The Paul Mullin factor in Rotherham United's recruitment drive

The capture of hitman Paul Mullin played a major part in a summer of Rotherham United recruitment that saw 15 new players join the club.

The striker, who has been the most prolific lower-league scorer of recent times, arrived at AESSEAL New York Stadium with more than a month of the transfer window left and head of football Steve McClaren believes it made other potential recruits sit up and take notice.

The Millers pressed the button in late July after a unanimous verdict among key staff that the 31-year-old former Wrexham frontman was the right man for them.

McClaren said: "A defining moment in the window was, we all decided: 'Look, let's go for him.' We knew there was a lot of interest - he's a big player.

"It was a statement signing, and that was the key to things. I think we were attractive anyway but, from then on, I think, people looked at Rotherham differently."

The Millers are in the early stages of a rebuild being led by McClaren and head coach Alex Bruce after two relegations in three years left the club in the fourth tier

The former was a appointed in May and the latter came in in June to get to work on a major rebuild.

McClaren admits that the size of the project excited him.

"We'd released 16 players, and we've signed 15," he said. "It was like building a new squad. You don't often get the opportunity to go out and sign a team that you really want.

"Alex came in just before pre-season and got stuck into it. We all got together and said: 'We want this kind of player, that kind of player.' With every one of the signings, we all agreed: 'Let's take him.'

"There's loads more to come from this team. I like watching them because they give effort and they run forward. They're not negative, they're positive. They fight and they never give in."

Rotherham have been showing encouraging signs of development and have won one, drawn two and lost two of their opening five league matches.

Mullin scored a late winner against Chesterfield late last month and was on target from the penalty spot in Saturday’s game with Salford City.

McClaren has found time to enjoy the role - "in a weird way, a masochistic kind of way!" - despite the pressure of the task and the long wait for a head coach to be confirmed following negotiations with Ian Burchnall and Mat Sadler that came to nothing.

"At the beginning, we couldn't find a manager (head coach)," he said. "I was really particular in what I wanted. I said: 'When I talk to it, I'll know it.' I was very patient with that.

"We were also very patient with players coming in. We've had three or four spurts. That wasn't just to satisfy people. We were doing background checks on a bunch of players. That's how we built it."

The 65-year-old kept calm even when the opening pre-season friendly, on July 10, saw Rotherham having to raid their youth ranks to name a squad.

"Against Parkgate, we didn't really have a team," he said. "But I was really, really confident. We haven't panicked on anything. I've been through so many windows, and the key to it is, don't rush anything."