Shinnie in for Charlton clash?

NEW signing Andrew Shinnie is in contention for a debut in the Millers' Championship clash  against Charlton Athletic this weekend.

Manager Neil Redfearn has hailed the 26-year-old Scot as a “terrific attacking option”, ramping up competition for places and adding an extra dimension up front.

Able to play in two or three positions, he's had plenty of game time at Birmingham City since joining them two years ago but hasn't featured as often this term and has signed in on loan until the end of the season to get games. His last outing for the Blues was in the FA Cup at the start of the month.

Tomorrow's match gives the Millers a chance to pull seven points clear of Charlton in next to bottom position on a day when many Championship sides don't play due to the FA Cup.

Fresh from a good point at Cardiff last Saturday, Redfearn accepts the importance of the match and next weekend's against bottom-of-the-table Bolton, but doesn't want to overplay it.

“It's a big game but they all are,” he told the Advertiser. “If we beat Charlton and lose the rest, we will go down. If we lost to Charlton and win all the rest then we'll stay up.

“Of course it's a chance to put a bit of distance between ourselves and Charlton but our position near the bottom isn't going to go away.

“It would be nice to back up a good result at Cardiff with a victory. I was looking at a form guide for the last six games and we are 13th, so we're on a half decent run. If we can stay in that middle section of the form chart then we'll be OK.”