Redfearn outlines Millers' qualities heading into 2016

As the former Leeds United boss approaches three months in charge at New York Stadium, he has been left in no doubt about the qualities the club and the fan base have.

And Redfearn is sure that the history and traditions of the Millers mirror his own philosophies and that the club as a whole can continue to grow heading into the new calendar year.

Speaking ahead of the Preston tie, Redfearn said: “There’s a real honesty that runs right through the middle of this club, it’s a traditional football club, it’s got a real history and tradition.

“The support base that it has got is really aware of the club’s history and they are proud of what it has done and what it has achieved.

“Obviously from our point of view now we want to make it better, we are in the process now of trying to build and making it better for this division.”

Redfearn’s playing career saw him captain a Barnsley side that made it to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history, so he is well aware of what can be achieved against the odds.

It is not only the success on the pitch that Redfearn has observed. He has also witnessed what a positive impact an upwardly mobile football club can have on the town and its people.

He said: “I've played in this area for a while, I was at Barnsley for eight years and we had a lot of success.

“That success wasn't there originally, it was tough initially and if someone was to say in those first couple of years that we would get promoted to the Premier League I would have laughed because we were nowhere near that.

“But it can be done, you can build, you can put things together, I've seen it done and been in amongst it.

“The difference success can make to a town and its people is unbelievable, it’s always darkest before the dawn.”

On the injury front heading into the Preston game, Redfearn confirmed that Frazer Richardson will be missing due to the concussion he picked up in the defeat to Fulham while fellow defender Stephen Kelly completed light training on Thursday but is a doubt for the game.

Lewis Buxton’s continued ‘contract dispute’ with the club means that he will be unavailable while striker Leon Best will have an operation on his groin injury next week and could be missing until the end of January.

Experienced defender Richard Wood, who was recalled from his loan deal with League One Chesterfield early, could come into contention for a place in the squad.