Rotherham United: Tony Stewart aims to keep ‘gladiator’ Michael Smith at Millers

Smith, 30 – expected to spearhead the Millers’ attack in Sunday’s Papa John’s Trophy final against Sutton at Wembley – is out of contract in June and is likely to be on the radar of several Championship clubs.

The north-easterner has enjoyed an outstanding 2021-22 campaign, scoring 24 times in all competitions, his best-ever goal return in a season.

Speaking recently, Millers chief Paul Warne admitted it would be ‘incredibly difficult’ to keep top-scorer Smith.

But Stewart, whose side are very well placed to secure a top-two finish in League One and record a hat-trick of instant promotions back to the Championship following relegation, insists it is by no means a lost hope.

Stewart told The Yorkshire Post: “Michael could leave (as he is out of contract). But I have got some tricks in my bag with Smithy and there’s certain things I can do and I would make an exception with Smithy as he’s been a loyal ‘gladiator’ for Rotherham.

“He has always given 110 per cent and he’s my unadopted son. I have always been a fan of Smithy and we will have those negotiations in April and hopefully he will be staying with us for some while yet.

“The only person (leading player) who could leave (for nothing) would be Smithy. With the others, we have got them under contract and they are playing for promotion and promotion is a pay rise for the players and it would help sustain the team.”

Just as Smith is likely to have a list of admirers, the displays of form winger Chiedozie Ogbene, who has starred on the international front with the Republic of Ireland over the past week, will be resonating at rival clubs.

The 24-year-old crowned a man-of-the-match performance with a spectacular goal in Ireland’s 2-2 friendly draw with Belgium on Saturday and started in Tuesday’s victory over Lithuania.

Ogbene’s deal expires in June, but the Millers have an option to extend it by 12 months.

It is the same contractual situation with striker Freddie Ladapo, who is set to make an earlier-than-expected return from a thigh injury on Sunday.

Admitting that Ogbene’s rise to international prominence is likely to heighten interest in the former Brentford player, Warne said: “I would be stupid not to say it, to be honest. It will make it more difficult (to keep him).

“We have that with loads of our players. If players play at their absolute best on the biggest stage, bigger clubs come looking.

“That is no different from Chieo or for anybody else. It will be more difficult, that is just an obvious answer.

“He will be like a ‘helium balloon’ when he comes into the training ground on Friday I reckon and rightly so.

“He is ‘talk of the town’ over there and has had a really good season with us and has played a lot of games this season.

“He has conducted himself really well and is a fans’ favourite here as he is in Ireland.

“He has had a really brilliant first season as an international and hopefully he will play games in the summer for them (Ireland).”

Should Rotherham triumph on Sunday and go onto seal promotion, then the achievements of Warne – and not just the Millers’ leading players – are also unlikely to go unnoticed in rival boardrooms this summer.

Warne’s current deal runs to the summer of 2023, with Stewart confident that his long-term future remains at the club, with negotiations likely at the end of the season.

Stewart added: “We have talked about that (issue) and will hold it later.

“He goes on to next year and we will probably do something about that when we get the nod and hopefully the Championship and we will write the script again.

“I do genuinely think so (Warne will stay). I talk to him regularly and Paul is a friend of mine now and he is a humble, bright individual.

“He is not like most managers and one of the reasons we got him as a manager is that he has got no bad habits and is a team worker and that is what success is about. It is not just about the team on the pitch, but off it.”

Alongside a positive prognosis regarding Ladapo, who was initially expected to be out until mid-April after tearing a quad muscle in early March, fellow strikers Georgie Kelly and Josh Kayode are also in Warne’s thoughts for Sunday’s final.

Kelly has yet to feature since joining from Irish club Bohemians in January due to a calf injury.

Warne added: “Freddie and Georgie have done their last day of rehab and last box-ticking exercise (on Wednesday).

“They passed that with flying colours and they will both be training with us on Friday.

“There’s obviously Griggy (Will Grigg), who is out for the season, so we should have all four (other strikers) available for selection.”

United do have one significant injury doubt ahead of the trip south, with in-form goalkeeper Josh Vickers suffering from a hand injury. Viktor Johansson is standing by to replace him if he is not passed fit.

Rotherham have sold over 12,000 tickets for Sunday’s final so far.