Rotherham United: Robbie Neilson not a Millers target, says Tony Stewart

Neilson has been in negotiations with League One MK Dons and his appointment is expected to be confirmed tomorrow.

Tony Stewart, chairman of the Championship Millers who are looking for their sixth manager in 14 months after Jackett’s shock resignation on Monday, denied there was an attempt to hijack that deal.

“If MK Dons are in talks with Neilson, then there is no way we would jump on that,” he said. “I know their chairman, Pete Winkelman, very well and we have a good relationship with them.

“That’s not the way we would do business. I am old-fashioned in that way.”

The club went as far as to issue an official statement this morning rejecting claims in some media outlets that they had made advances to Nielson who has taken Hearts to fourth place in the Scottish Premier League.

Regardless of Neilson’s MK link, the Millers would have been very wary about looking north of the border again after taking Alan Stubbs from Hibernian in the summer and sacking him after a disastrous 14-match spell brought only one victory.

Jackett quit just five matches into a three-year contract after winning one point out of a possible 15 to leave Rotherham bottom of the table and 11 points adrift of safety.

Fitness coach Paul Warne has been placed in charge of first-team affairs as candidates make their interest in the post known.

Bookmakers have made Warne 11/8 early joint favourite along with Tony Mowbray to be the next boss.

Stewart added: “Paul Douglas (chief operating officer) has lots and lots applications to go through and there’s not one that stands out. We will be spoiled for choice and we will take our time.”

Warne will lead the side at Burton Albion on Saturday and has inherited injuries problems from last weekend.

Goalkeeper Lee Camp, holding midfielder Greg Halford and midfield man Joe Newell were forced out of the action against Leeds United after winger Jon Taylor had failed a fitness test.

Camp took a first-half knock to the knee, which meant a rare outing for understudy Lewis Price.

“It is always nice to play,” Price said. “But me and Campy have a good relationship - we get on well and have known each other for years - so it is not nice seeing him injured.

“We are not just colleagues, we are friends, but from a personal point of view it is nice to be playing. It’s just a shame about the result.

“I spoke to him after the game. He was a little bit sore. He couldn’t really bend his knee but, to be fair to him, he took one hell of a whack.”

Halford has an ankle injury, Newell’s issue is his hamstring, while Taylor has had a back problem.

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