The Millers sign Wes Thomas...
Rotherham United have completed the signing of striker Wes Thomas from Championship side AFC Bournemouth, subject to FA/Football League ratification.
The striker has signed for an undisclosed fee and has joined his new team mates and manager Steve Evans for training this morning.
The 26-year-old has signed initially until the end of the season but talks continue for the player to sign for an extended stay at the New York Stadium.
The Millers manager confirmed he faced a battle to secure the former Cheltenham hot-shot’s signature, but is delighted to add him to the Millers squad.
“Wes is an excellent signing and I thank our Chairman for his continued support,” Evans told www.themillers.co.uk this morning.
“The lad had several options but he has decided to join us and we are all delighted.
“Our talks will continue into Wes being here for much longer than the summer but at least he is here until the end of the season. The fact that the lad wanted to join us straight away and allow his representatives to continue talking to us is a great sign.”
Thomas served his apprenticeship in non-league playing for the likes of Waltham Forest, Thurrock and Fisher Athletic before getting his break in league football with Dagenham and Redbridge.
After impressing in a loan spell at Grays Athletic he joined Cheltenham Town in 2010 where he bagged 19 goals in all competitions prompting interest from elsewhere. It was current Millers boss Evans who signed him for Crawley Town but the form of strike duo Matt Tubbs and Tyrone Barnett restricted his opportunities.
A move to Bournemouth followed after a successful loan spell and he was in the squad that earned promotion to the Championship last season. Thomas has also had loan spells with Championship sides Blackpool and Birmingham City, before joining the Millers this morning, after 12 appearances this season for the Cherries.
“The lad gets a goal, is strong and works in every match with such enthusiasm,” added Evans.
“He is an excellent addition to the squad and although we hope to complete some further transfer business this month there is no doubt we are already considerably stronger than when we entered January.
“This lad is very talented; our supporters will take to him. We tried desperately hard to sign two strikers in addition to young Tom Hitchcock over the weekend, and we landed one and he is a very good one at that.”