Rotherham United: What fighter Frecklington means to the Millers

Lee Frecklington was a vital player in last season’s Championship run-in but he was nursing a calf complaint that could be aggravated at any time.

Warnock, then the manager leading the Millers’ amazing survival charge, knew how much his side needed their midfield talisman, so he ordered him to go easy in training.

“What can you do with him?” the veteran boss would moan with a mix of exasperation and admiration at every subsequent press conference. “He doesn’t listen.

“He’s out there running round like a maniac every day. He can’t stop himself.”

Millers fans already knew it. Warnock, in charge for only 16 matches, took little time to discover it. No player gives more to the cause than Frecks.

News that the all-action club captain has pledged himself to Rotherham until 2018 will be met with delight by supporters who revere the last remaining playing link between now and the promotions of 2013 and 2014 under Steve Evans.

The 30-year-old had a year left on his deal, but his significance to the Millers is such that the club moved to give him an extra 12 months.

It’s just reward for a player with a warrior spirit who fought back from an injury-blighted spell last term to help to galvanise Rotherham just when they needed him most.

It was Neil Redfearn’s great loss that Frecklington pulled his calf at Preston in early January and didn’t return until the end of February. By then, Redfearn had paid with his job as the Millers struggled and it was Warnock who reaped the benefit when Frecks declared himself fit ahead of schedule and against medical advice.

His comeback coincided with the February 27 2-1 home win over Brentford which sparked the famous unbeaten run that secured Rotherham’s great escape. He started in every one of those games and Rotherham were a different team with him in it.

They beat promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough - with a certain No 8 scoring the late winner amid AESSEAL New York Stadium pandemonium - Ipswich Town and Leeds United (No 8 on target again), then set up safety with an away demolition of MK Dons.

Eleven matches. Six wins. Five draws.

Frecks’ contribution, with his ceaseless running, his constant probing, his willingness to put his body on the line, went beyond impressive. It was inspiring.

The club’s data showed that no player covered as much ground in a game as he did.

New Rotherham boss Alan Stubbs was in charge of Scottish side Hibernian while Frecklington was performing his heroics, but news travelled north of the border.

“I knew about him before I came down here,” Stubbs told The Star. “It was important to tie Lee down. He’s the club captain and his performances are obviously very important to us.

“I’m delighted he’s committed his future to us. Hopefully, we can get even more out of him.

“At Hibs, we just couldn’t sign players of Lee’s calibre. We couldn’t afford the wages for players of that quality, so it’s great to be working with him now.”

Frecklington joined the Millers on loan from Peterborough United in October 2012 during the League Two promotion season. A goal on his debut in a 3-1 triumph at Aldershot gave a taste of things to come and the move was made permanent the following January.

Now he is up there among the most popular players in Rotherham’s history.