After making just
18 appearances in almost two seasons for a club, it could be seen as
bordering on cheeky for a player to be asking for a new contract.
But Richard Wood
– cast aside by two previous managers at Rotherham – is making
the strongest case possible after finally getting some game time and
delivering the goods.
Joining the club
in 2014, the 30-year-old featured just nine times for the Millers
under Steve Evans and Neil Redfearn, spending long spells out on loan
at Crawley, Fleetwood and Chesterfield.
But he made his
first appearance of the season at Bolton in Redfearn's final game in
charge and has not looked back.
Appealing to
likely saviour Neil Warnock's no-nonsense approach, Wood has been a
key figure in the side that has surged from relegation certs to being
on the brink of Championship safety.
The former
Sheffield Wednesday centre-half has played in nine games of Warnock's
reign and been part of a defence that has been breached just four
times in that time.
Forming a no-fuss
but solid partnership with Kirk Broadfoot, Wood has helped lay the
foundations of a run of form that is almost certainly going to mean
this season ends in ultimate success.
And for that, he
reckons he might earn a new deal.
“I've been
desperate to play since I came,” Wood said. “I was injured at the
start. But from that point on I didn't get a chance. I've been in the
office plenty of times.
“I've had a
good career in the Championship and played a lot of games. I was
confident in what I could do if I was given the chance.
“Neil's given
me that chance and hopefully I'm proving to everyone here that I'm a
decent defender in this league.
“Obviously, I
know my strengths. The gaffer will say 'head it and kick it' and
that's what I'm good at. That's why, I think, me and Broady, the
whole team, we've been getting results and keeping clean sheets.
We've not been conceding many goals at all.
“I'm hoping to
stay. We'll see what happens with that. The main thing to start with,
is staying up. That's what we're looking at. But I am out of contract
at the end of the season and I want to try to stay.
“For me,
personally, I want to try to stay. Before Rotherham, I was with
Charlton in London, a long, long way away from my family. I'm settled
here now, back where I'm from. If I can get something sorted out,
that would be good.”
