NEW loan signing Shaun Miller reckons he can hit the goal trail at York City like he did for Shrewsbury this time last year.

Miller grabbed the 90th-minute winner on his debut for the Shrews during a 2-1 triumph over Bradford City 12 months ago.

He went on to net three times in eight loan outings and, despite the Shropshire club failing to avoid relegation to Sky Bet League Two, Miller’s displays helped him earn a summer move to Coventry.

Since then, opportunities at the 1987 FA Cup final winners have been limited to one start and, despite scoring twice for the Sky Blues, new boss Tony Mowbray has allowed the ex-Crewe and Sheffield United forward to see out the season at Bootham Crescent.

Miller made his debut for the Minstermen as a stoppage-time substitute during Saturday’s 4-1 victory at Mansfield and, although it was too late to make an impression in that match, he is hungry to repeat his individual success with the Shrews.

He said: “I was doing nothing at Coventry but there’s everything to fight for here. With the squad that we have got, I am looking forward to help the team get some vital wins by getting some games.

“Hopefully, then, like I did when I was at Shrewsbury, I can finish the season on a bit of a good note.”

Miller also explained that he is glad to have left Coventry behind, having made only one appearance for the Sky Blues since mid-October after falling out of favour under previous boss Steven Pressley, which led to a loan spell with Crawley before the turn of the year.

Commenting on his switch, Miller added: “It was all a bit last minute. I wasn’t planning on going on loan because I’d been out for a couple of weeks with a calf injury but I trained the previous week and the Coventry manager called me in on deadline day to say that Russ (Wilcox) had been in for me, so it was perfect timing really.

“I jumped at the chance. I hadn’t been doing much at Coventry and have not really been given a chance there.

“It’s massively frustrating when you’re being overlooked. I expected to play a lot more this season and I don’t know why I haven’t.”

The 27-year-old forward will be out of contract at the Ricoh Stadium when his loan stay with City comes to an end and admitted he is keen to get some clarification concerning his plans for next season.

“I want to try to get something sorted as soon as possible but, whether that’s at Coventry or elsewhere, I don’t really know at the minute,” he declared. “I’m not sure what the new manager at Coventry makes of it all so I will see what happens in the summer.”

York Press:

MENTOR: York coach Richard Cresswell, who oversaw Shaun Miller’s start at Sheffield United

As well as with playing alongside ex-Shrewsbury team-mates Luke Summerfield and Dave Winfield, Miller is also looking forward to working under former Sheffield United striking partner and previous mentor Richard Cresswell, following his recent appointment as City’s first-team coach.

“Cressie had masses of experience when I played with him in terms of his knowledge of the game and how he went about playing,” Miller pointed out.

“He was still performing at a top level for Sheffield United when we were fighting for promotion in League One and, as a fellow striker, I will be looking to him again for more advice over the coming weeks.

“He’s had a very good career and worked with quite a few managers so he’s got all the tools to be a decent coach.”

Despite joining a club down in the lower reaches of the Football League, Miller went on to insist that he was not shocked by his new side’s comprehensive ten-man triumph at the weekend, saying: “From what a few of the lads have said, they’ve been very unlucky and drawn a lot of games that could easily have been turned into wins.

“Seeing them in training, I also know there’s plenty of quality in the side. Everybody was confident going to Mansfield and the result didn’t surprise me.

“It was a great performance and a massive three points, especially with ten men.”