Rotherham United Football Club (also known as 'The Millers/The Merry Millers') are an English professional football club based in
South YorkshireSouth Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and the city of Sheffield...
, who compete in
League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, the fourth tier of English football.
The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history. Their current home strip is red and white; their away kit is light blue with white trim.
The Millers played all their home games at
MillmoorMillmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
in
RotherhamRotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
from 1907 to 2008, but have temporarily moved to the
Don Valley StadiumThe Don Valley Stadium is a stadium in Sheffield, England and is the home of Rotherham United FC. The stadium is an athletics stadium which has hosted major UK Athletic events and the 1991 World Student Games. Sheffield Eagles RLFC and Parramore Sports FC also use the stadium. It was designed by...
in Sheffield, the largest athletics stadium in the UK, whilst a community stadium in Rotherham is built.
The club have spent the majority of their history in the Football League's third tier, though their most recent success came in the early 2000s when they found themselves competing in the
Football League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League.The Football League Championship was introduced for the 2004–05 season,...
, the second tier of English football. Since that time, Rotherham has struggled with finances, entering into administration twice in as many years. Rotherham United were therefore one of three teams to start the 2008/09
League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
season on negative points, being deducted 17 points by the Football League. The Millers quickly wiped out this deficit, however, and were in contention for a play-off place until very late in the season. Because of this impressive form, Rotherham start the 2009/10 season as one of the favourites to win the League Two title.
History
The club traces its roots back to 1877. The club was formed as
Thornhill Football Club (later
Thornhill United). For many years the leading team in the area was
Rotherham Town F.C.Rotherham Town Football Club was the name of two English football clubs from Rotherham, Yorkshire. The second merged with Rotherham County in 1925 to form Rotherham United, who are still members of the Football League today....
, 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 gone out of business; a new club of the same name later joined 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 CountyRotherham County Football Club was an English football club based in the town of Rotherham, Yorkshire. The club was founded in 1877 as Thornhill Football Club becoming Rotherham County in 1905. It joined the Midland League in 1903, and stayed in that competition until it was abandoned for World...
For a period both clubs competed in the Midland League, finishing first and second in
1911-12The 1911-12 season was the 41st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Blackburn Rovers won the First Division title for the first time....
. 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 DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992-93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1955, when only goal average denied them a place in the top flight after they finished level on points with champions
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
and runners-up
Luton TownLuton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire. The team plays its home matches at Kenilworth Road, where it has been based since 1905...
.
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.
1990s
During the 1990s Rotherham were promoted and relegated between the Football League's lowest two divisions with some regularity. However in 1996, Rotherham made their first trip to Wembley, beating Shrewsbury 2-1 to win the
Football League TrophyThe Football League Trophy is the generic name of an association football competition for clubs in the two lower divisions of The Football League and, in some seasons, the leading sides in the Conference National...
.
The Ronnie Moore years
The most successful manager to take charge of Rotherham United in recent years is
Ronnie MooreRonald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
, a former player of the club. His first season ended in a mid-table finish and his second in a play-off defeat, but it was third time lucky in 1999-2000 when Rotherham finished as Division Three runners-up and gained promotion to
Division TwoFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992-93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. They were favourites to be relegated in 2000-01, but surprised many by finishing runners-up in Division Two and gaining a second successive promotion. During this highly successful campaign, Rotherham also comfortably beat Premiership side
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club are a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. The club were relegated from the Championship in 2009, and play in League One in the 2009–10 season...
in the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
.
Rotherham remained in
Division OneThe First Division was the top division of The Football League between 1892 and 1992 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Coca Cola Championship.-History:The Football...
for four seasons, their most successful of which was the 2002–03 campaign. The Millers were in contention for a play-off place, but dropped off near the season's end to finish 15th, their lowest position all season. The following season the Millers sold
Alan LeeAlan Meggs Lee is a professional footballer currently playing for Championship club Crystal Palace. He also plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland....
to
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
and struggled without the Irish international's goals, finishing 17th. A highlight of the season was a 1–1 draw with
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
in the League Cup. The 2004-05 season was worse still, and finally Rotherham were relegated. Ronnie Moore resigned during the relegation campaign, which saw Rotherham at the foot of the division for almost the whole season.
