Rotherham United F.C.
| Rotherham United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rotherham United Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Millers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1870 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Millmoor Rotherham |
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| Capacity | 7,902 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman |  Dennis
Coleman |
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| Manager | Mark
Robins |
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| League | League Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006-07 | League One, 23rd (relegated) |
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Rotherham United F.C. is an English football club from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, that plays in Football League's fourth tier, League Two. Their home strip is red and white with white shorts and a gold trim. The away kit is white with black sleeves and the alternate 3rd kit yellow with black sleeves.
History
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| The first Rotherham United kit (1925) | |||||||||
The club was formed as Thornhill United. For many years the leading team in the area was Rotherham Town F.C., who spent three seasons in the Football League while Thornhill United were still playing in the Sheffield & Hallamshire League. By the turn of the century, however, Rotherham Town had resigned from the Football League and briefly gone out of business before joining the Midland League. Meanwhile, Thornhill's fortunes were on the rise to the extent that in 1905 they laid claim to being the pre-eminent club in the town and changed their name to Rotherham County F.C. For a period both clubs competed in the Midland League, finishing first and second in 1911-12. When the Great War ended, it was decided to extend The Football League by creating four new places in Division Two. Rotherham County, who had been champions of the Midland League in 1915 before the competition was suspended, were elected to one of the vacancies.
The Second Division was rather too tough for the Yorkshire side and in 1923 they were relegated to Division Three (North). In 1925 the club finished bottom and had to apply for re-election. Rotherham Town were themselves struggling and it was clear that to have two professional clubs in the town was not sustainable. Talks had begun in February 1925 and in early May the two clubs merged to form Rotherham United. Days later the reformed club was formally re-elected under its new name.
In a new amber and black strip, United may have begun with optimism but the new club fared little better than the old one. The now familiar red and white was adopted around 1928 but there was no improvement in the club's fortunes: in 1931 they again had to apply for re-election. Immediately after the Second World War things looked up. After adopting Arsenal-style white sleeved shirts, United finished as runners-up three time in succession between 1947 and 1949 and then were champions of Division Three (North) in 1951.
Rotherham reached their highest ever league position of third in the Football League Second Division in 1955, when only goal average denied them a place in the top flight after they finished level on points with champions Birmingham City and runners-up Luton Town.
The club held on to its place in Division Two until 1968 and then went into a decline that took them down to Division Four in 1973. In 1975 they were promoted back to the Third Division winning the championship.
The Millers won the division three title in 1981. Not only did the Millers pip one of their neighbours, Barnsley, to the championship but the double they recorded over Sheffield United helped send them tumbling into the fourth division.
In 1981/82, Rotherham were once again in contention for promotion to the top flight but eventually finished 7th, some 4 points off 3rd place. After a poor start the club had occupied a relegation place at the end of January before embarking on a club record winning spree of nine games which saw them rapidly climb the table.
The highlights of this campaign were undoubtedly their two meetings with Chelsea. Firstly the Millers thrashed the Londoners 6-0 at Millmoor before triumphing 4-1 at Stamford Bridge in the return in front of just 11,900 fans.
This exciting but ageing team, which included the attacking talents of John Seasman, Tony Towner, Rodney Fern and Ronnie Moore could not maintain this level of performance, however, although it was something of a surprise to see them relegated again the very next year.
By 1988, United were again in Division Four but won the Division title at the first attempt. During the 1990s Rotherham were promoted and relegated between the lowest two divisions with some regularity. However, in 1996 Rotherham won the Football League Trophy final at Wembley.
The Championship Years
The most successful manager to take charge of Rotherham United in recent years is Ronnie Moore, a former player of the club. His first season ended in a mid table finish and his second in a playoff defeat, but it was third time lucky in 1999-2000 when Rotherham finished as Division Three runners-up and gained promotion to Division Two. They were favourites to be relegated in 2000-01, but surprised all the observers by finishing runners-up in Division Two and gaining a second successive promotion. During this highly successful campaign, Rotherham also surprised critics by beating Premiership side Southampton in the FA Cup.
Rotherham remained in Division One (later renamed the Football League Championship) for four seasons, their most successful of which was the 2002/03 campaign. The Millers were in contention for a play-off place, however a last minute blip in form led them to finish 15th in the league, their lowest position all season. The following season, the Millers sold danger man Alan Lee to Cardiff City, and struggled without the Irish international's goals, finishing a disappointing 17th. However, the Millers once again surprised all critics by drawing 1-1 with Arsenal in the League Cup. A disastrous 2004-05 season, finally saw Rotherham relegated from the Championship. Ronnie Moore resigned during the relegation campaign, which saw Rotherham rooted to the foot of the division virtually all season long.
