Warne calls for deferred judgment from fans

Opinion has been mixed among the club’s fanbase after interim manager Warne was handed the permanent position on a rolling contract and it is something that the 43-year-old plainly acknowledges.

Despite being handed a thankless and near impossible task to salvage the Millers’ season in early winter – with the club’s inevitable relegation being confirmed last weekend – Warne admits his run of just three wins in 22 matches will not buy him too much time with some fans.

His sole wish is that he is given a clean slate and is judged next season and he has already started plans on that front.

On accepting the full-time post, Warne said: “In my life, I have never stepped away from a challenge. In the end, my character told me to dig in and give it my best.

“I understand I am going to have to win some fans over. We are on this run I am partially responsible for and some fans will blame me for that. I get that.

“You can judge my success as a manager in the summer; once I have gone through the summer, recruited the players I want and brought in people who want to play and work the way I want to.

“In a few months, it will become apparent if the doubters were right or wrong.”

Despite only being confirmed as permanent manager on Wednesday, Warne has wasted no time in contacting representatives of some potential summer transfer targets and has already had a meeting with one player.

Warne has other planned meetings and one target could be Preston winger and ex-Miller Ben Pringle.

He added: “The good thing about me becoming permanent manager is that getting players in is potentially easier. If they speak to a caretaker manager, it is not the same. They know in three weeks’ time it could be a different manager with a whole new ethos.

“There is a real dearth of goals in the team, so new strikers are at the forefront of my planning.”

Warne is hoping to find out later today whether his choice as assistant manager will come to the club, widely reported as being his ex-team mate and Charlton No 2 Richie Barker.