2006 financial troubles
Mick HarfordMichael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager, most recently of Luton Town.-Playing career:...
took over as Millers manager but was sacked after a run of 17 games without a win, to be replaced by
Alan KnillAlan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer. He is presently manager of League Two side Bury...
. 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 had already sold their ground to Ken Booth in return for clearing £3m of debt and had no tangible assets, so administration was not a viable option. 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. South Yorkshire neighbours offered their support by paying the wages of
Stephen QuinnStephen Quinn is a professional footballer from the Republic of Ireland. He currently plays as a midfielder for Sheffield United in the English Football League Championship....
and
Jonathan ForteJonathan Ronald James Forte is an English-born Barbadian footballer who plays for Scunthorpe United as a winger.-Club career:...
during their loan spells at Millmoor, and also donated profits from the beam-back of the Sheffield derby. 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.
The final match of the 2005-06 season, home to
MK DonsMilton Keynes Dons Football Club are an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
, was a winner-take-all relegation showdown. A scoreless draw, combined with a
Hartlepool UnitedHartlepool United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
draw with
Port ValePort Vale Football Club are an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent...
, 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 financial troubles.
First Points Deduction - 2006/07
Rotherham United began their second successive year in League One with a 10-point deficit as a result of the CVA which saved the club from liquidation. At one point during the close season, the team had only seven full-time professionals on the books but Knill made a number of signings during this period to bolster the squad including former
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
winger
Richie PartridgeRichard Joseph "Richie" Partridge is an Irish footballer who plays for Milton Keynes Dons. He is the brother-in-law of Manchester United and England striker Michael Owen.-Football career:...
, ex-Premiership players
Delroy FaceyDelroy Michael Facey is a British-Grenadian professional footballer, who plays for Notts County. He plays as a centre forward.-Football career:...
and
Martin WoodsMartin Paul Woods is a Scottish footballer currently playing for Doncaster Rovers. He is an attacking left-sided midfield player noted for his long range shooting and free kicks.-Football career:...
, former Bayern Munich and Nottingham Forest star
Eugen BoppEugen Bopp is a Ukrainian-born German footballer who most recently played for Crewe Alexandra. He was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR but has German nationality...
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 AlexandraCrewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's historical links with the rail industry....
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 windowIn association football, the transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, Knill sold stars
Lee WilliamsonLee Trevor Williamson is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Sheffield United as a Midfielder.-Early career:...
and
Will HoskinsWilliam Richard "Will" Hoskins is an English football striker who plays for Watford. He came through the youth scheme at Rotherham United and has represented England at many levels up to Under 20.-Rotherham United:...
to Premiership side
WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. They play in the Championship. The club was founded in 1881, first playing at Cassio Road ground, before moving to Vicarage Road in 1922, where they remain to this day. Since 1997, they have shared the...
for a combined fee in the ranges of £1.2 million. 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. 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 RobinsMark Gordon Robins is an English football manager currently at Barnsley.As a player, he was most notable for his exploits with Manchester United, Norwich City and Leicester City....
becoming caretaker manager. Robins's position was made permanent on 6 April 2007, but he was not able to save Rotherham from relegation.
Further Penalties - 2007/08
The Millers spent the majority of the 2007–08 season in the automatic promotion places, winning eight consecutive league matches towards the end of the year. However, in mid-March 2008 it was revealed that Rotherham had again entered administration and would be deducted 10 points. This was a accompanied by a drop in form and Rotherham finished ninth in the league. Towards the end of the season, it was revealed that local businessman Tony Stewart was to take over as Chairman and Club Owner, but was advised not to exit administration via a CVA, meaning an additional points deduction for the following season.
On 6 August, just three days before the start of the season, the Football League threatened to block Rotherham (as well as
BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
) from participating in League Two for the 2008-09 season, because the club had not yet exited administration or completed the process of transferring ownership. The Football League ruled that accepting the 17-point deduction would be a condition the team must obey to be eligible to play, which was accepted.
