Millers to leave Millmoor??

It's something we've heard time and time again, going back over a decade - A new ground for the Millers!! Can we believe it this time??

Speaking to the 'Tiser, Millers chairman Denis Coleman says the club are actively working on relocating to a new site after failing to regain possession of Millmoor. "We have not ruled out moving to a new site and I am actively working on that." he said.

The Millers finance director Giles Brierley also hoped that Rotherham Council would help on the matter, and looked at neighbours Doncaster Rover's new ground which was built by the council and also houses Doncasters Rugby team.

"We will meet with the council to see if we can establish anything, but purely in the long-term we have to have a different stadium if we are to move forward. The historian in me loves Millmoor but the size inhibits us and it is only really suitable for the division we are in."

"The ground standards required by the football authorities are increasing all the time. We can't continue with a situation where our teams change in cabins. Modern football grounds are entertainment centres with proper banqueting suites, hotels and the like."

"The board have seen what has been done at places like Hull City and Swansea and they have worked a treat. Those stadiums give a town something to be proud of and we would love the same."

"I do look across at Doncaster with some envy and at what has been achieved there in partnership with the council and we would love to go down that route. The facilities at Doncaster are superb and everyone can see what a positive impact the Keepmoat has had on Rovers and on the town."

"Just looking at Millmoor, if ever we were in a position to finish the new stand and negotiate a reasonable rent then we would have a fantastic chance. As it is, we have to meet unfair rental payments every week and they are resources that could be used a lot better. The full repairing lease means that we have to pay for repairs. The Booths have contributed nothing."

"We are confident we can go on meeting the rent but it is going to be hard work."

Brearley then went on to say how the problems regarding Millmoor were hindering the posibility of people investing in the club, "Would you invest in a business on premises owned by a hostile landlord that attack in every way it can and bleeds it dry?" He said.

"For 97 years, Millmoor was an asset to Rotherham United. For the last three it has been a liability."

"Only Bradford City pay more rent than us in League Two but they have a much bigger stadium with banqueting facilities, a proper boardroom and offices. We know business is business, but all we are asking for is fairness. Everyone at Millmoor has rolled their sleeves up and worked really hard. If it was not for the current board of directors, there would not be a club."

The Millers cannot leave Millmoor until 2011 at the earliest as the current lease contract is for 25 years with an option to break durign 2011.