Rotherham United: Billy Jones' injury giving Paul Warne cause for concern

The right-back played a full part in pre-season and looked set to challenge for the right-back position before suffering a heel injury ahead of the friendly with West Brom.

He has been having injections in the joint and looked to be stepping up his recovery, but he suffered a setback after doing some running.

The Millers now do not play until Wednesday, which will give him time to recover, but Warne reckons it will be a while before he gets back fit.

“The break will be good for him,” Warne said. “But after that he'll have been out for five or six weeks and then you need a week to get him back in shape. It's a concern.

“He played a full part in pre-season and then picked up a heel problem just before our League One campaign got under way.

“He hasn't fully recovered from it, which is understandably depressing him.”

At 32, there may not be too many years left for Jones, who has suffered three relegations in a row – two at Sunderland and one with the Millers last season.

As a result his young children have not got too much happy memories of him playing and that is something he would like to change.

“All the lads had to give speeches about themselves to the group and Billy delivered a great one,” Warne said of a pre-season ritual.

“He was saying how much he really wanted to have an amazing season so his kids could remember it.

“They were too young to appreciate it when he was in the Premier League.

“He's had a brilliant career but there have been a few relegations. He said it would be great if he could have a promotion season so his kids actually thought he was good.

“He hardly missed a session and then this heel thing came up. It's hit him pretty hard.”