Throughout the last decade, Rotherham United has become the very definition of a ‘yo-yo’ club. In each of the last six seasons, The Millers have either been relegated from the Championship or promoted from League One. And while the heartbreak of relegation is never easy to take, one thing that is for certain is that it’s never boring at the New York Stadium.
Last season, the South Yorkshire club was once again playing their trade in League One. However, they embarked on an incredible run of form that left them head and shoulders above the rest at the summit of the third tier. Then, disaster struck, and a poor run of form saw them drop down to third.
Eventually, the club managed to claw its way back into the automatic promotion places. On the final day of the season, The Millers headed to Gillingham knowing that a win would secure promotion back to the second tier at the first time of asking. And that is exactly what happened courtesy of debutant Georgie Kelly’s last-gasp winner.
Prior to the current campaign getting underway, websites that provide Bitcoin sports betting such as Bovada made Rotherham the favorites for the drop once again. However, as the season approaches its apex, they are currently well positioned in 18th, three points above the drop zone and with a game in hand on their nearest rivals. But how have the Millers fared in their last three Championship campaigns?
2016/17 – Relegated with A Whimper
As the 2016/17 campaign got underway, the Rotherham United faithful were cautiously optimistic about a successful season. The club had avoided relegation to the previous campaign courtesy of Neil Warnock performing yet another great escape act. Hibernian’s Scottish Cup-winning manager Alan Stubbs took over from the outgoing maverick manager and brought with him a plethora of younger players intent on playing attractive football.
The season couldn’t have gone any worse though. Stubbs was sacked in mid-October following a disastrous run of six consecutive defeats. Kenny Jackett was chosen as his replacement however he resigned from his post after just 39 days in charge. Then, the managerial role was given to fitness coach Paul Warne, however, he could do nothing to stop The Millers from plummeting into League One.
In the end, Rotherham finished rock bottom in the Championship that year. They amassed a paltry 23 points all season and ended up finishing a whopping 28 points adrift of safety.
2018/19 – The Millers’ Fighting Spirit Isn’t Enough
Following their relegation in 2017, Rotherham were immediately promoted back to the Championship courtesy of a 2-1 playoff final victory over Shrewsbury Town. The club knew they had a challenging task ahead of them after owner Tony Stewart could only stump up enough cash for free agents and loan signings. Despite that though, the club gave it their all.
Decent early form, including three wins in the opening eight games, saw the Millers sit comfortably above the drop zone. However, they were guilty of picking up too many draws, and that would eventually come around to be their undoing. 10 draws in 13 games throughout the middle of the campaign saw Paul Warne’s men teeter on the brink, and that run was followed by six defeats in seven games, leaving Rotherham perilously positioned in 21st in the table.
Throughout the latter stages of the season, The Millers showed plenty of grit and endeavor, however, that didn’t end up in results. They threw away a 1-0 lead at home to 10-man Aston Villa before ending the campaign with four consecutive defeats. The club was subsequently relegated after finishing in 22nd, four points adrift of survival.
2020/21 – Final Day Heartache
The worst was yet to come, though. The Millers were once again promoted at the first time of asking after global events saw the English football league season end prematurely. An “unweighted points-per-game” method was used to decide the final order of the League One table, and that resulted in Rotherham finishing the campaign in second place.
The club returned to the second tier determined to prove that this would be the one in which they secured their survival. And things started well, especially once the club defeated local rivals Sheffield Wednesday by three goals to nil at the New York Stadium. However, a lack of quality which had been clear in their recent championship campaigns reared its head once again.
Throughout the festive period, the club lost five out of six games, and the writing was on the wall. Paul Warne tweaked his tactics somewhat in the new year, and his changes provided instant results. Four wins in six games throughout January and February saw the Millers climb out of the drop zone for the first time in six weeks.
Several postponements due to global events and adverse weather conditions meant that The Millers had to play ten games throughout April to survive. The campaign went down to the final day, and none of the division’s relegation places had been decided. Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe Wanderers were the Millers’ rivals, all hoping to stave off the drop.
And it looked like it would be Rotherham that did just enough to keep their head above water. With Derby and Wednesday drawing against each other, Paul Warne’s men knew that if they held onto their 1-0 lead away at Cardiff, they would secure their Championship status. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be though, and Marlon Pack’s 87th-minute equalizer in the Welsh capital was enough to consign the Millers to a third consecutive Championship relegation.
