Rotherham United struck gold with £125k Hibernian deal | OneFootball

Martin McIntosh was one of the staples of Rotherham's early-2000s second-tier sides

Martin McIntosh was in his 30s when he signed for Rotherham United, as he looked to reignite his career following a dud year-and-a-half at Hibernian.

The former Stockport County man had endured a tough time in the Scottish capital, with injuries and selection issues limiting him to just 18 appearances at Easter Road, and only four of those came in the 2000/01 Scottish Premier League campaign.

McIntosh needed a change of scenery, and despite the interest of Wycombe Wanderers, chose to sign for First Division side (now known as the Championship) Rotherham United on an initial three-month loan deal.

The Millers were embarking on their first season in the second tier following back-to-back promotions, and needed an experienced head to help marshal their backline.

In McIntosh, they didn't get just that; the centre-back was set to be a future captain and someone who would be a major part of their four-year run in the division.

Martin McIntosh impressed immediately at Rotherham United

Rotherham's backs were always going to be against the wall in the First Division, given they were playing two leagues lower just two years before.

Despite failing to win any of their opening ten league games, McIntosh helped the side record four 1-1 draws in the first eight games of his three-month loan spell, and after that, the Millers began to pick up some wins.

In the seven games between their 3-0 loss against Wolves and the centre-back's departure back to Hibernian, Rotherham lost just once, winning four games and keeping three clean sheets. McIntosh played every minute of that run.

He returned to Scotland, but Ronnie Moore was keen to keep him in South Yorkshire, and so Rotherham paid £125,000 for his permanent services.

The Millers were a streaky team in their first season in the second tier. They'd lose just six of the first eight games with McIntosh as a permanent member of the side, but the end of that would overlap into a seven-game winless run.

Rotherham were draw specialists during the 2001/02 season, and most of the time, the draws at the end of an unbeaten run would kickstart a winless one. Their 19 ties were the most in the second tier that season, but were ultimately what helped them stay up.

Like the opening 10 games, the Millers failed to win any of their final 10 games that campaign, but McIntosh and the rest of his defence helped keep scores low, and if they weren't going to win matches, they were happy to draw them, with six of those final 10 remaining level.

Rotherham stayed up on goal difference that season, having conceded just 66 goals all campaign. McIntosh started 39 times that campaign and was ready to help the Millers kick on from their first-year survival.

Martin McIntosh had his final good days at Rotherham United

Rotherham would remain in the second tier for another three seasons after their dramatic survival in the 2001/02 campaign, and when fit, McIntosh was a big part of that side.

Unfortunately, he only managed one more season where he could say he was fit to play for the whole campaign, and it comes as no surprise that this season, the 2002/03 term, was Rotherham's best in terms of league finish.

That season saw a then-31-year-old McIntosh play 42 times in the league. He scored five times across the season, too, including one in an opening day demolition away at Millwall, as the Millers topped the table for a short period of time following a 6-0 win.

Rotherham were genuine play-off contenders for the majority of that season, too, but fell away towards the end and wound up finishing 15th off the back of just two wins in their final 14 league games.

Around this time, McIntosh was named club captain, but injuries hit, and he wasn't able to compete at the level he had in the previous two campaigns. He made just 41 Championship appearances in the 2003/04 and 2004/05 campaigns combined, nearly half of the 81 he managed in his first two seasons at the club.

The 04/05 campaign was when the Millers' time in the second tier came to an end. The 69 goals conceded were just three fewer than their first season in the division, but the inability to score led to a campaign where the side picked up just 29 points.

Martin McIntosh will look back fondly at his time at Rotherham United

McIntosh played in the final game of that season, a 0-0 draw against Leeds United, and that proved to be the final game of his Millers career.

Aged 34, he was released by Rotherham as new manager Mick Harford looked to reduce the average age of the squad. He was picked up by Huddersfield Town and had a solid couple of years there before ending his EFL career with Mansfield Town.

He departed Rotherham, having made 132 appearances over the four seasons he spent at the club and scoring 16 goals from the back.

His time at Millmoor may not have ended as he or the Rotherham fans would have wanted, but there's no doubt that the former captain is well-remembered amongst Millers fans today.