So as we give you the chance to select your Greatest Ever Millers XI, we come to the first selection. Every great team needs a great manager and there has been little surprise in who will be managing this team.
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Ronnie Moore has been voted the greatest ever Rotherham manager with a staggering 69% of the vote.
Moore, a former playing hero at Millmoor, was appointed in May 1997 after the club had just been relegated to Division Three. Coming to the club with just two contracted players Moore built a solid team that steadied itself and despite being in the top three at Christmas, his led his team to a 9th placed finish in his first season, missing out on the play offs on the last day of the season.
98-99 brought play off heartbreak as Rotherham, who once again had flirted with the promotion places throughout the season, dramatically lost on penalties to Leyton Orient after a goalless two legs. It was third time lucky for Ronnie in his attempt to restore Rotherham's third tier status as he led the team to a comfortable promotion and nearly stole the championship off Swansea but they could only draw in a championship decider that was marred by crowd trouble.
Moore did not rest on his laurels and his team quickly adjusted to life in Division Two and as the 00-01 season progressed an amazing promotion race unfolded which ended in ecstasy with a now famous 2-1 win over Brentford that sent little old Rotherham in to the second tier of the football league and sealed Rotherham's second successive promotion.
It was always going to be a struggle to cope in a league with huge teams but Moore built a team that had fight and determination and mixed in with a bit of skill and some shrewd transfers the Millers defied all odds and stayed in the league on goal difference. 02-03 was a superb season for Rotherham as the Millers began to establish themselves in Division One and more than held their own, only falling out of the top six in February! A remarkable achievement.
Unfortunately, things began to take a slide as players were sold and not replaced and as the side grew older and the signs of investment in the playing side faded Rotherham began to struggle. Another relegation battle was survived in 03-04 before a disasterous start to the season in 04-05 (20 games without a win) and alledged off the field antics taking a priority Moore was informed by the club's new board that his contract would not be renewed and he left the club in January 2005 ending one of the most successful and memorable eras in Rotherham's history.
Because of this, you voted Ronnie Moore Rotherham's greatest ever manager.
Poll results:
| Millersmad Greatest Ever XI: The Manager? | | | Ronnie Moore | 69.9% | | Reg Freeman | 12.0% | | Emlyn Hughes | 6.8% | | Ian Porterfield | 6.0% | | Danny Williams | 3.8% | | Gemmil/McGovern | 1.5% |
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