Rotherham United: Stewart says how much Millers offered for Bogle and Willis and what they rejected for Ward

The Millers were keen to sign Grimsby Town striker Omar Bogle and Coventry City centre-half Jordan Willis, although neither moved to New York Stadium.

Bogle, League Two’s leading scorer, went to Wigan in the final hours of last Tueday’s deadline day, while Willis remained remained with his League One Midlands side.

“We had three attempts at Omar Bogle,” Stewart told the Star. “We felt our last offer had got our feet in the door, only to find he had gone to Wigan. That was a shock.

“We were at £700,000, I don’t mind saying that, but Grimsby said he wasn’t for sale. He was for sale. But we didn’t get him. We made a really good bid.

“Jordan Willis ... we offered £400,000, Coventry wanted half a million. It looked like we were going to get the lad but, at the last minute, Coventry said: ‘We’re not selling him.’”

Rotherham are 15 points below the survival mark at the foot of the Championship with 16 games left, but hung on to Danny Ward in January despite interest above £2 million in their 10-goal top scorer.

“There were four or five clubs after him,” Stewart said. “The board decided Danny Ward was not for sale. We were offered big money, but our first and foremost thought was to keep the players who gave us the best chance of staying in this division.

“We were offered more than £2m.”

Bad signings? Not anymore, vows Stewart