Rotherham United boss Paul Warne is confident Trevor Clarke will "rip it up" at Bristol Rovers, admitting he let the player down in his time at New York Stadium.
Clarke spent two seasons at the Millers, but only made 20 appearances before joining Joey Barton's Gas on an initial one-year deal on July 9.
The Irishman played 45 minutes at left wing-back in Rovers' pre-season draw with Plymouth Argyle on Saturday and he is likely to be a regular starter in Barton's side as they vie to climb out of League Two.
Warne reflected on Clarke's spell at Rotherham with regret, unable to give the former Shamrock Rovers defender regular playing time.
"It didn’t go as well as he would have liked,” Warne told the Rotherham Advertiser.
"I let him down. I didn’t put him on the pitch as much as he wanted me to, but I have to make tough decisions. I have to pick a team that I think can win the game.
“I had Trev in my office. I think the world of him. He just didn’t feel like this was a club where he felt he would get the game-time that he wanted.
“It was an honest, candid conversation. You can’t keep players just for the sake of keeping them. It’s not fair on them. It’s their career.
“If he doesn’t feel like he’s going to get the game-time and I can’t win him over then it seems common sense to let him go. I’m not saying he didn’t want to be here. He’d have stayed if I’d guaranteed him a start.”
Clarke suffered a knee injury in his first pre-season outing with Rotherham in 2019, and his opportunities were few and far between thereafter.
But Warne insists he remained a model professional and the Millers boss is confident Clarke will prove to be a shrewd signing for Barton's Gas.
“I wish Trev all the best and I have no doubts he will rip it up with Bristol Rovers," Warne said. “He was unlucky that he got that bad injury, then in his second season when there was a chance to play him I got in Ryan Giles.
“I brought Gilo in when Trev thought that would be his chance to play. Gilo was a great addition.
“It’s my job to try to keep the culture right and play the best team. Unfortunately, with that there are always losers in every football squad. I do think I let Trev down. He didn’t get to show the fans what he had. I hope he does that at Bristol Rovers.”
