Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Fourteen years ago, Rotherham United were at the lowest point in their history. They had been exiled to neighbouring Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium - an athletics stadium built to host the 1991 World Student Games - and were starting the 2008/09 campaign in English football's basement division on -17 points. But new owner Tony Stewart took over the club with plans of building The Millers a new stadium and getting them into the Championship within five years. This season, Paul Warne has once again led the Millers back to the Championship, his third promotion with the club. And although online bookmakers such as FanDuel, which provides betting and free offers on English football, have made them one of the favourites for relegation, there remains a sense of optimism around the South Yorkshire club.
Four years on from that painful season in Sheffield however, Stewart made good on his promise. He delivered a state-of-the-art 12,000 all-seater stadium in the heart of the town centre. Rotherham - long held back by a dilapidated Millmoor, their home of 101 years before their exile - were finally ready for the future. This year, the New York Stadium celebrates its 10th birthday. And despite being a relatively new stadium, it has played host to one of the wildest rollercoaster rides in English football.
In its maiden year, Rotherham finally achieved promotion from League Two. Goals from captain Johnny Mullins and Lee Frecklington secured a 2-0 victory over Aldershot Town on the final day of the campaign. Frecklington's 90th-minute winner sparked scenes of pandemonium, and it would only get better from there.
The following term, they went one better, achieving promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking. Their playoff semifinal at home to Preston North End will live long in the memory. Despite falling behind early to Paul Gallagher's freekick, the Reds roared back. Frecklington was once again on target, securing legendary status, as was top scorer Kieran Agard. That 3-1 victory had the home faithful on the pitch celebrating an unlikely victory, proudly singing Que Sera Sera as the club braced itself for a trip to Wembley. At the home of football, they decided to seal promotion to the second tier in the most difficult way possible. They trailed Leyton Orient 2-0 at halftime in the playoff final, but an Alex Revell double - the second of which perhaps the finest goal ever scored under the arch, a dipping 40-yard volley - sent the tie to penalties. The Millers would prevail and then geared up for their first season in the Championship since 2004/05.
Following that promotion in 2014, the club would manage to stay in the Championship for two years, firstly under Steve Evans and secondly under Neil Warnock. But in their third campaign, new manager Alan Stubbs curtailed any progress that was made with a number of dreadful signings. Then Kenny Jackett arrived and left within 39 days. Following that resignation, fitness coach Paul Warne was asked to take over the reins, and he is still in charge of the club to this day.
One thing that Rotherham fans can't complain about is that things are boring. Football at the New York Stadium has certainly provided value for money since its construction. Especially in the last six years, as the club has finished each campaign by either being relegated from the Championship or promoted from League One.
The Millers have become a classic case of a 'yo-yo' club and last season, Warne once again led his side to promotion on the league's final day. The Millers traveled to Gillingham knowing that victory would send them to the promised land, and when Rarmani Edmonds-Green gave them an early lead, it looked like it would be plain sailing. But it would end up being anything but. As the game dragged on, the second goal never came. Then, with 89 minutes on the clock, Irishman Georgie Kelly - ten minutes into his debut - slammed home from the edge of the area, causing the 2,500 Millers behind the goal to erupt.
This season, the club will be aiming to stay in the division, a feat they have failed to achieve on their last two attempts. Paul Warne, Tony Stewart, and the people of Rotherham will be hoping that this time around, it's third time lucky.
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