In addition, Rotherham United were forced to leave Millmoor, their home of over 100 years, after disputes with the landlords. Being further into debt, Rotherham also sold their training ground at Hooten Roberts and now train at
Doncaster RoversDoncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008....
' Keepmoat Stadium renting out one of their pitches.
This led to further complications after the Football League demanded a £750,000 bond for the team to play outside of the Town's boundaries for a maximum of four years. The club must move back to Rotherham within this time period, or face losing their Football League share.
The 'New Era'
Under the new ownership of Tony Stewart Rotherham kicked off their first game of the 2008–09 season at the Don Valley stadium with a 1-0 win against
Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C. is an English football team which play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system.The team play at the 10,127 capacity Sincil Bank in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and are nicknamed the Imps after the legend of the Lincoln Imp. More recently, they have...
.
Against the odds, the Millers had an impressive season under the new regime, quickly wiping out the point deficit and being in contention for a play-off place until very late in the season. Rotherham were also involved in two cup runs, reaching the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Final, and the Carling cup last 16. This included victories over higher league opposition in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers,
SouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Leeds United.
Despite losing top scorer
Reuben ReidReuben James Reid is an English professional football striker who plays for West Bromwich Albion.-Plymouth Argyle:Reid was born in Bristol and attended Millfield School. He joined Argyle early in the 2005–06 season, following trials with Manchester United and Crystal Palace...
to West Bromwich Albion, Mark Robins kept the majority of the team together from the 2008/09 campaign. New additions to the squad include record breaking strike duo
Tom PopeThomas John "Tom" Pope is a professional English footballer currently playing for Rotherham United. He wears the number 9 shirt.-Playing career:...
and
Adam le FondreAdam "Alfie" le Fondre , is an English footballer who plays for Rotherham United. He previously played for his hometown club Stockport County and Rochdale.-Stockport County:...
,
Nicky LawNicholas "Nicky" Law is an English football manager and former player. He is the manager of Alfreton Town, and father of footballers Nicky Jr. and Josh.-Playing career:...
and young 'keeper
Jamie AnnersonJamie Paul Annerson is a professional footballer. He is a goalkeeper currently playing for League Two side Rotherham United.-Playing career:...
. Millers legend
Paul WarnePaul Warne is an English professional footballer playing in his second spell at Rotherham United and is well known for his hard working style....
also made his return to the club, as well as ex-premiership players,
Andy LiddellAndrew Mark "Andy" Liddell is a Scottish football midfielder who plays for Rotherham United. He previously played with Barnsley, Sheffield United, Wigan Athletic and Oldham Athletic.-Early career:...
and
Kevin EllisonKevin Ellison may refer to:*Kevin Ellison , English footballer*Kevin Ellison , American football player...
.
The millers continued their good run of form into the season, winning 3 of their first 4 games, before beating Derby County in the cup. The next week saw the millers close to completing another giant killing narrowly losing 4-3 to
West BromWest Brom is an abbreviation that may refer to:* West Bromwich, a town in the West Midlands, England**West Bromwich Albion F.C. a professional association football team based in West Bromwich...
after extra time and being knocked out of the
Football League TrophyThe Football League Trophy is the generic name of an association football competition for clubs in the two lower divisions of The Football League and, in some seasons, the leading sides in the Conference National...
at the hands of Huddersfield Town.
Departure of Mark Robins
Despite Mark Robins categorically denying all rumours linking himself with the vacant managerial position at
BarnsleyBarnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, stating "I do not want the Barnsley job. I am loyal and have a job to do here at Rotherham.", it was announced that Mark was in talks with the millers South Yorkshire neighbours on 3 September. Following this announcement, Chairman Tony Stewart relieved Robins of his managerial duties, placing him on 'Gardening Leave' for the immediate future.
