While things are a bit quiet around the New York Stadium with it being an International break let’s have a quick look at how the players we’ve loaned out this season are going on.
Striker David Ball only left on Monday, after a mix-up with the paperwork was sorted and allowed him to leave after the loan transfer deadline date had ended. He is now with Bradford City until the end of the season and is likely to get his first game in a Bantams shirt when they travel to Blackpool for their League One fixture on Saturday. Things went a bit awry not only with the paperwork but Michael Collins, who signed Bally, was shown the door soon afterwards and City now have David Hopkin as Head Coach.
Another striker Jerry Yates left the Millers for a season long loan to Carlisle in the summer and has made eight appearances for the Cumbrians. His first goal came during the week in the Football League Trophy game at home to Morecambe which Carlisle won three-two – quite a cracker of a goal too.
Defender Dominic Ball is in his second season long loan with Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen. His last game for the Millers was in the EFL Cup in August 2017 away at Huddersfield and he then went on to make nineteen appearances for the Dons. They must have rated the former Rangers player as he is back there this season and played in two Europa League games, against Burnley, and five Scottish Premiership games.
Central Defender Michael Ihiekwe joined Rotherham in May 2017 from Tranmere Rovers and made thirty-five appearances for the Millers last season including both League One Play-Off games against Scunthorpe, though didn’t make it onto the pitch in the Final at Wembley. Michael joined Accrington Stanley towards the end of August on a loan until January and has made two appearances for the League One side, both in one-all draws.
Ben Purrington is another defender who is out on a season long loan from the New York Stadium, this time with League One outfit AFC Wimbledon. The left-back joined the Millers in January 2017 for a reported £300,000 from Plymouth Argyle making a handful of appearances in that first half a season. He found it hard to get games last season in League One playing in just twelve games and so he has been sent out on loan this season to get game time making seven appearances for Wimbledon so far.
With two strikers out on loan it’s not known whether Paul Warne has a recall on either of them if the strikers we have left get injured – personally, I would think there is one on both players.
