Matt Hamshaw believes the instant impact Leeds United loanee Harry Gray has had at Rotherham United helped pave the way for the Millers to have a successful transfer deadline day.
And the manager believes that return prompted other Premier League clubs to send their young players Hamshaw’s way on a busy Monday at the New York Stadium.
The Millers were able to secure loan deals for Wales Under-21 international forward Gabriele Biancheri, 21, from Manchester United and Aston Villa left-back Lino Sousa. Leicester City full-back/midfielder Brandon Cover, 22, also signed on an 18-month contract.
Harry Gray celebrates scoring his first goal for Rotherham United in the recent win over Northampton Town (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe)placeholder image
Harry Gray celebrates scoring his first goal for Rotherham United in the recent win over Northampton Town (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
“We can give these players a platform,” said Hamshaw.
“Harry Gray has had a big impact. Teams have seen him come in here and what he’s done, how he’s improved even in this short period, and I think that helps.
“When I first took over nobody wanted to come here, and all of a sudden a lot more do because they’ve seen the success and the development within that.”
At the other end of the experience scale, Rotherham’s fourth signing of deadline day and sixth of the window was striker Duncan Watmore who has 276 appearances for Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Millwall.
Harry Gray, left, was one of six new signings made by Rotherham United manager Matt Hamshaw in the January window (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe)placeholder image
Harry Gray, left, was one of six new signings made by Rotherham United manager Matt Hamshaw in the January window (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
“I’m happy with this window,”declared Hamshaw. “It’s difficult with windows because people want to surmise very quickly if you’ve had a good or a bad window. I don’t think you can tell that until two or three months down the line.
"I feel like we’ve done some good business and Duncan is someone with a point to prove.
“We’re fortunate we ended up getting bodies in and we needed that for competition for places.
“The big thing is the feelgood factor around it with the fans, hopefully we can get a few more back down to the stadium and get behind the boys and get us through this bumpy period.”
On the signing of 31-year-old Watmore, who had been without a club since the summer and heavily linked to Sheffield Wednesday and other Championship clubs, Hamshaw said: “There’s been a lot of noise around Duncan. I spoke to him early on in the season. Duncan wanted to play in the Championship and I have no problem with people wanting to aspire higher.
"Things didn’t turn up and as the window crept towards the end he called and said ‘I might still be available, would I be of interest?’
“And I’m really pleased we’ve got him. He’s made an impact in the couple of days he’s been here.
“It’s good that we’ve got someone who has been there and done it and can add a lot of competition to the group.”
On the other trio of deadline-day acquisitions, Hamshaw added: “Gabe is a finisher, in and around the box, he’ll work his hardest for the team.
“Brandon has been at Leicester all through his academy days. He’s desperately wanting to play. He’ll be somebody I think we’ll see improve and he’s our player, which I’m delighted about.
“And Lino is a player who has got high potential. He hasn’t got to the levels he’d expect but I’m excited to get him back to those levels. He can play anywhere down the left, great pace, great delivery, and that’s something we’ve been missing.
“We wanted to target strikers and we’ve done that with Gabe and Duncan.
“We needed cover for the right and the left, the fact we could get two players in as a real positive. We needed players to have to push for the shirt and I think we’re getting there now.”
Keeping hold of star striker Sam Nombe also felt like a new signing for the Millers as they look to build on two successive victories and climb away from trouble.