Millwall v Rotherham United: Dry January has Paul Warne frustrated at lack of new faces

The Rotherham boss saw several moves for players fail to transpire, including two on a bitterly disappointing deadline day, with the forces of transfer fate working against the Millers for virtually the whole month.

Just one breakthrough saw midfielder Matt Crooks arrive at the club, with the inability to bring in another striker to add to their depleted ranks being a particular source of frustration.

On the flip side Warne is relieved that no key players have left the club and while he fully understands the feeling of dismayed supporters at the lack of activity he feels that they must also look at the bigger picture.

Warne said: “It is hugely disappointing and the recruitment team and I have done everything we can to try and improve the team, who does not want to try to... and it has been the case.

“But I came into this window saying I did not want to lose any players and the chairman fully backed the fact that if big bids came in for our top players we would reject them.

“We did not get any bids, in all fairness. But we have a culture here that I believe will see us through. We are a positive group and when I get on the bus for Millwall the centre-forward will be pleased I have not signed another one and the winger will be pleased I have not signed a winger. In fairness, we will be a happy bus.”

Specifically addressing the issue of supporters’ disappointment at developments over the month, the Millers manager, whose side remain out of the relegation zone despite in the summer being the overwhelming bookmakers’ favourites to go down, added: “We play in front of a great crowd, but they (targets) may play in front of 20, 30 or 40 thousand people.

“I understand the fans’ frustration at times, but I would like to think that the fans embrace what we are and we are trying to be the best we can be and that is all we can do.

“Some love to be controversial and negative, but that is not the way I am. I understand why they get frustrated, but I just want to reassure them that in every window with the recruitment team we have done everything we can to bring in better players.”