Ian Miller this week extended his loan with Darlington and manager Dave Penney has revealed the defender's determination for first-team football fuelled his decision to stay in the North-East.

Despite not being in the current starting line-up, Miller wanted to stay with Quakers, where he is an important part of the squad, rather than be kept on the sidelines at parent club Ipswich Town.

He joined Ipswich a year ago, aged 22, from local non-league club Bury Town but has made just one appearance for the Suffolk side.

That came last season after his first loan spell with Darlington, where he had been a pivotal figure during February and March, was cut short when Ipswich boss Jim Magilton activated a recall clause.

At that point the Tractor Boys still had had seven games to play but Miller made just one appearance, as a sub for 16 minutes.

No surprise then that Miller is keen to look elsewhere, at least temporally, for regular football. Although he is closer to the action in the North-East, Alan White currently blocks his path to the Darlington starting line-up.

Having been appointed captain, Steve Foster is almost assured of his place, which leaves Darlington-born White and Miller fighting it out for a spot in centre of defence.

Miller started the first game of the season but was not permitted to play in the Carling Cup so was replaced by White, who has since not missed a minute of action while Miller has had to make do with two substitute appearances.

Ambitious Miller is not satisfied with being on the bench, explained Penney, adding that the strong character believes in his own ability.

Penney said: "He wants to play. He's come into the game late, he's only been in the game a year and a bit, so he wants to get his career going.

"He's 23 now, it's not like he's 18 and in the youth team. He wants to get as many games under his belt as quickly as possible.

"But he's bright enough to understand the situation and he's quite confident in his own ability and believes if he does get a chance in the team he'll stay in the team.

"He couldn't play at Barnsley because Ipswich did not want him cup-tied and since then he has been unable to get into the team because the other two, Alan and Steve, have done ever so well.

"He's just got to fight for his place, the same as Alan and Steve have to.

"We've got a big squad now and have some good footballers here so he, and anyone else out of the team, will have to bide their time."

Injuries to both of the club's right-backs, Neil Austin (ankle) and Scott Wiseman (Achilles), meant Penney has resorted to using the versatile Rob Purdie at full-back, while Miller has also filled in there.

Purdie, whose preferred position is central midfield, has moved into midfield during the second half of the last two games, with Miller replacing him at right-back, which is something Penney is happy with.

"If we did get a problem we could put him there," said Penney.

"We've put him there in the last two games, at Accrington because of injuries and on Saturday because we wanted to put Rob in midfield.

"It helps that he's got a bit of pace so that's why we can play him there if we have to.

"We thought Neil had just taken a bash but it looks like it's bone bruising, just like Clark Keltie, and it's taking longer than we expected to settle."

Miller is again likely to be on the bench when Quakers travel to Macclesfield Town today aiming to get back to winning ways after throwing away victory with just seconds to play last week.

Notts County capitlised on slack defending in stoppage time, but Penney believes that Quakers paid for not taking advantage of their first-half supremacy.

Darlington dominated possession during the first half, playing a brand of high-tempo football Penney intends to continue with, but Quakers were only one up.

"You've got to score when you're playing well because if you don't you'll lose," said Penney.

"The game should have been dead and buried at half-time and then we could have seen the game out in the second half.

"You're never going to keep it (the high tempo) up the full game, and I think the conditions had a big part to play last Saturday.

"Ideally we'd play like that a lot longer, for the entire game if we can.

"But don't forget that players are still getting match fit, we've only played four games so far."