Rotherham United boss Paul Warne says defender Clarke Roberston could return to the side for the Championship clash with Derby County this weekend.

The 25-year-old centre-back suffered a hamstring injury in the 2-0 defeat at Sheffield United a few weeks ago and missed the recent 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers, and the 2-1 home defeat to Norwich City.

The current international break has boosted the defender's chances of a return and Warne will assess the player's chances this week.

“Clark Robertson is coming along nicely, and he may be ready for the weekend,” Warne told the club's official website.

“We are virtually back to full strength which is great," added the Millers boss.

“Robbo has worked hard and is closing in on a return, so if he's back he can compete with Michael Ihiekwe and Richard Wood who have both done really well. We are going into the last part of the season in good fettle.”

Rotherham are currently 22nd in the Championship table, one point from safety and face play-off hopefuls Derby County at the weekend.

Roberston has been a key player for the Millers this season, making 22 appearances in the Championship and scoring two goals.

The Verdict:

This is encouraging news for Rotherham United.

Robertson has proved himself to be an important player at the New York Stadium this season and could have a big role to play in the coming weeks as the Millers face a battle for Championship survival.

With so many teams fighting it out at the bottom the table, Warne's side face a serious challenge to remain in the second tier and the Rotherham boss will want as many of his players fit as possible for remaining eight matches.