Five things you may not know about Mickel Miller

Miller got his first taste of senior football when he was just 18 years old. He came through the ranks for Sutton-based non-league outfit Carshalton Athletic, who at the time played in the Isthmian Premier Division. In April 2014, the forward made his full debut as his side beat Leiston 1-0. Carshalton were relegated down to the Isthmian Division One South at the end of the season, but in 2014/15, Miller became a mainstay in the team. He made 41 appearances in all competitions in his first full season, scoring eight goals in the process. He replicated this the season after, again scoring eight goals from his 38 appearances. It is massive for any player to get this much senior experience at such a young age. There is no doubt that all of this game time will have done wonders for Miller's development. He was thrown in at the deep end in men's football but he definitely made the most of his chance...

In his third full season with Carshalton Athletic, Miller really came into his own. He made an appearance in every single one of their league outings, and he played a part in 50 games in total. His goal scoring stepped up a level as well, as he netted 20 times during the campaign. At this point, his performances were starting to get noticed by football league clubs. As part of this, in the summer of 2017, he was one of the first trainee's for Jamie Vardy's V9 academy. This was an initiative set up by Vardy himself, aiming to give non-league players a greater chance of making the big time, much like how the Leicester forward has done. Included in the other trainees was former Rotherham United player Blair Turgott. A lot of credit should go to Vardy for this scheme, because it really does help to bring more eyes to talented players outside of the football league. It has clearly helped Miller, as from this summer onwards, his career hit new heights.

A couple of months on from his involvement with the V9 Academy, Miller was offered a trial with Rotherham's arch rivals Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls were impressed enough by the forward's goal scoring exploits that they decided to offer him a trial. Miller would have been disappointed at the time that Sheff Wed decided against offering him a deal and as he instead returned to Carshalton ahead of their 2017/18 campaign. It says a lot about Miller's character that he did not let this rejection affect him, as he continued to perform brilliantly for the non-league outfit. He was on fire for the first-half of the campaign, scoring 25 goals from 33 appearances in all competitions. It was now only a matter of time before a league club came calling, but it did come from an unexpected team. In January 2018, it was confirmed that Miller had signed for Scottish Premiership side Hamilton Academical after they agreed an undisclosed fee with Carshalton for the forward's services. After four years of hard work and toil in the non-league, Miller was finally about to get a deserved chance of playing league football.

Miller has shown that he has quality on the pitch, but we know Paul Warne demands a lot more. The character of his players is as important as their ability. The forward was born in Croydon, London and there is no doubt that he would have had it tough growing up. Over the years, he will have watched friends do wrong and not do as well in life as him. It is understandable therefore that he became an ambassador for 'Unique Talent'. This is a London-based anti-gang charity, which hopes to raise the awareness of the negative impact that gang culture has on society. They have mentor schemes and education services which help to improve the well-being of young people. You have to imagine Warne's eyes lit up when he found out about this. It is really impressive that Miller has shown the maturity and intelligence to get involved with a scheme like this. It is clearly something that strikes a chord with him and is important to him and his family. He is only 24 years old, so it is great to see that his head is in the right place. He also must be aware of how much of a difference his involvement will have in helping 'Unique Talent' realise their objectives. It goes without saying that footballers do not have to get involved with charities like this. But it says a lot about Miller's character that he is proactively looking to make a positive impact on the lives of the people around him.

Miller made six appearances during the last few months of the 2017/18 season for Hamilton. But in his first full campaign for the club, he made a real impact. The forward was constantly in the team as he made 36 appearances in all competitions. He even top scored for his new team, as he bagged eight in total over the season. This helped his side narrowly avoid the drop in the Scottish Premiership. They finished in 10th, a place and a point above St Mirren in the final relegation spot. Miller enjoyed another fine season this year, as he helped Hamilton to stay in Scotland's top division for another year as PPG decided the final standings. The 24 year old scored another four goals last season, meaning he leaves Hamilton with a record of 12 goals from 68 appearances. His contract was up at the end of the 2019/20 season, and Rotherham United have been quick to sign him up on a two-year-deal. Miller does feel like a good fit for Paul Warne's side, and his name will certainly help adhere himself to the fans! The Championship is a step up in level for him, but we have seen countless players come in and better themselves under Warne's regime. Miller will be a brilliant addition to the squad, both as a player and as a person, and we hope he can hit the ground running with the Millers.