Matt Taylor on why Rotherham United always have to be built around characters like Richard Wood

But they are even more important at Rotherham United, with the second-lowest attendances in the Championship who refused to get dragged into the financial lunacy that scars the dvision.

And they are even more important still, says manager Matt Taylor, in a town like theirs.

It is why when Taylor looks to evolve the side this summer, he will not stray far from the blueprint inherited from Paul Warne.

So if Monday at Wigan Athletic is to be the final game of Richard Wood's nine-year career, the Millers will have to find a replacement with the same mentality as Warne's talisman. It will be no easy task.

Wood's contract is up at the end of the season and with Taylor looking to put his own stamp on the side, the 37-year-old centre-back could be moved on.

When Wood failed to start a game between January 7 and April 18, it already looked as if he was already in Rotherham's past but in the final five matches of the season, Taylor turned back to his captain, starting three games and making a crucial goalline clearance in the match 1-0 win over Middlesbrough which secured their Championship place.

"Over nine seasons his contribution has been incredible and you only had to look at the reception and recognition he got walking around the pitch with his family last week to see the fans love him," said Taylor.

"Various people say there should be stands named after him, there should be statues for what he's achieved at this football club, it's absolutely incredible.

"It's fitting he was involved in a clean sheet and a solid performance, a clearance off the line – he's had countless number of big performances for this football club."

Characters are even more important when you cannot afford to throw money after the best players in the division.

"Even more so because of who we are as a football club, a town and a community," stresses Taylor.

"We need character, will, spirit, togetherness first and foremost and my job is to add skill on top of that. But we have got to get the right type of people to work alongside, to play alongside, to watch on a Saturday. There's some fantastic people at this football club and we'll keep on building around them."

Avoiding defeat at Wigan will take Rotherham to the 50-point mark for the first time at Championship level since 2004. Then Taylor will looked to push the team on further.

Asked how he expects it to look in his first full season in charge, he replied: "Not too different.

"We'll look like an aggressive team, a team that tries to get at opposition teams. We still probably won't be as good as some of the teams at this level and some of the players at this level but if we fail inside a game, after a game, or before a game we'll fail giving everything.

"There's a really easy starting point, middle point and end point for this group of players, and that's their spirit, their will and their work-rate the moment they put on that shirt and understand who they are representing. They've got to give it their absolute all.

"And then we'll keep looking to evolve the skill aspect, the patterns of play and the style but first and foremost we've got to fight for what we believe in."

Chiedozie Ogbene and Shane Ferguson will miss Monday's game through injury and Ben Wiles and Ollie Rathbone will not be risked.

Last six games: Wigan Athletic DWWLLL; Rotherham United WLLDLD

Referee: T Robinson (West Sussex)

Last time: Wigan Athletic 1 Rotherham United 0 , August 14, 2021, League One