WHAT A SHOCK! NEIL IN KENNY SWOOP
IT’S no great surprise that new Rotherham United manager Neil Warnock has snapped up goalkeeper Paddy Kenny – it’s the fifth time he has signed him!
Warnock also brought the 37-year-old to Bury, Sheffield United, QPR and Leeds and believes his experience will be invaluable as he bids to lift the Millers away from the Championship drop zone. The move, subject to Football League and FA ratificiation, will see the former Republic of Ireland keeper remain at Rotherham until the end of the season.
“Young Alex Cairns is a good keeper but at this level you need a bit of experience at what is a critical time of the season,” said Warnock. “Paddy will give us that in abundance.”
The Millers have also swooped for another out-of-contract player by signing former Watford stalwart Lloyd Doyley, again until the end of the season.
The vastly experienced defender has spent his entire career to date with Watford, ending a 16-year association with the club last summer.
“If you ask anybody about Lloyd they will tell you that he is a really good pro,” said Warnock. “He played over 500 games for Watford.You can put him anywhere across the back and he will give 100 per cent.”
Warnock had earlier called on another familiar face as his first signing for Rotherham, agreeing a deal for 32-year-old winger Jerome Thomas until the end of the season.
“I’ve worked with the new manager at Leeds during a loan spell when I was at West Brom and I also played under him at Crystal Palace,” said Thomas.
“There is a lot of ability in the squad and I know many of the players from my previous clubs. I have signed until the end of the season and we all share the same common objective – to try to keep the club in the Championship.”