Rotherham United: Boss Paul Warne refuses to rule out new deal for former Sheffield Wednesday man

Potter has been condemned to the sidelines since December 2017 with an Achilles injury which required a string of operations.

His rehabilitation has been a lengthy one, but he has been back training with the first team for the last couple of months.

Boss Paul Warne finally found the opportunity to get him back on the pitch when he was brought on as a 66th-minute in the curtain-closing defeat to Middlesbrough.

Warne was pleased for the 34-year-old, who is out of contract next month, after a miserable year and a half.

“It's been really tough for him,” the boss said. “He's been available for about four weeks really but I haven't been able to shoehorn him in - that sounds a bit harsh.

“There was no one in the team or on the bench who didn't deserve to be there so he's had to be patient because he was out for so long.

“I was desperate to get him on the pitch. I nearly put him on at half-time.

“I thought he was the best player on the pitch when he came on. I'm really pleased for him.”

Despite his age and the amount of time he has spent in the treatment room, Warne reckons Potter has plenty left to offer and has not ruled out offering him a new deal.

The former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder was excelling in the club's League One engine room when injury struck and with the Millers back in that division next year he could have a role to play.

On whether he will get a new deal, Warne said: “I don't know. Obviously he is one of many who are out of contract.

“They're the conversations we've been having and will have again this week.

“He brings a bit of calm. People like Wilesy (Ben Wiles) will learn a lot by being around him. He's a good footballer.

“He was out for a long time and people always write you off as soon as you hit 30. “He trains really hard and has got years left in his legs.”

Warne is expected to announce his retained list later this week, where a host of players will leave the club.