FOR ROTHERHAM United in 2024-25, the fact that they have already brought in ten new signings and been one of the most active clubs in the EFL - let alone League One - must only be part of the story.

If they are to return to the Championship at the first time of asking for the fourth time in succession following relegation to League One, then some of their existing cast must also step up alongside the newcomers.

Among that number is record signing Sam Nombe, who has so far failed to look anything like the player whom the Millers bought for a seven-figure fee from Exeter City last August.

Nombe looked like a bit of a lost soul at times last season when he struck just three times. He was not alone in fairness.

Rotherham United's Sam Nombe (right) challenges Huddersfield Town's Radinio Balker in their Championship fixture in March. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

placeholder image — Rotherham United's Sam Nombe (right) challenges Huddersfield Town's Radinio Balker in their Championship fixture in March. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Even accounting for the jump in level, he bore no resemblance whatsoever to the player who struck a combined total of 27 goals in his two previous seasons with the Grecians.

A former salesman and a skilled one at that, one of the jobs of Millers chief Steve Evans will be to restore the confidence of a player, who at his best, can be an asset in the new season.

It’s a task he has warmed to in the past in his managerial career.

That is on the proviso that the club elect to keep hold of the frontman and not cut their losses. Nombe’s lower-division pedigree would suggest he is worth persevering with in an ideal world.

Evans said: “He was excellent in League One, wasn’t he and a talisman for Exeter.

"You know, if you are a manager (former Millers chief Matt Taylor) and you go back to your previous club and convince someone to pay well over seven figures, then you must have a real belief that the boy can produce it.

"It was a difficult season for him. He lives on getting chances and creativity in the final third.

"Perhaps the rest of the team, collectively, have not been able to find and get him in those areas.

"Our job will be to get him fitter, sharper and all the mobility he had in League One.

"Sam was always known to me that when he scored against me, he was a kid with the biggest smile and he had some much exuberance and confidence.

"He also had the Glasgow word I use, a bit of ‘gallus’ about him still and a bit of a swagger. That seems to have gone away a little bit, so we are going to work hard with Sam to create that."

The Millers head out to Scotland to a training base at St Andrews on Tuesday and could well be boosted by an 11th close-season addition.

While their number of new arrivals is already into double figures, those who remain are likely to be key.

Both forward Jordan Hugill and centre-half Cameron Humphreys have elected to stay put after not exercising terms in their contracts following relegation - when they could have walked away ahead of a cut-off point on June 30.

It suggests they want to be part of a promotion assault. That's nothing new at third-tier level at Rotherham.

Humphreys had been linked with moves to Championship duo QPR and Sheffield Wednesday.

Speaking earlier this week, Evans commented: “The fact that the players have allowed those options to expire tells me - and everyone - that they fancy it here.

"Both of them have been brilliant all the way through it. They have never once intimated to me that they wanted to go, even though they did have that option. You always know that clubs are going to talk to good players.”