2006 Financial Troubles
Mick Harford took over as Millers manager and made a promising start to their first season in League One. However, after a run of 17 games without a win, Harford was relieved of his managerial duties, replaced by former Wales international Alan Knill. Early in 2006 it was announced that the club faced an uncertain future unless a funding gap in the region of £140,000 per month could be plugged. The problem was compounded as Rotherham do not own their ground (Ken Booth took ownership of Millmoor in return for clearing £3m of debt), and have no tangible assets - as a result administration would not be a viable option for them, as it has been for other clubs. This led to the launch of a "Save Our Millers" campaign, aiming to raise the £1m needed to complete the season. It was also estimated that another £1m was required to complete work on the new stand.
Rotherham's South Yorkshire neighbours offered their support. Sheffield United paid the wages of Stephen Quinn and Jonathan Forte during their successful loan spells at Millmoor, and also donated profits from the beam-back of the Sheffield derby on February 18 to Save The Millers. Many local clubs also held collections.
An eleventh hour intervention by a consortium of local businessmen offering substantial investment and a new business plan averted a possible dissolution of the club. Dennis Coleman took over as Rotherham United chairman, and made an immediate positive impact. [1]
The final match of the 2005-06 season, home to MK Dons, was a winner-take-all relegation showdown. A scoreless draw, combined with a Hartlepool United draw with Port Vale, kept Rotherham up and consigned both MK Dons and Hartlepool to the drop. However, Rotherham were to start the following season with a penalty of minus 10 points as a result of their recent financial troubles.
Alan Knill - Against The Odds
Rotherham United began their second successive year in the Coca-Cola Football League 1 with a 10-point deficit as a result of the CVA which saved the club from liquidation. Many people felt that this gave manager Alan Knill an almost impossible task but he worked hard all pre-season to give the club a fighting chance of surviving in League One.
At one point during the close season, the team had only seven full-time professionals on the books but Knill made many high-calibre signings during this period to bolster the squad including former Liverpool winger Richie Partridge, ex-Premiership players Delroy Facey and Martin Woods, former Bayern Munich and Nottingham Forest star Eugen Bopp and many others who have played at a higher level.
On 16 September, after three wins and two draws in their first nine games, Rotherham gained their first point in the league. They moved off the bottom of the table on 14 October, and after a run of three successive victories they moved out of the relegation zone after a 5-1 win against Crewe Alexandra on 28 October. After winning every league game in October, Knill was awarded the Manager of the Month and Yorkshire Manager of the Year awards.
At the arrival of the January transfer window, Knill sold stars Lee Williamson and Will Hoskins to Premiership side Watford for a combined fee in the ranges of £1.2 million. The much needed funds from this deal will now see Rotherham United financially secure until the end of the 2008 season - a fantastic achievement of which Alan Knill deserves much credit. [2] However, losing their two best players undoubtedly took its toll on the millers, who sunk back to the bottom of the table after winning only one match in three months. "We had quality but we sold it," said Knill "It's a big loss to the squad and its taken its toll." By the end of February, the Millers sat 13 points adrift of safety, making the threat of relegation almost inevitable. This resulted in Knill being sacked on March 1, with Mark Robins becoming caretaker manager.
Mark Robins
After a spell of three wins in six games while in charge as caretaker manager, and moving the club off the bottom of League One[3], Robins position was made permanent on 6 April, 2007[4]. After some excellent results against league high-flyers Blackpool, and Nottingham Forest, Rotherham were ultimately relegated from League One at the hands of play-off hopefuls Carlisle United. After a rather disappointing end to the season, which saw four consecutive defeats for the millers, Mark Robins began a major overhaul of his playing staff.
A massive fifteen players were released during the summer, with eleven new faces being brought in. These include Doncaster Rovers goalkeeping legend Andy Warrington, non-league star Tom Cahill, premiership reserve keeper Steven Cann from Derby County and Accrington stanley player of the year Andy Todd. The millers also made the surprise signing of highly experienced defender Graham Coughlan, who turned down a contract with Leeds United to join the South Yorkshire outfit. On Friday 11th May, Mark appointed John Breckin as assistant manager, the same role he enjoyed during the successful Championship campaign.
The millers made a very promising start to the 2007/08 season, winning their first home game against League Two favourites Peterborough, and taking a point from each of their away fixtures.
Cup Success
The club has reached the fifth round of the FA Cup on two occasions in 1953 and 1968.
In '53 the club enjoyed a magnificent 3-1 win at cup holders Newcastle United before going down at home to Aston Villa by the same scoreline.
In 1968 they put out both Wolves and Villa before losing to the only goal in a replay at Leicester.
The Millers also made it to the first ever League Cup final in 1961 to meet Aston Villa. They won the first leg at Millmoor 2-0 before succumbing to a 3-0 defeat in the return leg at Villa Park.
