Rotherham move swiftly to bring in replacement for axed Redfearn

The Millers sacked Neil Redfearn on Monday after slipping back into the Championship relegation zone following defeat at Bolton.

Sources have indicated that the United board has three main candidates in mind for the post.

The first interviews are expected to take place today with the final one held tomorrow. Providing all goes to plan, an appointment is then planned by Friday at the latest.

All manner of names have been linked with the vacancy, including former Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock, one-time Sheffield Wednesday head coach Stuart Gray and Chris Wilder, once a Millers player and now in charge of League Two leaders Northampton Town,

Paolo Di Canio’s representatives are believed to have been in touch, while Crawley Town’s Mark Yates is another to be linked along with Gary Megson.

Much will depend on what approach chairman Tony Stewart and his fellow directors wish to take.

A short-term appointment designed to keep the Millers up this season would favour any candidate not currently in a job, with those willing to leave an existing employer certain to want more security than until the end of the season.

Club officials have refused to comment but it is believed that the process is well under way with a shortlist already drawn up, even though applications are still coming in.

Training was taken yesterday by Nicky Eaden following the departure of Redfearn after just 123 days and 21 games, the shortest reign of any manager in Rotherham’s history.

Eaden only arrived at the New York Stadium last Thursday as Redfearn’s assistant. The two men were team-mates when Barnsley won promotion to the Premier League in the Nineties.

The decision to put Eaden in charge until a new manager is appointed came after first-team coach Andy Hughes left the club yesterday with immediate effect. Eaden is being assisted by Paul Warne and Andy Dibble.

Whoever gets the nod as Redfearn’s successor will have to lift a squad that has lost to Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic in their last two games.

The back-to-back defeats against the Championship’s bottom two clubs saw United slip into the relegation zone for the first time since Boxing Day. Birmingham City are the visitors to the New York this weekend.