Manager Matt Taylor hopes Rotherham United's long game is about to start paying transfer dividends

Planning for 2023-24 effectively started on May 1, when the Millers finally ended six years of yo-yoing by confirming their place in next season's Championship. Officially their campaign ended seven days later, giving them a three-week headstart on League One play-off winners Sheffield Wednesday, and 20 days on relegated Leeds United.

The rate of progress and preparedness of Yorkshire clubs for the new season has varied wildly so far. Whilst Doncaster Rovers have brought in a new manager, assistant and eight signings, and fellow League Two side Harrogate Town have recruited six, Leeds, Wednesday and Barnsley are yet to appoint next season's manager, never mind sign any players.

Hull City are yet to dip their toe in the transfer market either, but have at least signed five existing senior players to new contracts.

The Rotherham squad which reported back for pre-season training at Roundwood on Monday was much the same as the one which left in May, minus a few important figures. Captain Richard Wood has joined the Doncaster revolution, and some are still mulling over offers with Chiedozie Ogbene the most likely to move on. Sean Morrison and Lee Peltier have decided to stay.

More prize assets could be picked off, with Viktor Johansson mentioned as a possible option for Leeds as they compete with clubs such as Hull and Middlesbrough for a small pool of high-quality goalkeepers.

Manager Taylor has always been relaxed and realistic about Rotherham's place in the queue but will need his first summer in charge to see changes beyond upgrades to the Roundwood training facilities.

The addition of the Owls and the Whites, not to mention Leicester City, Southampton, Ipswich Town and Plymouth Argyle, makes the Championship look stronger than last season, so standing still is not an option for a club who only stayed up in the final week of the campaign. Minus the likes of Wood, their loanees, Josh Vickers, Wes Harding and most probably Ogbene, so far this summer has been a step backwards to move forwards.

But having laid his groundwork, Taylor hopes that will soon change.

"I've been showing players around the training ground first and foremost and bringing them down to the stadium, which is a huge selling point – it's a fantastic stadium," he told his club's official website.

"It's always a work in progress.

"It (the start of the season) is getting closer and closer now, players are coming back for pre-season and that's when they start to get itchy feet, they want to be in the surroundings they're going to be for the near future. We certainly feel we're close (to signings).

"We've got some really good targets in mind who we want to push."

Taylor will be on the lookout for wingers after the Millers developed a way of playing under his long-serving predecessor Paul Warne that did without them. Likewise, with Leo Hjelde – currently with Norway at the European Under-21 Championship – heading back to Leeds and Harding released, full-backs will be needed – especially if Tyler Blackett rejects his contract offers.

Underwhelming returns from last season's summer signings Conor Washington and Tom Eaves suggest an alternative to centre-forward Jordan Hugill is needed, with former Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp's name floated.

As a loanee, Conor Coventry was only a sticking-plaster solution to the departure of Dan Barlaser as the deep-lying midfield creator in the second half of last season.

Taylor's priority is to find players who can maintain the Millers' steel and physical intensity, and add as much silk as a tight budget allows.

He has been clear from the off that his club were never going to be able to elbow their way to the front of the queue, which is why there is no panic at the lack of activity thus far.

"We have to remember where we are in the reckoning of the league and the levels in all departments,” he cautions. “We might not be first choice on players' lists.

“We have to make ourselves first choice through conversations, through trust, through building relationships and selling what we want it to look like for both the player and the football club.

"Those conversations are honest, that's what we are as a football club. It's what the town stands for, what the supporters expect and certainly what I expect as manager.

"It is sometimes a long, drawn-out process which can be frustrating at times. There's so much work goes on behind the scenes which no one ever sees because we don't get some of the players we're speaking to but we do feel in the long-term we'll be better off for it."

With over 6,800 fans buying season tickets – a New York Stadium record – the calm message appears to be getting through but pre-season brings another test of patience.