The club did triumph at Wembley in 1996 in the Auto Windscreen Shield, beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1 with both goals coming from the on loan Nigel Jemson in front of a decent crowd of 35,235.
Stadium
Rotherham United play all their home games at Millmoor. On one side of the ground is the site of the new Main Stand which is being constructed. It is hoped that the 4,500 capacity which is single tiered, all seated and covered, will be completed sometime during the 2006/07 season. On the other side of the ground is the Millmoor Lane Stand, which has a mixture of covered and open seating. Roughly each section on this side is about a third of the length of the pitch. The covered seating in the middle of this stand looks quite distinctive, with several supporting pillars and an arched roof. Both ends are former terraces, with several supporting pillars and have now been made all seated. The larger of the two is the Tivoli End, used by home fans. It was noticeable that the pitch slopes up towards this end. The ground also benefits from a striking set of floodlights, the pylons of which are some of the tallest in the country at approximately 124 feet high.
Away fans are housed in the Railway End where normally just over 2,000 fans can be accommodated. This end is covered and all seated. An unusual feature is that away fans can only access this end via a small, narrow alleyway.
Millmoor is famous for being the first ground in the country to sell Pukka Pies. The fans are generally considered friendly and the standard of stewarding within the ground relaxed.
Club Staff
Board Members
- Chairman: Dennis Coleman
- Directors: Giles Brearley, Gary Hall, David Costin, Paul & Barry Elliot
- Chief Operating Officer: Paul Douglas
Team Management
- Manager: Mark Robins
- Assistant Manager: John Breckin
Players
- As of start 2007/08 season
Current squad
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Players out on loan
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For recent transfers, see List of English football transfers 2007-08.
Notable Former Players
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Players records
| Most appearances | ||||
| # | Name | Career | Appearances | Goals |
| 1 | Danny Williams | 1946-1962 | 621 | 11 |
| 2 | Paul Hurst | 1993-present | 429 | 13 |
| 3 | Chris Sedgwick | 1997-2004 | 244 | 16 |
| 4 | Paul Warne | 1999-2005 | 232 | 28 |
| 5 | Shaun Goater | 1989-1996 | 209 | 70 |
| 6 | Michael Pollitt | 2001-2005 | 175 | 0 |
| 7 | Ronnie Moore | 1980-1983 | 125 | 52 |
| 8 | Wally Ardron | 1945-1949 | 122 | 94 |
| 9 | Alan Lee | 2000-2003 | 111 | 37 |
| 10 | Mark Robins | 2000-2003 | 107 | 44 |
| Most goals | ||||
| # | Name | Career | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wally Ardron | 1945-1949 | 122 | 94 |
| 2 | Shaun Goater | 1989-1996 | 209 | 70 |
| 3 | Ronnie Moore | 1980-1983 | 125 | 52 |
| 4 | Mark Robins | 2000-2003 | 107 | 44 |
| 6 | Alan lee | 2000-2003 | 111 | 37 |
| 7 | Paul Warne | 1999-2005 | 232 | 28 |
| 8 | Martin Butler | 2003–2006 | 97 | 28 |
| 9 | Will Hoskins | 2004–2007 | 73 | 23 |
| 10 | Darren Byfield | 2002-2004 | 65 | 20 |
Famous fans
The Chuckle Brothers and the Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme are known to be Millers fans, as are the American band Orson after the TV show Soccer AM selected a team for the group in a random lottery as is Dean Andrews from BBC One's Life on Mars.
Club Partnerships
As part of the deal that saw Tom Cahill sign on a free transfer in the 2007 close season from Matlock Town, Rotherham United agreed to send their first team to Matlock for 3 pre season friendlies over the next 5 years. Matlock Town will also receive first option on any players Rotherham make available on loan.
Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
The current kit is made by Crest Teamwear with the home kit sponserd by Parkgate Shopping and the away and 3rd kits sponserd by Red Tooth Poker.
1999-2003 - T Mobile (Made By Bodyline)
2003-2004 and 2004-2005 - Earth Mortgages (Made By Bodyline)
2005-2006 - Rosehill Press (Made By Nike)
2006-2007 - Rosehill Press (Made By Crest Teamwear)
2007-2008 - (Home Sponsor) Parkgate Shopping (Away Sponsor) Red tooth Poker (Made By Crest Teamwear)
References
- ^ http://www.themillers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10360~805836,00.html
- ^ Millers stars sign for Watford. Rotherham United F.C. (2007-1-5). Retrieved on 2007-1-6.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rotherham_utd/6502231.stm
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rotherham_utd/6529979.stm
External links
- Official Site
- Tickets Offical Site
- Rotherham United Mad/ Unofficial Site
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