Joseph Mills could be going to Doncaster permanently

Joseph Mills could consider himself unlucky, his first team career got under way at Saints just under three years ago when he was given his chance by Jan Poortvliet, unfortunately for Mills he not only found himself playing n a side short on experience and struggling but came under fire from the fans who saw him as part of Rupert Lowe's "Experiment".

This was unfair not only on Mills but on other players in the squad who despite coming in for a lot of flack from Saints fans have been playing in higher divisions since.

When Nigel Adkins arrived Mills could be excused if he though that being the only player that the new Saints boss new much about having played under him on loan at Scunthorpe that he might well get a chance to shine, initially that looked the case as he came on at Adkins first game at MK Dons, but this was to be his last action of the season in a Saints shirt and possibly his last ever.

Soon shipped out to Doncaster on loan, Mills became a regular, usually playing unless injury prevented him fom doing so and weighing in with a couple of goals along the way.

Now though with a year left on his contract he is at the crossroads of his career, he will turn 22 early next season and he needs to make a few decisions about his future.

On the face of it it will come down to what Nigel Adkins plans are, if Dan Harding is offered a new deal then Mills must feel that he has to seek pastures anew, his path will be blocked by Dan Harding and Ryan Dickson and Ben Reeves is coming up fast, that being the case, if Doncaster offer him a chance of a permanent deal then he would be foolish not to take it.

On the other hand perhaps Adkins has sent out Mills on laon to get experience, in the situation the Saints boss found himself in he did not have the scope to let Mills get experience in the promotion chase, if this is the case then this would spell the end of Dan Harding.

In the next few weeks both Mills and Saints supporters will be able to guage where his future lies and indeed the thinking of Nigel Adkins with regard to the left back spot, as I stated in my review of the defence, Saints are top heavy on left backs and have in Harding, Dickson & Mills three with experience plus the promising Reeves with of course Seaborne able to fill in, of the four at least one, probably two have to go, so will Saints look to take an opportunity to move on Mills should Sean O'Driscoll's Doncaster come calling or will they take the easy option and let Harding go.     

Photo: Action Images

ThereIn76 added 22:58 - May 21 Now that we know that Harding, along with Martin and Butterfield, were always going to have their contracts renewed, some ruthlessness needs to be applied. The squad is big - probably too big - so any new (or returning) players must improve it. Will Joe Mills give us more quality than we currently have? If not, sentiment is not a good enough reason to keep him on.
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