Rotherham United: Why Richard O'Donnell chose Millers, and old boy Jordan Bowery under fire

The Sheffield-born goalkeeper had several sides chasing him when he decided to leave Bristol City but opted to head back to South Yorkshire.

O’Donnell, who could make his debut at Newcastle United tomorrow, believes the Millers are capable of staying up, despite being nine points from safety at the foot of the Championship.

And the fact he has a young boy and another baby on the way in nine weeks made a return to the area where he grew up, and where his wife and son are already based, even more appealing.

“I had a few loan options which I didn’t really want to take up because of my family situation,” he said. “With the baby being due, I thought it was wrong to be away.

“When I weighed everything up, with the fact I’m positive we can get out of trouble and with the location, it was perfect for me.”

The 28-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal this week to become caretaker manager Paul Warne’s first recruit of the January transfer windwow. He was highly rated at Ashton Gate, where fans of the second-tier Robins were sorry to see him leave.

“I did really well at Bristol City, I am disappointed it didn’t work there,” he said after playing only 11 times this season. “I felt I did enough to stay in the side, but it wasn’t to be for whatever reason. I am comfortable playing in this league. I have shown I can play in it.

“The league position doesn’t really bother me. I had a similar situation when I joined Bristol City. We were five or six points adrift at about the same time last year and we ended up finishing in midtable.”

Meanwhile, former Rotherham striker Jordan Bowery has been accused of making only an “imperceptible” impact at Leyton Orient.

Bowery, the Millers’ record signing in 2014, left for Oxford United last season after failing to impress at New York Stadium and then signed for League Two Orient who have allowed him to join Crewe Alexandra on loan.

Orient chief executive Alessandro Angelieri said: “In regards to player departures, Jordan Bowery’s contribution during the first half of the season was imperceptible.

“The players at the club now have a massive desire that was lacking from players in the past like Darius Henderson, Jobi McAnuff and Jordan Bowery.”

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