Rotherham United keeper and ex-Sheffield Wednesday player Cameron Dawson on handling 'being on the wrong side of a decision'

The Rotherham United goalkeeper is also a quintessential team man. He did not take the decision of Millers chief Steve Evans to plumb for Dillon Phillips as his number one at the start of the season personally.

He is honest enough to admit that the decision did hurt - as it should do to all good professionals.

But good professionals and characters take such moments on the chin, support their 'mate' and then try and do everything they can to give themselves the best chance of changing things, while being honest with themselves.

The former Sheffield Wednesday custodian did all of the above and now finds himself in the Millers' league starting line-up after being recalled ahead of the game at Shrewsbury Town on September 28.

Dawson, who experienced plenty of being in and out of the side during his time at Hillsborough, said: "I'm really pleased. It wasn't an ideal situation for me before then.

"I think I just fell on the wrong side of a decision. It happens in football. It felt like a really close call.

"I've been there before in my career and know what I need to do: that's head down, work hard and be ready to take an opportunity when it comes. It's not new to me.

"It has been really frustrating, I'll not hide that. I'm desperate to play football. That was part of my decision to come here - to play week in, week out.

"I'm not someone who will look for too many problems when there aren't any. If I'm completely honest with myself, it maybe took me a couple of weeks early on in pre season just to settle into a new club, a new environment.

"That maybe went against me. I don't feel I did a lot wrong in pre-season. I just fell on the wrong side of a decision, and that happens.

"From my side, it was important to not look too much into that and be ready for an opportunity when it came."

Dawson's strong relationship with Phillips will continue to ensure that whoever has the goalkeeping gloves on a match day, his replacement on the bench will be supportive and fully behind him - that's how it usually works in the goalkeepers' union after all.

Sheffield-born Dawson, aiming to play his part in the Millers securing a third win on the spin in Saturday's game at Peterborough United, continued: "I knew Dillon before I came here. We're similar ages and have grown up playing against each other.

"We've always had a great relationship. That's the same now.

"We get on great and play a bit of golf together. We have a good laugh together. That relationship will remain positive.

"We'll just get on with things and work hard.

"Competition is huge in football. You have to be comfortable with it. If we can push each other and it gets an extra few per cent out of us, then brilliant.

"The main thing is winning points for Rotherham United."