RELEASED Darlington midfielder Micky Cummins last night signed a contract with Rotherham United, after admitting he had expected to put pen to paper on a new Quakers deal.

His contract expired at the end of the season and the 29-year-old was expecting to stay with Darlington, but instead Cummins was released as part of a major cost-cutting exercise.

Chairman George Houghton has drastically cut manager Dave Penney's budget, which is why Cummins and eight others have been axed this week.

All those out of contract have been shown the door, except for youngsters Lewis Hardman and Nick Liversedge, who yesterday signed one-year deals, while Tim Ryan will be offered the opportunity to prove his fitness ahead of next season.

The Millers have moved fast to capture Cummins, who spent two years with Darlington, making 91 appearances and scoring ten goals, one of which was against Rotherham in a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day.

Penney informed his squad of the budget cuts on Tuesday, news that stunned the Irish midfielder, who said: "As far as I was concerned I was going in to speak about a contract on Tuesday, but then the gaffer told me the news about the chairman.

"He's cut the budget by 50 per cent and the players under contract at the minute take up 95 per cent of that so unfortunately the gaffer wasn't able to offer any of us contracts.

"It's hard to take. I enjoyed my time at Darlington but obviously it wasn't meant to be."

During Quakers' numerous injury crises Cummins showed much-needed versatility in the closing weeks of the season, impressing while playing as a makeshift striker.

But it is Rotherham who will get to utilise Cummins' adaptability next season, shown the door two years after David Hodgson signed the ex-Middlesbrough youth team player from Port Vale.

He said: "Towards the end of the season I played as a striker and I played as a full-back earlier in the season, so I thought that might have worked in my favour.

I was pleased with my contribution.

"I'm not saying I was guaranteed a contract, but I probably was. You'd have to ask the gaffer if I'd have stayed if he'd had the budget, but I felt I had done enough.

"I went into the office expecting to talk about a new contract, so I hadn't told my agent to do any work (on getting a new club).

So as soon as I came out of the office I rang my agent and told him the situation and asked can you find me a new club?' "I'd never been in this situation before. I've always had a contract lined up.

"I was expecting to get some sort of offer but it never came and I panicked a bit. I'm not one to be waiting around all summer.

"My agent rang me back this morning (Friday) and said there were a few interested clubs. But Rotherham seemed keen and wanted to move fast.

"I went down there for a medical and now it's all done and dusted. The assistant manager, John Breckin, said he has tracked me for a few years while he's been at different clubs and everything at the club seemed right.

"I scored against them this season and I did it a few times when I was playing for Port Vale, so maybe that stuck in their minds."

Penney rebuilt the squad last summer with the aim clearly being promotion. But Darlington finished the season ten points off third-placed Hereford United, after form nose-dived, thanks to a crippling injury list.

Already nine of the 13 who played at Rochdale last Saturday have left, meaning Penney again faces a hectic summer of rebuilding.

Cummins added: "I don't think we were many players short of automatic promotion and we were unlucky with injuries.

"The players all felt we would get everyone back to fitness and we would have another go at promotion next season.

"But the bulk of that squad will be broken up probably and I would have thought even the players that are under contract will be uncertain of their future.

"I've a lot of respect for the manager and Martin Gray and I really appreciate the time I've had with them. I rate them as a manager and a coach but they are in a difficult situation now."