Assistant manager John Breckin therefore took charge of the team during their comfortable 3-1 win over Chesterfield, moving the Millers to top of the league. However, that evening Barnsley FC requested to speak with Breckin, along with first-team coach Steve Taylor and fitness coach Nick Daws, with regards to following Mark Robins to Oakwell. All 3 accepted, and were subsequently placed on gardening leave along with Robins. An announcement was set to be made at 2.15pm on Monday 7 September to unveil Robins as the new manager of Barnsley, however talks stalled due to a disagreement over the substantial compensation package owed to Rotherham United. Barnsley FC were heavily criticised for the public manner in which they conducted proceedings; many supporters and critics feeling these actions made Mark Robins' job untenable, and left the millers vulnerable to accept a reduced compensation package. Mark finally left the millers on Wednesday 9 September, having signed a contract with Barnsley the previous evening, leaving
Steve ThornberStephen John Thornber is an English former professional footballer and current caretaker manager of Rotherham United.Thornber, a midfielder, began his career as a junior with Halifax Town in 1983...
in temporary charge.
The Return of "The King"
The millers drew their first two matches under Thornber's charge and slipped to 3rd in the league, despite playing well and dominating both games. In contrast to Barnsley's capture of Mark Robins, Millers chairman Tony Stewart kept his cards close to his chest regarding the upcoming managerial appointment. A press conference was called for 10.30am Friday 25 September 2009 to confirm the return of Millers legend
Ronnie MooreRonald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
as Rotherham United manager. Jimmy Mullen, widely regarded as one of the greatest captains in the clubs history, was later confirmed as his assistant. The following day, Ronnie was unveiled to the millers faithful at the home game against Barnet, to a massive standing ovation. This inspired a 3-0 victory, which saw the South Yorkshire side dominate from start to finish, and concluded Steve Thornber's time at the helm.
Don Valley Stadium
As of the 2008–09 season Rotherham United relocated to the
Don Valley StadiumThe Don Valley Stadium is a stadium in Sheffield, England and is the home of Rotherham United FC. The stadium is an athletics stadium which has hosted major UK Athletic events and the 1991 World Student Games. Sheffield Eagles RLFC and Parramore Sports FC also use the stadium. It was designed by...
in nearby
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
following a breakdown in talks with the landlords of Millmoor, who have threatened court action in order to retain certain privileges should the club be sold to new owners, leading to the club deciding that they could no longer play at their historic home ground. The new chairman Tony Stewart then relocated the club to the 25,000 seater stadium while the club's new stadium in Rotherham is built.
The stadium has a total capacity of 25,000 making it one of the largest grounds in League 2. Apart from Brighton it is the only league stadium to have a running track around the pitch. But despite the track the stadium is quite modern especially compared to the clubs former home of
MillmoorMillmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
.
Millmoor
The club's traditional home is
MillmoorMillmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
in
RotherhamRotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
. On one side of the ground is the site of the new Main Stand which is unfinished. It was hoped that the 4,500 capacity which is single tiered, all seated and covered, would be completed sometime during the 2006/07 season, but this did not come to fruition until the ground became disused in 2008. 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 were 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 could only access this end via a small, narrow alleyway. In 2003 West Ham United's players famously refused to change in the dressing rooms at Millmoor.
Board members
- Chairman: Tony Stewart
- Directors: Terry Stewart.
- Chief Operating Officer: Paul Douglas
- Operations Director: Julie Hunt.
- Financial Director: Karen Thomas.
- Commercial Director: Steve Coakley.
- Media Officer: Mathew Young.
- Commercial sales: Mark Hitchens.
Team management
- Manager: Ronnie Moore
Ronald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
- Assistant Manager: Jimmy Mullen
- Goalkepping Coach: Andy Dibble
Andrew Gerald "Andy" Dibble is a Welsh former professional football player who played as a goalkeeper. He was a journeyman who played for many different teams...
- Youth Team Manager: Steve Thornber
Stephen John Thornber is an English former professional footballer and current caretaker manager of Rotherham United.Thornber, a midfielder, began his career as a junior with Halifax Town in 1983...
- Physio: Dennis Circuit
- Sports Therapist: Ian Bailey
Ian Bailey was the Head Buyer and later Financial Director of Games Workshop until 1985. He left Games Workshop to write books and develop games. He has had seven books published in three languages and three games in the UK and US...
- Chief Scout: Alan Crawford
Alan Crawford may refer to:*Alan Crawford , English footballer*Australian music publisher who formed the sales and programming company for Radio Atlanta...
