Rotherham United: New boy Shaun MacDonald ready to put his experience to good use and help Millers win promotion

MacDonald signed for the Millers last week on a two-year deal following his release from Wigan, where he struggled for games in the last two seasons at the DW Stadium due to a serious injury.

But the 30-year-old knows exactly how to get out of League One as he was part of the Bournemouth squad that rose to the Championship in the 2012/13 campaign, making 31 appearances as the Cherries stormed the division.

The Millers are looking to do the same following their relegation last season and that is partly the reason MacDonald has chosen the AESSEAL New York Stadium as his footballing home.

“I can bring a knowledge of how to get back up, get promoted and that is part of me wanting to sign, us getting back to the Championship,” he said.

“I know there is a good group of lads here.”

Boss Paul Warne has spent plenty of time pursuing MacDonald – a player he was a team-mate with 10 years ago at Yeovil.

Warne is very selective about the type of player and person he brings into the club, so the Welshman knows what he is expecting at the Millers.

And he is prepared to give everything he has for the shirt.

He said: “It's important for me to have a knowledge of what the club is about, what the manager is about and I know it's a very hard-working club, the togetherness has to be very strong. Hard work is the minimum and I will always give 100 per cent to the club and to the shirt.”

Although he has played at the New York Stadium twice, once with Bournemouth in a 5-1 win and most recently Wigan in August, the Millers fanbase may not be too familiar with him.

However, his description of himself as a player will get them licking their lips.

“I am a very hard-working player,” he said. “I get on the ball, and try and keep the ball, I'll get box to box and I'll try and get a few goals a long the way.”