The plan for Rotherham United's players after the Barnsley derby

After tonight’s trip to Barnsley, the Millers are without a League One game until their November 23 journey to Crawley Town as the November 16 home clash with Bolton Wanderers has been postponed because of international call-ups in the Trotters' camp.

Manager Steve Evans welcomes the break in third-tier action, seeing it as an opportunity to get players who have been injured or out of favour into match condition.

“I'm really pleased,” he said. “It gives us a chance to get a mini pre-season into the boys and give them a bit of time off as well.

"It will allow us to get one or two lads up to those fourth and fifth gears that we need them to be in ready for November and December.

Sean Raggett and Jonson Clarke-Harris are likely to be the chief beneficiaries as they seek more sharpness after knee and hamstring issues respectively.

“We're getting closer now to having the group we need to have,” Evans said. “This is a key period leading up to Christmas and then the January transfer window.

“If we're sitting in January three or four points off the play-offs, given where we were in September, we'd take it.”

Official news of the postponement came late last week but Evans had long been aware that the game wouldn't go ahead because of the bond he has with Bolton boss Ian Evatt.

“I knew what would happen because I have a brilliant relationship with the manager up there,” he said. “Ian is a good guy and gave me an early indicator of it.

“We were once suspended at the same time. We were climbing up the stairs of the stand together with our walkie-talkies!”