam Kelly is fit again and Shaun McWilliams has been able to move back into the centre of the park now that he doesn't have to cover at right-back any longer.

There's also Joe Powell, Pelly Mpanzu and Louie Sibley, and hopefully we'll soon be adding Dan Gore to the numbers as well after our young loanee's foot injury.

I knew that Shaun would do a good job for us while regular right-back Joe Rafferty was missing through illness. I say ‘good’, at times he was outstanding for us in his three games there.

I'd seen him play there in the past for Northampton Town and he'd always impressed me.