Rotherham United: Loan move suits Millers and Chris Burke

The right winger has joined the Millers from Nottingham Forest until the end of the season as Neil Redearn’s side look to climb away from the Championship drop zone.

And Rotherham manager Redfearn believes a temporary agreement presents the ideal opportunity for both parties to decide if they’re the right fit.

“The good thing is that if you can get quality players in on loan and they come and have a good experience, enjoy it and then their clubs are prepared to let them go permanently, there might be a deal to be done,” he said.

Burke, aged 32, goes straight into the Millers’ squad for today’s clash at one of his former clubs, Cardiff City, and Redfearn is delighted to have the Scottish international at his disposal.

“Chris is a very experienced player and he knows the level,” he said. “He has got that turn of pace, the ability to go past people to create chances and score goals.

“He adds good competition and he adds some real Championship quality that perhaps we have been lacking a little at times.

“He is a really good signing for us. He gives us balance on the right side, which frees up young Grant Ward to play more centrally.”

Burke began his career at Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers and has since had lengthy spells at Cardiff, Birmingham City and Forest. He was part of the Forest team which beat Rotherham 2-1 in the second league game of the season, at the City Ground.

Click here for more Millers news

Redfearn, who hopes to make at least one more signing in the January transfer window, added: “His Championship experience will prove invaluable. We have got ourselves into a position when we are playing well, but we need to keep picking points up and start turning good performances away from home into results.

“The more experienced guys you have around the place to help the younger lads, the stronger you will become.”

Burke helped Birmingham reach the Championship Play-off Final in 2012, scoring 14 goals in all competitions.

He said: “This is actually the first loan spell of my career and I’m delighted to be here.”

One player departing AESSEAL New York Stadium is striker Jordan Bowery, who yesterday terminated his Rotherham contract by mutual consent and joined League Two promotion-chasing Oxford United until the end of the season.

Bowery was the Millers’ record signing in the summer of 2014 when then-boss Steve Evans bought him from Premier League Aston Villa, but the centre-forward managed only six goals and never held down a regular starting berth.

Former Rotherham left-back Joe Skarz moved to the Kassam Stadium last term, while Millers midfielder Chris Maguire has just returned from a loan spell there.

Bowery, aged 24, said: “I know Joe and Chris from Rotherham and they had only good things to say about the set-up at Oxford and the ambition of the club.”