New signing Danny Schofield is relishing the chance to pull on the red shirt and play some games for Accrington Stanley.
The 32-year-old, who has joined on a three-month loan deal from Rotherham, is yet to make an appearance for the Millers this season and has moved across the Pennines in search of first-team football.
“I can’t wait to get started,” he said. “At Rotherham I’m currently in the situation where I’m not going to play under the current manager so this is an ideal opportunity for me to come here and hopefully play some games.
“I’m thoroughly looking forward to it.
“It’s the first time this has happened in my career. It comes as a shock and it’s a bit emotional but you have to get your head round it quite quickly and move on.
“In the last three or four weeks I’ve been training with the youth team and built up a good relationship with the academy director Steve Moss so I’ve been keeping myself sharp and fit.
“The only thing I haven’t really done this season is played many games but I’m fit and ready to go. I think I’ve had two 90 minutes in reserve games so far but I’m raring to go for a first-team game.”
The former Huddersfield, Yeovil and Millwall man could make his Stanley debut at Dagenham and Redbridge this weekend but manager Paul Cook is considering easing him in gently.
“The likelihood is Danny will be sub,” explained Cook. “He’s trained really well with us and will travel down and be able to have a look at what we do; then if we feel we need to make a change or two for Tuesday night’s game at Chesterfield, then bringing a Danny Schofield in is something that’s great to be able to do.
“We’ve been looking for that bit of experience and he ticks a lot of boxes for us.
“He’s got lots of league experience, great ability and a good playing record.
“A new manager’s come in at Rotherham and this is no disrespect to Steve Evans or Danny because new managers have their own ideas. Rotherham have helped with the deal and we have to thank them for that and it’s a chance for Danny to come and play some football. That’s the main thing.”
So far the Reds have won both of their away games in League Two, triumphing at both Southend and Cheltenham but face two more stiff tests as they head to the Daggers and the Spireites in the space of four days.
“I look at games in blocks of five if I’m being honest,” continued Cook.
“We’ve done okay in the first five but now the mentality is that people will write a team like Dagenham off.
“They forget that this is the Dagenham and Redbridge that were promoted from this league a couple of years ago and you write them off at your peril.
“I don’t write any team off. I’ve been to Dagenham plenty of times and the majority of times I’ve come away with nothing so nobody can tell me that going there will be an easy game.
“We know if we prepare well and do the right things on the day then we’ll stand a chance.”
