CLUB skipper Richard Wood has issued a rallying cry to his Rotherham United side that they must relish the underdog tag, if they are to realise their Championship dreams against all the odds.
To many outside the inner sanctum of the AESSEAL New York Stadium, Paul Warne’s side have been seemingly written off with many neutral observers dismissing the notion that the Millers can consolidate their standing in England’s second tier.
But Wood believes that the current Millers points haul of nine points demonstrates that they have “nothing to fear” as they look to upset the Championship applecart.
"We have shown in glimpses what we can do,” Wood remarked.
“I quite like being the underdog and people to write us off but apart from Brentford in the first game, we have caused teams problems in games and we have picked up points. There is nothing to worry about at the moment.
"When we play against the so-called bigger teams, we should not fear them and not be overawed because we've got the players and the energy to compete at this level. There is nothing to fear.”
Following a Championship baptism of fire at the hands of Brentford on the opening day of the campaign, Warne’s side have gradually found their feet at their rarefied level – with the highlights to date, being solitary goal victories over Ipswich Town, Millwall and Derby County at their AESSEAL New York Stadium home.
However, the Millers are yet to open their account on the road, with Wood admitting that his side have to start taking their chances if they are to start picking up points on their travels.
"It is fine margins, as is the case in the Championship,” Wood added.
"As a senior pro, I know we are not far away, we just need to have belief and not be afraid of anything.
"We just need to take our chances. There are a lot of good teams in the Championship. Teams will have the ball but we are comfortable defensively and we have had chances.
“We are good enough to compete in this league. We just need to keep it going and not get negative with everything. We have caused teams problems and we just need to keep the belief.
"To be fair to the gaffer and the staff, we set up well every game. We go through the opposition and we have just got to do the job on the pitch.”
By his own admission Wood is in the autumn of his footballing career but after breathing life into his Rotherham career, most notably by earning a man-of-the-match Wembley double which sealed an instant return to the Championship in the showpiece Play-off final against Shrewsbury Town in May, the ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City defender is determined to make the most of his latest Championship opportunity.
"You want to play at the highest level you can and I’m no different.” Wood added.
“You want to play every week at the big stadiums, against the big teams and enjoy it and that's what I'm trying to do.”