Rotherham United: Paul Warne urges fans not to boo Freddie Ladapo after transfer request

The Millers play at home on Tuesday for the first time since Ladapo handed a transfer request in when Lincoln visit for a rearranged game in League One.

The 28-year-old has been an unused substitute on two occasions since his desire to leave the club became public, but both games were away from home.

The acid test of supporter sentiment towards the striker will come against the Imps and Warne hopes the home fans do not waste energy on booing Ladapo.

“I don't know how they are going to react and I can't ask people to react the way I want them to because they are all humans with their own opinion,” Warne told the Star.

“It is a difficult one when you are a football fan, you cannot understand why anyone would not want to play at your club for the rest of their lives.

“You can't blame players for being ambitious, but - hence why I didn't want it leaking that one of my players put a transfer request in for this reason - come February 1 Freddie is still our player and if he is I would like to think the fans would support him.

“If he is scoring goals and gets us promoted then everyone is happy.

“Then if Freddie decides in the summer he is not happy and wants to play football elsewhere then that is another conversation to be had.

“But I think whoever puts a Rotherham shirt on should be supported by the fans.

“However, I do understand why they would be upset.

“If I could give them a message I would say if they are unhappy with it I would not ask them to sing his name but it doesn't give any benefit to the team if they booed him.

“Respectfully they choose to do whatever they do. They pay their money, I would rather them sing songs and cheer the team for 90 minutes rather than use any energy on trying to make a player feel uncomfortable.”

With no bids in for the striker, Warne has again expressed his surprise at Ladapo’s course of action.

He added: “If I wanted to buy Bobby Charlton from Newcastle and I'd encouraged the agent to tell the player to put a transfer request in, I don't see the sensibility of leaving it three weeks for someone else to come in and buy him and leaving it to lastminute.com.

“It doesn't make sense to me unless there is something I am not aware of and they think they will leave it late and, 'Oh Rotherham will fold and take a lot less money', then I don't think they know my owner very well.

“That won't happen. So I do find it strange that an offer hasn't come in.”