No room for mercenaries on Millers' shopping list

ROTHERHAM United are making steady progress in their search for new faces and stress that past mistakes won’t be repeated.

The Millers management team intend making a handful of careful additions to the group which successfully negotiated the League One play-offs.

The accent will again be on younger, hungry players with something to prove but like all clubs, they are having to wait for the transfer market to get moving.

First team coach Matt Hamshaw said: "Ideally we would love to bring three or four players in, that's what we're looking to do at the minute and some may be closer than others.

"A lot of people sometimes think you win at Wembley and then you start looking. That isn't the case, we have been on this route for a while now and we’re in discussions.

"Everyone knows how thorough the gaffer is in terms of getting the right people into the club and not spoiling the group dynamic.

"With no disrespect to people who have been here in previous regimes and years, we want players who want to be here and play for and represent the club and the fans, not just someone who has had their career and is coming to the end of it.

"It might be that we sign someone who is older but I can assure everybody that mistakes won't happen like they have before. If these lads do come in, they will have gone through rigorous testing through the manager, Richie Barker and myself on their characteristics and how they are as people. We don't want mercenaries. We're proud of where we're from and we want lads to be proud of playing for us."

Hamshaw also stressed that the current group would be given every chance to prove themselves in the Championship.

"I was here when we beat Leyton Orient in the League One play-off final in 2014 and the team that started the first game of the following season was a lot different to the one that went up. I think it is important, with the age our lads are, that we give them the opportunity because there is a lot of progression in a lot of them."

It was expected that promotion would prompt outside interest in Rotherham players there has been no enquiries so far.

Added Matt: "It will have to be an eye-watering amount of money for any of our players to leave this summer.

"Do I think some of them can play higher? Yes I do. There has been no interest from anybody as of yet but you never know, some of our lads have had a fantastic season.

"I'm surprised we've not had any and I'll be pleased if it stays that way."

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