Rotherham United v Southend: Millers chief Warne glad to back his own judgment

In the case of Rotherham United summer signing Kieffer Moore, manager Paul Warne is glad that he listened to his own convictions and was not swayed by others who questioned his decision to sign the striker.

On the evidence so far this summer, the Ipswich loanee looks like proving a real asset for the Millers, with his partnership with Jamie Proctor showing genuine promise up front.

Warne said: “I liked him when he came here with Ipswich, but I had a couple of other people who I spoke to at other clubs who were warning me off him a little bit.

“But I just thought he was at an age where he needed to start playing and I think he is maturing a little bit. Since he has been here, he has been good and he is improving.

“He is a great kid anyway. When I signed him and spoke to him, I said, ‘Look, there’s no guarantee you will get any minutes. But if you deserve them, you will get them and will have to fight for your place in every game’. He was happy and backed himself and people know what I am like about characters and different opinions. He was an ideal fit for us.

“He has come in and done really well. Like with (Jamie) Proctor the other night, I think the fans appreciate big, physical centre-forwards who are prepared to run around and put their heads in.”

Proctor and Moore may be making their presence felt, but it has been a different story for Jonson Clarke-Harris, with the frustrated forward having not made an impression yet this term.

Warne said: “If he wants to move on, that’s the way it is and it is the same with any of my players. Even if they are in the first XI, if they come and see me and say that they don’t want to be here and compete, they can leave. I have got no issue with that.

“I know Jonno is one of five strikers and he was not on the bench at Fleetwood – but he was on the bench the other day and I did put him on the pitch. So he has nothing to moan about in that respect. There are players who have not been on the bench yet.”