Redfearn ready for first game of 2016

The Millers will be hoping for a better away day than their last outing of 2015, a 4-1 defeat at Fulham, and boss Neil Redfearn should know the Preston tactics better than most.

Redfearn previously worked under Preston boss Simon Grayson while both were at Leeds United - Redfearn was U21s manager while Grayson was in charge of the first team.

Redfearn is all too aware that Rotherham must beat the sides around them if they are to continue their climb up the Championship table to safety.

And Preston fall right into that camp, currently sitting four places and seven points ahead of the Millers.

Redfearn said: “Preston are quite a big club, Simon (Grayson) has had some backing and they've brought some players in.

“But they still have to swim in these waters that they are in in this division, they've done remarkably well but there’s still a long way to go, they aren't that far in front of us so we can claw them back.

“I look at where we are in the table now and we have to claw our way up to get ourselves to the top of the next three or four sides, that’s got to be our aim."