Steve Evans talks to Millers Player.
Former Rotherham United loanee Matt Tubbs will be greeted with open arms by manager Steve Evans when he makes his New York return this afternoon.
Tubbs joined the Millers at the start of the current campaign but his loan deal ended at the turn of the year. He has since signed for former club and today’s opponents Crawley Town on loan until the end of the season.
The striker, who endured a fruitful spell under Evans during his first spell at Crawley, netted just once in a Millers shirt, but Evans was full of praise for the front-man who he described as the ‘ultimate professional’.
“Tubbsy is a smashing lad who is the ultimate professional,” Evans told Millers Player.
“Everyone associated with Rotherham United was desperate for him to do well, and there was nobody more desperate to achieve here than Tubbsy himself. Unfortunately for him he kept picking up little niggles, then he had a virus and other players were in good form. He just seemed to be a victim of circumstances more than anything else.
“We had a very civil chat towards the end of his loan, where he outlined that he wanted to play regular first-team football. He could see that we were getting stronger and he wanted to go and sign somewhere else in the south.
“When he comes back here he will get the biggest handshake and hug from me and the rest of the staff here, because in the words of Paul Warne, what a great professional.”
Tubbs made his second debut for Crawley in their 2-2 draw with Coventry, impressing boss John Gregory significantly for him to immediately extend his short term loan until the end of the season.
Watch Tubbs' only goal for the Millers below for free.