Miller set to miss out again to avoid triggering costly clause

SHEFFIELD Wednesday’s Tommy Miller will play only four more games this season in order to save the club money.

The former Ipswich Town and Sunderland midfielder is out of contract in the summer but is entitled to another year on Championship wages if he makes 30 league starts.

Dropped by manager Gary Megson for last weekend’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion, he will also have to miss another of the club’s remaining five fixtures to stay under the limit.

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Miller is still keen to stay at Hillsborough, despite the current issue, but talks over his future are on hold until the club is safe from the drop.

“We have not really spoken about a new contract but I am sure we will talk in the next few weeks,” he said. “I want to stay because this is a massive club, I have settled in well in the area, and I am enjoying my football. The extra year on my contract cannot be exercised for financial reasons and I understand that.”

Miller, 32, joined the Owls after being released by Ipswich in summer 2009 but had started only 10 league games for the club prior to the start of the current season due to injury problems. Now fully-fit again, he has been a regular over the last few months and had also been appointed stand-in captain.

Tomorrow, the Owls host Hartlepool United – the club where Miller started his professional career – so a recall is on the cards.

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Megson said: “There is no point trying to mask this or muddy the waters. Tommy has got something in his contract and, if he plays a certain amount of games, he gets another year on a wage that we cannot afford. He won’t play that amount of games. He will play one game less. On his last appearance (against Tranmere Rovers), he scored twice, captained the team, and played great. He is a great lad and, since I have been here, his fitness seems to be a lot better.”

On the possibility of a new deal, Megson said: “We will sit down and talk to Tommy and see if there is common ground. He likes the area, his wife and kids like the area, so we’ll see what we can do.”

The Owls, seven points clear of danger, will also need to make decisions on James O’Connor, Lewis Buxton, Richard Hinds and Jermaine Johnson this summer as they, too, are out of contract. Striker Neil Mellor, defenders Danny Batth and Rob Jones, goalkeeper Lee Nicholls and midfielder Joey O’Brien are those coming to the end of loan deals.