- Centre of Excellence Manager: Tony Morton
- Groundsman: Jim Davison
Current squad
For recent transfers, see List of English football transfers summer 2009.
Notable former players
The following players have made appearances for their respective national sides or made significant contributions to football at the club level.
Bermuda
Shaun GoaterLeonardo Shaun Goater MBE is a footballer who played as a striker for a number of English clubs in the 1990s and 2000s...
England
Tony TownerTony Towner is an English footballer.A right winger, he spent much of the 1970s with his hometown club Brighton and Hove Albion before moving to Millwall later in the decade....
Alan Crawford
Dave WatsonDavid "Dave" Watson is an English former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team. He is now the youth team coach at Wigan Athletic.-Playing Career:...
Wally ArdronWally Ardron was a professional English football player, from Swinton, South Yorkshire.He played as a striker and was most prominent at Nottingham Forest where he holds the record, for most goals scored in a season at the club. The record he set was 36 goals in the 1950-1951 season...
Mark RobinsMark Gordon Robins is an English football manager currently at Barnsley.As a player, he was most notable for his exploits with Manchester United, Norwich City and Leicester City....
Harold BartonHarold Barton was an English footballer who played for Liverpool.-Life and playing career:Born in Leigh, Lancashire, England, Barton was an amateur at Whitegate Juniors before he was signed by George Patterson for Liverpool in November 1928, he didn't make his debut until the 9 October 1929 in a...
Paul BladesPaul Andrew Blades is an English former professional footballer. He was a defender who played for Derby County, Norwich City, Wolves and Rotherham United.-Career:...
Will HoskinsWilliam Richard "Will" Hoskins is an English football striker who plays for Watford. He came through the youth scheme at Rotherham United and has represented England at many levels up to Under 20.-Rotherham United:...
Darren ByfieldDarren Asherton Byfield is an English-born professional footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Walsall. His predominant position is as a forward.-Career:...
Paul HurstPaul Michael Hurst is a former English footballer who played in Coca Cola League 2 in England, for Rotherham, where he played for over 10 years. On 14 May, 2009 he was appointed joint manager of Boston United alongside Rob Scott...
Emlyn HughesEmlyn Walter Hughes, OBE was an English footballer who captained both the English national side and the much-decorated Liverpool F.C...
Jim FurnellJames "Jim" Furnell was an English football player, who played as a goalkeeper.Furnell started his career at his local club Burnley, signing at the age of 17. As third-choice keeper he only played twice in eight seasons at Turf Moor, before being signed by Liverpool in February 1962. Furnell...
Ronnie MooreRonald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
Michael PollittMichael Francis "Mike" Pollitt is an English footballer who plays for Wigan Athletic as a goalkeeper.-Manchester United:...
George RaynorGeorge S. Raynor was an English professional footballer and one of the most successful international football managers ever.-Playing career:...
Chris SedgwickChristopher Edward "Chris" Sedgwick is an English professional footballer playing for English Championship club Preston North End....
Neil WarnockNeil Warnock is an English former professional footballer and current manager of Crystal Palace.Since becoming a manager in 1981 he has managed several English football league clubs including Huddersfield Town, Notts County, Plymouth Argyle and most successfully, an eight year spell at Sheffield...
Arthur WhartonArthur Wharton is widely considered to be the first black professional association football player in the world...
Jacob Williamson
Chris SwailesChristopher William Swailes is a footballer, currently playing for Gateshead. He previously played for Ipswich Town under the current Scotland manager, George Burley.-Early days:...
Shaun BarkerShaun Barker is an English professional footballer, currently playing for Derby County.-Rotherham United:...
Scott MintoScott Christopher Minto is a retired English footballer who played as a left back throughout his career. He now works for Sky Sports as a football pundit on Soccer Saturday and also makes appearances on Chelsea TV hosting programmes if needed.-Career:Minto started his career with Charlton...
Jamaica
Lee WilliamsonLee Trevor Williamson is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Sheffield United as a Midfielder.-Early career:...
