How a Town loanee helped relegate his parent club
TREVOR WOMBLE had a great career with Rotherham United, giving ten years’ service and playing 214 league games.
But during the 1972-73 season he was out of form and out of the side when he agreed to come on loan at Halifax Town to assist George Mulhall’s side, with Millers’ boss Jim McAnearney not unduly worried that this move might come back to haunt him.
After all, two days before Womble agreed to his loan, Rotherham’s 2-1 victory over Brentford on 6 March had lifted them to 15th in the old Third Division, four points clear of the relegation zone.
On the same afternoon, Town’s 1-0 defeat at Charlton Athletic left them 23rd and 11 points adrift of Rotherham.
It was said of Womble when he arrived that he was a “crowd pleaser who never stops running”, yet his immediate impact at Halifax Town was minimal.
He was an unused substitute for the home wins over Tranmere Rovers and York City, before appearing as a substitute in the goalless draw at Grimsby.
Rotherham were three points clear of 21st-placed Swansea City, whilst Town’s 2-1 win over Plymouth, in which Womble made his first start, reduced the gap to safety to four points.
On the same day, the Millers lost at Scunthorpe, and only then may there have been whispers of relegation on the terraces when they prepared to meet Bolton Wanderers on 31 March.
Crucially at this point, Rotherham only had six matches left, whilst the Shaymen were forced to cram in ten.
They had done their survival hopes little good by slipping to midweek defeat at Watford, and on the day that Rotherham secured a surprise 1-0 victory over champions-elect Bolton, Mulhall’s side lost 2-0 at Swansea City.
Victory over Brentford on April 4 left Town looking up at The Bees, who now occupied the first relegation place, four points better off.
Rotherham’s standing would improve with a 1-0 win over Rochdale whilst Town gained a point in a 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers at The Shay, the first goal being scored by our man Womble, of whom it had been announced several days earlier that he would remain at the club until the end of the season, the thought not entering the head of Rotherham boss McAnearney that he might recall the player.
Rotherham followed up their wins over Bolton and Rochdale with a third, this time a 1-0 success over Southend United on the same evening that Town drew at Oldham.
Rotherham were now up to 14th on 41 points, Town eight points worse off than them and five points adrift of safety, a situation that hardly improved when they crashed 3-0 at Bolton on 16 April.
Rotherham lost 2-1 at Blackburn on Good Friday, then three days later, lost 3-2 to Oldham. In between, Halifax beat Charlton 3-0, leaving them four points behind 20th placed York, whose one remaining game was away at 18th placed Rotherham.
That game took on greater significance following Town’s Easter Tuesday victory over Southend, in which Womble scored Town’s first goal.
The Millers knew a point would secure their safety, whilst York needed a victory. On the same afternoon, Halifax Town were set to play their penultimate fixture, a home match with Bournemouth.
Town won 2-0, while York beat Rotherham 2-1. With The Millers now within reach, all Town had to do was win their final match at Walsall.
Against the odds, and backed by a large Town contingent, the Shaymen won a tense match 1-0 and drew level with Rotherham.
It was goal average – goals scored divided by goals conceded – which decided placings and here Town’s goal average of 0.81 compared to the Millers’ 0.78 was just enough to send Rotherham down.
Job done, Womble returned to a sombre Millmoor, with manager Jim McAnearney losing his job following his side’s relegation.
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