Rotherham United have signed winger Luke Rooney on emergency loan...
Rotherham United have signed winger Luke Rooney on an emergency loan, subject to Football League ratification.The Swindon Town wide-man has joined the Millers until 5th January, and arrives following injuries to Lionel Ainsworth and Jamie Devitt.
“Losing Jamie Devitt was a blow because he had settled in so quickly and is a top player for League Two,” boss Steve Evans told www.themillers.co.uk
“We had to move quickly to find a top class replacement and we have certainly done that with Luke Rooney. Every time I have seen the lad play he has been excellent and again I have every faith our supporters will love this lad.”
The 21-year-old started his career with Gillingham, playing over 50 times for the Kent club, impressing promotion-chasing Swindon Town who signed him in 2012. He played a major role for the Robins in their promotion year making 24 appearances in all competitions last season, which included 14 starts. This season he has had a loan spell at fellow League Two side Burton Albion, playing seven times before returning to Swindon in October.
“He has excellent technique, he is competitive and a real winner,” Evans continued.
“I am thankful to Paulo Di Canio for his assistance and it is now down to Luke to come here and perform as he did for Swindon Town last season, he was by far one of their best players at what was a crucial part of the season.”
Rooney has travelled with the squad for tomorrow’s away fixture against Dagenham and Redbridge, but Evans was coy over whether he would start against John Still’s in-form Daggers.
“He is in the squad I have named for Dagenham and I will decide in the morning whether he starts or sits alongside me for a while,” revealed the Millers boss.
“I could not be any happier with this signing, it is the third time I have tried to sign the lad so my patience has paid off.
“Tomorrow we are depleted in numbers but we will go down to London and fight as best we can but I know they are the form team in League Two, it should be a good contest between two good teams.”