Deon BurtonDeon John Burton is a Jamaican football striker who currently plays for Charlton Athletic.-Club:Burton began his professional career with Portsmouth, with whom he made his debut in the 1993–94 league season, playing in two games...
Jamal Campbell-RyceJamal Julian Campbell Ryce is an English-Jamaican professional footballer currently playing for English Championship club Barnsley. He is a Jamaican international, qualifying through his parents....
Republic of Ireland
Alan LeeAlan Meggs Lee is a professional footballer currently playing for Championship club Crystal Palace. He also plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland....
Scotland
Martin McIntoshMartin Wyllie McIntosh is a former Scottish footballer who played as a defender. In a career that began in 1988, he made over 500 appearances in the Scottish Football League, the Scottish Premier League and the English Football League....
Robbie StockdaleRobert Keith "Robbie" Stockdale is an English born Scottish football player who currently plays as a defender for Grimsby Town.-Middlesbrough:...
Wales
Alan KnillAlan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer. He is presently manager of League Two side Bury...
- See also .
Club records
- Record League victory: 8-0 v Oldham at Millmoor
Millmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
, Division 3 North, 26 May 1947)
- Record Cup victory: 6-0 v King's Lynn
King's Lynn F.C. is an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. In the football season 2007-08, they played in, and became champions of the Southern League Premier Division....
at MillmoorMillmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
, FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
Second Round, 6 December 1997)
- Record defeat: 1-11 v Bradford City, Division 3 North, 25 August 1928)
- Record home attendance at the Millmoor: 25,170 vs Sheff Utd
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They currently play in the English Football League Championship. They play at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, and play in red and white striped shirts.Their nickname is The Blades....
, Football League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992-93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, 13 December 1952
- Record home attendance at Don Valley Stadium: ... vs Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley Football Club is an English football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the north-west of England.The club was formed in 1968, with the town regaining a club with league status after 44 years when they were promoted as champions of the Football Conference on 15 April 2006.The...
, 10,254, League two, 8 August 2009
- Record league points : 91, Division 2, 2000-01
- Record league goals: 114, Division 3 (N), 1946-47
- Record League goal-scorer: Gladstone Guest, 130 league goals, between 1946-1956
- Record Cup goal-scorer:
- Highest league scorer in a season:
- Most goals in one match: 5 by Jack Shaw Vs Darlington, 25 November 1950
- Most capped player: Shaun Goater
Leonardo Shaun Goater MBE is a footballer who played as a striker for a number of English clubs in the 1990s and 2000s...
(18 caps for BermudaThe Bermuda national football team is the national team of Bermuda and is controlled by the Bermuda Football Association. A member of CONCACAF, it is not among its strongest teams....
)
- Record appearances: Danny Williams
Danny Williams may refer to:*Danny Williams , current Premier of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador*Danny Williams , British heavyweight professional boxer best known for his 2004 knockout of Mike Tyson*Danny Williams , South African-born popular musician*Danny Williams ,...
, 459 league matches, 621 total matches
- Youngest player:
- Record Transfer Fee: £160,000 for Alan Lee
Alan Meggs Lee is a professional footballer currently playing for Championship club Crystal Palace. He also plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland....
- Record Fee Received: £850,000 from Cardiff City
Cardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
for Alan LeeAlan Meggs Lee is a professional footballer currently playing for Championship club Crystal Palace. He also plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland....
- Record Gate Receipts: £106,182 Southampton
Southampton Football Club are a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. The club were relegated from the Championship in 2009, and play in League One in the 2009–10 season...
