Joe Mattock says he could not have achieved his consistently high performances this season without the aid of his Rotherham United colleagues.
The left-back has been one of Paul Warne’s stand-out performers this season, making 43 appearances in The Championship, ahead of Sunday’s season finale against Middlesbrough at AESSEAL New York Stadium (12.30pm).
Despite suffering relegation, the Millers have received praise from all quarters for the way they have approached the season, battling to the end against all the odds.
Mattock has epitomised the ‘Rotherham spirit’ by becoming a cornerstone of the current back four, and the former Leicester-ace says that, whilst he is disappointed to suffer relegation, from a personal point of view, he has produced one of his best campaigns to date.
He told www.themillers.co.uk: “I've put everything into this season. I've dedicated this year to being my best year yet in my football career. I'd probably say I have done that, although it is hard to say that you have been successful in yourself when we have been relegated. On a personal front, I feel like I have managed to play every game as well as I can do. I have had more positive outcomes than negatives. I just want to keep that going.
"I feel like the club, the manager, players and the staff have helped me achieve that massively. The lads here mean everything to me. I have some good friends here, so they have helped me. Games wise, I think it is the most I have ever played in one season, so I am pretty proud to have done that.”
Mattock was part of the side which produced another stirring display against high-flying West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, where the Millers were in front until the hosts struck with two late goals.
After the game the 28-year-old confirmed it was a sombre dressing room, but this week there has been a real focus to end the season with a positive result.
Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough side can still make the Play-offs, and with Warne’s side determined to finish on a high, Mattock expects another committed display from the hosts.
He added: “The result last weekend was hard to take, but the one thing I can say about this team is that we went down fighting. We gave everything that we could. There has been some top performances throughout the year from some of the players, and it explains itself with the amount of international call-ups this season.
"We have just got to move on from that quickly, put it into the back of our minds, because there is nothing that we can change about it now. We are looking forward to Sunday with the intent on getting a positive result so we can finish on a high, and give the fans something to cheer."