Prospects for the Millers - a review of the pre-season round-ups

Last updated : 09 August 2007 By Site staff
Today's news is tomorrow's fish and chip wrapper, so no-one will remember the predictions of the various football "experts" who are sharing their pearls of wisdom about who'll finish where in the various leagues. That though, doesn't stop your average fan trawling through them and feeling quietly confident/a bit worried/annoyed at how little they know about the club afterwards.

How though, do the various papers and web-sites think we'll fare?

Gary Birtles in the Guardian thinks we'll be amongst the front runners, apparently because Robins has been very busy in the transfer market. He also tips Chesterfield, MK Dons, Lincoln, Peterborough, Wycombe and Stockport as promotion possibles.


The BBC is schizophrenic.

It's own view is less than optimistic, suggesting that simply stopping the downward spiral will be an achievement. (Bet Andy Giddings wrote that). Having said that, it also shows us having signed Colin Murdock from Shrewsbury, so it may not know what it's talking about (almost certain if Giddings did write it).

It also carries, though, an interview with Paul Fairclough, which tips us (along with the other relegated sides) to be in the play-off or promotion places.



Teletext - that great resource of football punditry - also hedges it's best, suggesting that the Millers will fancy their chances in it's opening paragraphs, suggesting that not going down would not be a bad result further down and plumping for 14th as a predicted finish.



The News of the World says we'll finish 7th.

The Mirror doesn't actually manage to mention us at all in its review of the "highs and lows" of the League Two campaign to come, so we assume that means mid-table.

The Sun, is even more optimistic, reckoning that we, along with the other teams dropping down from League Two, will be in running for promotion.



Meanwhile our friend at the Yorkshire Post Ian Appleyard seems to have taken to us a bit, he even has us down a possible promotion contender.

Yorkshire Post prediction: The Millers could be dark horses for automatic promotion after the major rebuilding job which has followed relegation this summer. New manager Mark Robins and coach John Breckin have assembled an exciting mix of youth and experience and, off the field, the club is beginning to rediscover its identity. Work on the Main Stand continues to progress slowly but Millmoor is beginning to come back to life again.
Key to success: The speed in which Rotherham's new-look side gels will undoubtedly determine the course of the season.



Out to the sticks for the next prediction and the Lincolnshire Echo sees us as the likeliest challengers from the club that have come down. Mark Whiley told Notts County Mad: "I can't really see the teams that have come down from League One being that great although Rotherham are perhaps the most likely to challenge."

Similarly, Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson, giving his thoughts to the Star after our last pre-season friendly, thinks the Millers have what it takes to bounce back.


Which is exactly the opposite of what Sky predict. They reckon that Bradford, Brentford and Chesterfield look set to be threatening the play-off places, but the Millers look unlikely to make an immediate return to League One. No real reasons given, but Sky employ a certain Chris Kamara as a pundit, do they not?

In short, then, it'll be a disappointment if we're relegated, but other than that - who knows? Which is about where the fans seem to be, too.
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