Why January is on the mind of Rotherham United manager Matt Hamshaw

Hamshaw's new-look group are beginning to knit together nicely after a disruptive start to 2025-26 - mainly down to injuries - and the Millers can look ahead to the winter with a brighter outlook, although there is a potential caveat on the horizon.

The likes of Denzel Hall and Ar'jany Martha have now fully assimilated into English football and are making their mark, as have other new arrivals too, while the emergence of academy player Hamish Douglas has been another positive.

Hamshaw is conscious that the form of some of his first-teamers could well start to draw covetous glances from other clubs ahead of the January window.

In some respects, it's a further sign of progress, although it's a double-edged sword for the Millers chief.

He said: "It's obviously coming up to January and I'm dreading it and looking forward to it in equal measures because a lot of my players have done really well.

"But I can't say in June and July - when I'm bringing these players in - 'Come in, do well and you might get sold on' and then not back that up.

"But then it's down to the strategy of the club to make sure that we're replacing and improving (if players go).

"That, to me, is how I think this club should be run. Some people would say that that's wrong and some might say: 'well, that's right'.

"I just think the success that the club have had is that way and then try and reinvesting that into the next one."

In the here and now, the Millers are preparing for Saturday's trip to fellow form team Luton Town as Hamshaw's side chase a third successive away league win.

The Hatters are eyeing a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions.

After a strong home performance in the very best Millers' traditions against Lincoln City last weekend, backing it up with a stirring showing against one of the division's big-hitters at Kenilworth Road - regardless of result - would be a further indicator of Rotherham's development.

Hamshaw, who will be without winger Martha, who is on international duty with Curacao, acknowledged: "Definitely and these games are tough games, so we're going to have to come under a bit of severe pressure.

"I talk quite a lot about bending and not breaking, so we're going to come under it.

"We have to stand up to it and make sure we know our jobs.

"We have to stay committed to it, but also have to make sure that we're a threat, offensively.

"We went to Cardiff, and I probably sat back a little bit more than I should have done - that's part of my learning curve as well.

"But the foundation of a good base is your defensive set-up, so I think we're much better at that and I think we're starting to see the work that we're doing, offensively, which really shone against Lincoln on Saturday."