FA Cup 3rd Round, 16 January 2002
Managers
| Name |
Period |
Name |
Period |
| Billy Heald |
1925–29 |
George Kerr George Adams McDonald Kerr is an Scottish former footballer and manager.As a player, he played for Barnsley, Bury, Oxford United and Scunthorpe United....
|
1983–85 |
| Stan Davies Stanley Charles Davies was a Welsh footballer who played as a forward.- Biography :Davies was born in Chirk. He turned professional with Rochdale in January 1919 but just three months later joined Preston North End for £800. He moved to Everton for £4000 in January 1921...
|
1929–30 |
Norman Hunter |
1985–87 |
| Billy Heald |
1930–33 |
John Breckin |
1987 |
| Reg Freeman |
1934–52 |
Dave Cusack |
1987–88 |
| Andy Smailes |
1952–58 |
Billy McEwanWilliam Johnston McGowan "Billy" McEwan is a Scottish former footballer and manager, who last worked at Mansfield Town.-Playing career:...
|
1988–91 |
| Tom Johnston Thomas Deans "Tom" Johnston was a professional footballer and football manager....
|
1958–62 |
Phil Henson |
1991–94 |
| Danny Williams |
1962–65 |
Gemmill Archibald "Archie" Gemmill is a Scottish former footballer, most famous for a goal he scored against the Netherlands in the 1978 FIFA World Cup...
and McGovernJohn McGovern is a Scottish former association football player and manager. McGovern is most famous for being part of the Nottingham Forest side that won the European Cup twice, under the management of Brian Clough....
|
1994–96 |
| Jack Mansell Jack Mansell is a former professional footballer who made 274 appearances in the Football League as a fullback for Brighton & Hove Albion, Cardiff City and Portsmouth. After retiring as a player he joined the coaching staff at Sheffield Wednesday. He coached many clubs and the Israel national...
|
1965–67 |
Danny Bergara Daniel Alberto "Danny" Bergara de Medina was a Uruguayan footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Bergara began his playing career at the age of 16, playing for Racing Club in the Uruguayan First Division, picking up a handful of under-21 caps for Uruguay, before moving...
|
1996–97 |
| Tommy Docherty For people of a similar name see Tom Docherty or Thomas DohertyThomas Henderson Docherty , usually known as Tommy Docherty or The Doc, is a Scottish former footballer and football manager....
|
1967–68 |
Ronnie Moore Ronald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
|
1997–05 |
| Jim McAnearney Jim McAnearney is a Scottish retired football player and manager. Born in Dundee, McAnearney played in England for Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle, Watford and Bradford City, who he also briefly managed in 1968 with Tom Hallett. He later managed Rotherham United, Frickley Athletic,...
|
1968–73 |
Mick HarfordMichael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager, most recently of Luton Town.-Playing career:...
|
2005 |
| Jimmy McGuigan |
1973–79 |
Alan KnillAlan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer. He is presently manager of League Two side Bury...
|
2005–07 |
| Ian Porterfield John "Ian" Porterfield was a professional footballer, and an experienced football coach who worked at both club and international level for almost 30 years. Up until his death, he was the coach of the Armenian national team. He has the distinction of being the very first manager to be sacked in...
|
1979–81 |
Mark Robins Mark Gordon Robins is an English football manager currently at Barnsley.As a player, he was most notable for his exploits with Manchester United, Norwich City and Leicester City....
|
2007–2009 |
| Emlyn Hughes Emlyn Walter Hughes, OBE was an English footballer who captained both the English national side and the much-decorated Liverpool F.C...
|
1981–83 |
Ronnie Moore Ronald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and went on to manage the millers for seven years...
|
2009-pres |
Past chairmen
- Anton Johnson (1981-1983)
- Ken Booth (1989-2004)
- Peter Rutnewicz (2004-2006)
- Dennis Coleman / Dino Macchio (2006-2008)
- Tony Stewart (2008-present)
Assistant Managers
- Phil Henson (1988-1991)
- John Breckin (1991-2005)
- Alan Knill (2005)
- Mark Robins (2006-2007)
- John Breckin (2007-2009)
- Jimmy Mullen (2009-present)
Club records
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
- Fifth round - 1952–3, 1967–68.
Football League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
- Runners-up - 1960–61
The 1961 Football League Cup Final was the inaugural League Cup final. It was contested by Rotherham United and Aston Villa over two legs. Aston Villa won 3–2 on aggregate....
Football League TrophyThe Football League Trophy is the generic name of an association football competition for clubs in the two lower divisions of The Football League and, in some seasons, the leading sides in the Conference National...
