ROTHERHAM UNITED

LAST SEASON

LEAGUE ONE 2nd FA CUP Third Round LEAGUE CUP First Round TOP SCORER Michael Smith ( 25)

FAN FILE

Last season was both exciting and enthralling. It was going so smoothly – then typical Rotherham. In the end, we finally scraped over the line on a dramatic final day. The big talking point is how to replace talismen Michael Smith and Michael Ihiekwe, who’ve both joined Sheffield Wednesday. Smith missed chances but he was fundamental to how we played – though a change of style was needed anyway and this could be a catalyst. This season will be different because we’ll be aiming to avoid going straight back down again for the fourth time in a row! But we’re more experienced, and it seems as though we’re going to invest more than ever in the squad.

Fans think our owner is excellent. Tony Stewart took us out of administration, built a fantastic new ground, and now we’re sustainable.

Look out for Ben Wiles, our central midfielder who will announce himself to the Championship – with us, I hope. Our key player will be Chieo Ogbene [ above], potentially. His directness and speed will help flip defence to attack.

Fans think our ground is amazing. We’re celebrating a full decade at the New York Stadium but it’s still modern. The steep seating makes everyone feel close to the action. The thing my club really gets right is not overstretching ourselves. We have a budget to bring in players, improve them, then sell them on. It’s frustrating at times, but it’s the only way we can continue to punch above our weight.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that this is the season where Paul Warne [ below] may survive or move on, with three Championship relegations on his CV ( all with the lowest budget in the league). Ultimately, he’s created a team that fights for everything, and that’s all we can ask. We know there’s no one who could do much better. If he left, he should be replaced by

Paul Hurst, a Rotherham legend.

The pantomime villain will be us. We’ll take a few scalps and opposition fans will all moan that they ‘ should be beating teams like Rotherham’.

We’ll finish as survivors. Everyone expects us to be 24th. We won’t. We’re smarter and wiser than last time. 20th.

FFT VERDICT 22nd

Replacing Smith will take some getting used to: while the Millers have good midfielders, their style revolved around their complete targetman. Peter Kioso and Jamie Mccart are excellent additions, but are they enough to avoid a fourth Championship relegation in a row?