Exclusive: Joe Rafferty Eyes Third Promotion as He Turns Portsmouth Heartbreak into Rotherham Ambition

Joe Rafferty is using the disappointment of being released to help try and help Rotherham get promoted.

Former Liverpool graduate Rafferty toasted memorable success last season as a key player with 39 league appearances in Portsmouth’s brilliant promotion back to the Championship.

But the 31-year-old was left stunned when the League One champions decided not to offer him a new contract to stay at Fratton Park.

However, while some players might have sulked at the snub, ambitious Rafferty is now gunning for a hat-trick of promotions to add to his impressive CV.

He won promotion with Rochdale earlier in his career and, after fine success with Pompey, now hopes he can achieve what would be a magical third promotion with the Millers.

“What we [Portsmouth] achieved last season was unbelievable, it was the best season of my career,” Rafferty told SportsBoom.com. 

“But I was gutted when they told me I wasn’t going to get a new deal."

“I was really surprised, but I spoke with the manager [John Mousinho] and he told me that he had lined up a young player to come in and the club were going in a different direction."

“It was hard to take, even the fans were shocked, but as much as I disagreed, we shook hands and did things professionally. There was no massive falling out or anything like that."

“Unfortunately that’s football and you have to move on – and that’s what I’ve done."

“I wouldn’t have moved to Rotherham if I didn’t think we could get promoted."

“It’s a great club with so much potential. I’ve got a massive hunger to be successful here."

“I had others when I left Portsmouth, but I wanted to come here because I think we can achieve something.”

RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB

The Millers have played in the Championship in six of the last 11 seasons but, last term, were relegated back to League One.

Experienced boss Steve Evans took over the managerial reigns in April last year when the club were already relegated.

Rafferty believes the respected Scot, now in his second spell at the club, is the right man for the job as the South Yorkshire side look to win their place back in the second tier.

Evans masterminded the Millers’ 2012-13 promotion to League One and has won promotion with other clubs he’s managed during a distinguished career.

“I’d never played for Steve before, but I knew about him,” added Rafferty, who played four seasons for Preston North End in the Championship before his move to Pompey.

“He’s got good pedigree in terms of promotion and I’ve bought into what he wants to achieve."

“Promotions are what you remember and what you can tell your kids."

“I remember doing it with Rochdale and what a special feeling that was, then Portsmouth last season."

“Hopefully I can achieve the same success with Rotherham. When I signed I thought we had a really good chance of promotion – and that’s not changed."

“It’s a building process. Everyone expects the club to go straight back up, but it doesn’t work like that."

“It’s such a tough division. Just looked at Wrexham and Stockport, who have both come up, they’ve invested and want to get into the Championship and are doing really well this season."

“But apart from Birmingham, who are blowing everybody away, I really do this league is there for the taking."

“This season has not been as good as we would have hoped for, but two or three wins on the trot and we could be in the play-off mix."

“We’ve just got to keep battling and see what happens because there’s still a lot of games left.”