Why the arrival of Sam Clucas brings Rotherham United's recruitment to an end

The Championship Millers had been in discussions with a couple free-agent targets following the close of the summer transfer window but knew they would be able to take only one of them despite leaving two spaces on the 23-man squad list they submitted to the EFL

That’s because there is a governing-body ruling that stipulates at least one ‘club-produced’ player must be included in the numbers, otherwise teams can name only eight substitutes instead of a full complement of nine.

That led to an unnamed academy youngster midfielder being given the 24th spot and Clucas, who parted company with Stoke City at the end of last season, taking the 25th and final one.

“It's another rule from the powers-that-be,” said manager Matt Taylor. “It's a strange one, I have to be honest with you. Is it a help or a hindrance? I'll leave it for you to decide.”

Rotherham could have opted for a second free-agent recruit and no homegrown presence but that would have left them going into league fixtures a man light on their bench.

A club-developed player is one who has been registered with a club for at least a year before the end of his under-19 season.

“It would have been Ben Wiles or Josh Kayode but one was sold during the window and the other went out on loan," Taylor said.

The inclusion of the youth player is cosmetic and he will remain in Rotherham's under-18 set-up as he has no chance of featuring in the first team.

“We've named an academy product to allow us to utilise the full spectrum of substitutions,” Taylor said. “We made the decision that having nine subs available was important.

“We don't expect to bring in any more players.”

The Millers' next opportunity to do business will come in January when the winter window opens for a month.

Second-year professional Ciaran McGuckin, aged 19, has been part of the first-team squad in the early stages of the campaign and is expected to be in the matchday 20 for tomorrow's trip to Huddersfield Town.

Rotherham chose not to include him as the club-produced player in their 25 because it would have prevented him gaining experience with a non-league side in the near future.

“A loan for Ciaran is the right thing for his development,” Taylor said. “He'll continue to be on the bench for us but there will be a time when everyone is back fit and he needs to go out and play somewhere.”

McGuckin remains eligible to play for the first team without being on the squad list because he is a homegrown prospect under the age of 21.

This season, he has made three sub appearances in the Championship and also has a start and sub outing in the Carabao Cup under his belt.

He had a successful spell at National League North Scarborough Athletic last term and now the Millers are hoping to place him with a National League outfit.