2019/20 Prediction League; Game 18 v Rotherham United (away)

Div3North · 15-11-2019, 01:23

Rotherham United

V

Accrington Stanley

2019/20 Prediction League; Game 18 v The Millers (away)

So, after another game where we didn’t trouble the scorers, we’re off to South Yarkshire to play t’Millers ………………………… actually, I know a limerick about a Miller

“There was a young girl from Aberystwyth,
Who took grain to the mill to get grist with,
But the Miller’s son Jack
Laid her flat on her back
And …………. That’s all I can remember”

Actually, I know another Limerick too …………………

“On the chest of a barmaid from Sale
Was tattooed the price of the ale
And on her behind
For the sake of the blind
Was the same thing, but printed in braille”

Well, maybe you smiled – which is more than anyone’s doing at the footie …………….

Rotherham has a population of just over 250,000, and is the home town of David Seaman, FIFA referee/South Yorkshire Police officer Howard Webb (who holds the record for the number of yellow cards shown in the World Cup Final with a staggering 14 when Spain beat Dutchland 1-0 in 2010, more than doubling the previous best (worst?) of 6 in 1986), golfer Danny Willetts and runner Peter Elliott; the rugby team are The Titans; the town was founded in the very early Middle Ages (somewhere between the Short Ages and the Very Tall Ages), the name coming from Old English words meaning homestead (‘ham’) and Rother (‘main river”), later establishing itself as a Saxon market town; from the time of the Industrious Resolution in the mid 19th Century it became an important iron and steel region (“What do yer Mam an Dad do?” My Mam irons and me Da steals”), and milling grain into flour - see Limerick 1 (above) – was a traditional local industry; and hence their nickname – “The Millers”; you’d have to think it’s a better nickname to have than “The Ironers” or “The Stealers” …………..

Rotherham United was formed in 1877 as Thornhill FC, which later became Thornhill United. For many years the main team in their part of South Yarkshire was Rotherham Town, who spent three seasons in the Football League , but by the turn of the century they’d resigned from the FL and gone bust. Meanwhile, Thornhill's fortunes were on the rise, and in 1905 they changed their name to Rotherham County. For a period both Town and County competed in the Midland League, until County became members of the Division 2 of the FL in 1919, whilst Town failed to secure election to Div 3 North the year after. However by 1925 County's fortunes had declined, and they had to seek re-election to Div3 North, and in early May of that same year the two clubs merged to form Rotherham United. For 101 years (1907 to 2008) they played at Millmoor (I understand that the Queen sent a telegram), and then they spent a nomadic four seasons at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield, before moving into their new “AESSEAL New York Stadium”; their first League game there was a 3-0 win over Burton’s Biscuits on 1th August 2012 ……………….

They’ve never been in the top tier, but have several times been in the second (Championship, Second Division, League Two) – most recently in 2018/19, having won the 2017/18 playoff final 2-1 against Shrewsbury (aet) – but they lasted just the one season, GreasyPoling into League One alongside – well, technically, slightly above - a poor Bolton side and an appalling Ipswich – in 22nd place, with 40 points from their 46 games (of which they won only 8); Paul Warne had replaced Kenny Jackett as manager on 28th November 2016 (Jackett - "Ah won't tek mi coat off, ah'm nt stoppin'" - only stayed 48 days in the job before realizing the error of his ways), and is still there, making him the 14th longest-serving manager in the EFL (Jurgen Klopp’s the 6th longest, immediately after King Coley (Chimer please note) ………………. And speaking of The Sack Race, Stephen Pressley got the bums' rush from Carlisle on Wednesday, and Carl Fletcher was toasted out of Leyton Orientals on Thursday, having only been appointed on 16th October - although no wins in 29 days may have been a contributory factor! The Chairman Nigel Travis said,

"It's unfortunate for the club that we have parted company with Carl after such a short time, particularly as we are a club that tries to preserve stability."
"However, we felt this was in the best interests of all parties and we thank him for his hard work and wish him every success in the future."

Now p*ss off …………………..

Back in New York, the summer brought a Clear-Out of Significant Proportions – 14 leaving, including Joe Newell to Hibs and Ryan Williams to Pompeii, both on expiry of their contracts, and three who were sold for £Mind Your Own Business, they being Welsh international MF William Robert Vaulks (to Cardiff -isn’t it. Look you. Eisteddfod), LB Ben Purrington (to Charlton) and Nigerian def/DMF Semi Ajayi, whose shorts became Baggies ………. Eight arrived, notably striker Freddie Ladapo from the Argyll and Sutherlands, defender Adam Lee Thompson from Bury(FC)(RIP), and Welsh international MF Shaun MacDonald from Wigan ………………

They were out of the EFL Cup before the end of August, beaten by the odd goal in one at home by the Owls, and finished bottom of their EFLTroffy group, beating Donnie at home but losing to Lincoln and Man U’s under 7s …….in the FA Cup they contrived to beat Maidenhead United of the Bananarama 3-1 away, giving them a second round trip to Solihull Moors (don’t look, guys, thee aren’t any ….!)

In the League they started brightly, winning two of their first three; of their next six – save for a 6-1 thrashing of Bolton – they didn’t win, drawing 3 and losing 2, and of their last six they’ve won four and lost two, beating Coventry 4-0 at home, and Blackpool 2-1, Ipswich 2-0 and Gillingham 3-0, all away …………… at home, it’s P7 W2 D2 L3 GF12 GA7; away, it’s an impressive P8 W5 D1 L2 GF 12 GA6, for an overall P15 W7 D3 L5 GF24 GA13 for 24 points and 10th place, two points off the playoff spots …………… only the top five have scored more, and only Ipswich (with 10) have conceded fewer than MicktheMillers …….. 13 conceded in 15 League games frankly isn’t the kind of stat you want when your team hasn’t scored for 6 hours ………………………

Famous ex managers include Ronnie “Betcha” Moore (twice), Mick Harford, Norman Hunter of “Norman Hunter bites your legs, Norman Thorpe bites your ……” fame, That Nice Mr Evans, and Neil Warnock ………………. Their highest ever League finish was third in the old Second Division in 1954/55 with 54 points from 42 games (2 for a win, remember) behind Birmingham and the Luton Louts, who both also managed 54 points, on goal ratio ……… Their record League win was 8-0 against Oldham back in 1947 (they scored 114 goals that season) …………. Their record defeat was 11-1 against Bratfud City in 1928 ……… Record goal scorer was Gladstone Guest, whose minimalistic Wikipedia page reads

“Gladstone Guest (26 June 1917 – 17 July 1998) was an English footballer.
Through Guest's ten years at Rotherham he managed 358 league appearances and 130 league goals, this made him Rotherham United's record league goal scorer.”

The end ………………………

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 16th November. Head to head shows that they Did Us 8-1 in 1930/31, and when we last played them in 2012/13 they won 2-1 at ours and 4-1 at theirs ………….. this season’s leading scorers are one Matt Crooks with 8, Freddie Ladapo with 5 and Michael Smith with 3 (Michael Ihiekwe has two). We’ve failed to score in seven games so far out of 18 (or 21 if you count the Troffy) against their 5 (or 7 if you count the Troffy); they’ve got 34 goals in 21 games, we’ve got 18 in 18 (or 28 in 21 if you count the Troffy) …………..whichever way you add it though, no goals in four – and not looking a lot like scoring in most of them , as I gather – is a little worrying, n’est-ce pas? So could we please try and score a few more? That ok? Thank you much!

Good luck to everyone! ……………..Keep the Faith! ……………… And thanks for playing!