Eaves ‘Makes A Difference Starting Games’

One of Rotherham’s double goal scorers on Saturday, Tom Eaves says that the ‘less said about this season the better’.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield after his goals helped the Millers to a five-two win over Cardiff City, the thirty-two year old striker said, ‘we just wanted a performance and win today and to show the fans a bit of passion. In the end it’s about fight and I think we showed some of that today.

‘My first twenty-five minutes of the game everything bounced off me and I thought ‘it’s not going to be my day’ but you just have to be resilient and hope it’s going to change which eventually it did. And I feel like I finished the game well. I’m delighted to finish on a win and with the two goals. And I was really pleased for the other two (Jordan Hugill and Sam Nombe) for getting their chances and taking them, it will be competitive next year.’

Tom has played in thirty-five games for Rotherham this season, the majority of those coming off the bench. ‘It makes such a difference starting games,’ Tom admitted. ‘It’s so difficult coming onto the pitch as a sub. I feel like that’s been a common theme with my career at Rotherham coming on as a sub and it’s difficult to get momentum. You’re getting beaten two-nil or whatever and you come on chasing the game. I felt like I was doing the hokey-cokey in and out of the team which was difficult for me to find form. You can’t turn it on and off especially in the Championship which is a relentless league. You want to put it behind you because you take it into your life, because it is my life. I live in Rotherham and moved my life to be here and when things aren’t going well you take it home with you.’

He’s right, he hasn’t been given many chances to start games and there are players who don’t perform coming off the bench and vice-versa. I have to say the last few games I’ve thought Tom has looked happier in his own game and it was good to see him yesterday as one of three starting strikers.

‘Today (Saturday) meant a lot to me,’ Tom carried on. ‘The fans have been amazing with me and been really supportive and I’ve been really thankful.’

Tom joined the Millers in June 2022 and still has a year to run on his contract and he’s hoping for us, the fans, to see more of what he’s about next season. ‘People have only seen me in dribs and drabs in the two seasons, both without pre-seasons, though I’m not here to make excuses. The bottom line is about me being better.’