Rotherham United boss Paul Warne has placed on record his thanks to departing goalkeeping coach Mike Pollitt, revealing that behind his highly-valued sense of humour, he also played an important role behind the scenes unseen to the public eye in Warne’s first season in charge of the Millers.
Bolton-raised Pollitt, whose return to the Millers was facilitated by current boss Paul Warne in January 2017, enjoyed promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship in 2017/18 and has overseen the development of loan stoppers Marek Rodak and Daniel Iversen alongside Lewis Price and Laurence Bilboe in recent years.
The 47-year-old Bolton Wanderers supporter departs South Yorkshire with the best wishes of everyone at Rotherham United.
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne has enjoyed years of friendship with Pollitt, having played in the same team as the goalkeeper under Ronnie Moore back at Millmoor and he took time to talk to www.themillers.co.uk, explaining he couldn’t stand in the way of a fantastic opportunity.
"He will definitely be missed. I love Polly and he's done virtually three years here after arriving during the very dark times, and he was getting up to leave his house at 5am every morning so I can't knock his dedication,” Warne explained.
"In fairness, he said to me that if it wasn't Bolton, he'd have no interest in leaving. He's going to work with Flitty and Hilly who have been lifelong friends of his, and he's a supporter of the club who lives there too so there is no chance I would stand in the way of him.
"He was my roomie and my best mate for years, then he came back into my life to the point where I've seen him every day for the past few years. You just take things for granted and now he's gone again, so I'll miss him.”
Warne continued to add that as well as his skills as a goalkeeping coach, Pollitt’s humour will be missed around Roundwood on a daily basis, but concedes that wearing the badge of the club he supported as a child will be a proud moment for the Lancastrian.
"In my staff I have very serious characters, some semi-serious ones and then Polly who was not serious at all which worked quite well,” he added.
“Despite that, I'm really pleased for him because, fundamentally, I love the bloke and I want him to be happy.
"Being a goalkeeper coach at Bolton, I'm sure that when he first pulls on the club tracksuit and looks at the badge it will mean the world to him.
The Millers boss concluded by speaking of how Pollitt had helped him through a tough first year in charge of the Millers in the relegation from the Sky Bet Championship, before adding that he has been delighted with how he has helped the goalkeepers develop during his time in South Yorkshire.
"The things that people don't see about Polly are great too. I always say that he's hilarious and he's great at cutting an atmosphere, but he was really supportive to me,” Warne admitted.
“He was always the first member of staff in and sometimes he'd say things which were little golden nuggets to me that I'd keep with me all day.
"As a coach he'd worked really hard with Marek Rodak and he brought him on no end to the stage he's at now playing in the Championship. Dan Iversen, Lewis Price and Laurence Bilboe got on really well with him as well, so they will miss him too I'm sure."