- First team to score in a League Cup Final - 1961 vs
- First team to win a Penalty Shootout in the FA Cup - 1991 vs
- Most games won in a single month - 9 wins in February 1982
- First ever black professional footballer - Arthur Wharton
Arthur Wharton is widely considered to be the first black professional association football player in the world...
Miller Bear is currently the mascot of Rotherham United. Miller Bear was named as Rotherham United's new mascot when they moved to
Don Valley StadiumThe Don Valley Stadium is a stadium in Sheffield, England and is the home of Rotherham United FC. The stadium is an athletics stadium which has hosted major UK Athletic events and the 1991 World Student Games. Sheffield Eagles RLFC and Parramore Sports FC also use the stadium. It was designed by...
from their old stadium
MillmoorMillmoor was a football stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C....
. He replaced the old mascot Dusty Miller.
He is known for dancing to the music before matches and mocking opposing players when they fake an injury. He always wears Rotherham United's red home kit. On the back of his shirt is Miller written along the top and Bear along the bottom with the number 09 in the middle representing the current year
Famous fans
The
Chuckle BrothersThe Chuckle Brothers are Barry Elliot and Paul Elliot who are British comedians. They are best known for their work on their BBC show ChuckleVision, having celebrated its 20th anniversary on 26 September 2007...
are honorary presidents.
Jamie OliverJames Trevor 'Jamie' Oliver, MBE , frequently nicknamed The Naked Chef, is an English chef and media personality well known for his growing list of food-focused television shows, his more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change...
and
MuseMuse are a multi award-winning British alternative rock band that formed in Teignmouth, Devon in 1994. Since its inception, the band has comprised vocalist, guitarist and pianist Matthew Bellamy; bassist and backing vocalist Christopher Wolstenholme; and drummer Dominic Howard...
bassist
Chris WolstenholmeChristopher Tony Wolstenholme, DA, better known as Chris Wolstenholme, is the bassist and backing vocalist for the rock band Muse...
are known to be Millers fans, as is actor
Dean AndrewsDean Andrews is a British actor.He is most famous for his role as DS Ray Carling in the BBC Television drama, Life on Mars in 2006 and 2007...
. Howard Webb famous referee is also known as a Rotherham fan. Also ,
Bring Me The HorizonBring Me the Horizon are an English metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. They played a style of music that fuses death metal and metalcore, known as deathcore on their first album — but they have taken on a more eclectic style with their latest album.-Early years and Count...
drummer Matt Nicholls is a fan , and has even "scored a goal" for the club.
Shirt sponsors and kit suppliers
The 2009–2010 shirts will made by Carlotti and will be sponsored by Parkgate Shopping (Home) and Sports Identity (Away).
Shirt sponsors
| Years | Sponsor |
|---|
| 1991-99 |
Parkgate There are several places named Parkgate, including:*Parkgate, Cheshire, England*Parkgate, County Antrim, Northern Ireland*Parkgate, Cumbria, England*Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England*Parkgate, Verulam, Durban, South Africa...
|
| 1999-03 |
T Mobile |
| 2003-05 |
Earth Mortgages |
| 2005-07 |
Rosehill Press |
| 2007-09 |
Parkgate There are several places named Parkgate, including:*Parkgate, Cheshire, England*Parkgate, County Antrim, Northern Ireland*Parkgate, Cumbria, England*Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England*Parkgate, Verulam, Durban, South Africa...
/Redtooth |
| 2009-present |
Parkgate There are several places named Parkgate, including:*Parkgate, Cheshire, England*Parkgate, County Antrim, Northern Ireland*Parkgate, Cumbria, England*Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England*Parkgate, Verulam, Durban, South Africa...
/Sports Identity |
Kit suppliers
| Years | Kit Supplier |
|---|
| 1991-93 |
Bukta- History :Edward Buck and Sons founded the company in 1879, mainly producing shorts for soldiers fighting in the Boer War. In 1884 Football team Nottingham Forest were pictured wearing kit produced by Bukta....
|
| 1999-05 |
BodylineBodyline, also known as fast leg theory, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
|
| 2005-06 |
NikeNike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
|
| 2006-08 |
Crest Teamwear |
| 2008- present |
Carlotti |
External links