The Season That Was 04-05 – Deano's April/May Review
Last updated : 15 July 2005 By Bigrich.....
 | Scorer at Stoke |
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Early April saw the Millers travel to Stoke City, a game which could finally see relegation made a certainty. The Millers fought hard in an intriguing encounter with magnificent travelling support. Campbell-Ryce was running the show down the left side and with the scores locked at 1-1 going into the dying seconds, it was his fierce angled shot that was parried onto the unfortunate Gifton Noel-Williams who deflected the ball past his own ‘keeper. Remarkably, this was the only Millers victory to be recorded on a Saturday afternoon all season!
Relegation avoided but only for 3 days as a midweek journey to Ipswich saw the team battle their hearts out to go down 4-3 at Portman Road. Tony Thorpe scored a cracker, but Jim Magilton was pulling the strings from midfield for the home side. With the Millers 4-1 down in the second period, Butler’s goal and McIntosh’s deflected free-kick made it a tense finish as promotion hopefuls Town held on for a narrow win, condemning Rotherham to life in League One. Two days later, the news broke from Millmoor that everyone was anticipating as the new gaffer was announced. Ex England International Mick Harford was the board’s choice.
 | Gaffer |
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Harford had been out of work since leaving Nottingham Forest as assistant boss earlier in the campaign and brought with him an in depth knowledge of the game as well as vast playing experience. He watched from the stands as the Millers went down 2-1 at home to play off chasing Preston, as Sedgy scored with a fine effort. It was perhaps inevitable that he would score on his return to Millmoor. Mick stated that players were playing for their futures at the club and they needed to impress in the end of season run-in to win a new contract, but perhaps the worst performance yet was a gutless and spineless defeat at home to Watford, as Heidur Helguson’s goal gave the Hornets a survival life line.
On the field there was little to shout about but at least off it seemed a bit
more positive. The board announced a new kit deal with American sports retailers Nike and news came through that the Football Foundation had agreed to grant the Millers £1.7million for the new stand. Meanwhile, RUST started their appeal to raise £300,000 towards the project as the team prepared for a trip to Molineaux. Harford replaced Pollitt with Montgomery in goal to have a closer look at the Millers back up stopper and also tinkered with his formation on several occasions. The team showed fighting spirit but little end product as Wolves ran out 2-0 winners, Kenny Miller wrapping things up late on.
The end of the month saw a season ticket price freeze announcement for next season, whilst Brighton rolled into town, another side fighting for their Championship lives. Predictably, the Rotherham players looked like they were already on their summer holidays as Brighton won a scrappy game by the single goal as we all retired to the pub for a cold beer and the end of year player presentation. Garner, Scott and Warne were told they wouldn’t be offered new deals and for the fans, the season couldn’t end quickly enough.
Into May and Elland Road provided our last chance to bow out of this league with some pride as we took on Leeds United. It was a 6am Saturday set off as a small group of us walked 40 miles to West Yorkshire to raise money for the Terminal Youth Sufferants Of Cancer Charity and The Bluebell Wood Appeal. Plenty of sore bones as we arrived at the ground at 12.30pm on the
 | Disallowed goal |
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Sunday to witness a battling display that earned us a goalless draw. All three points could have been snatched though as Proctor’s last minute header was controversially ruled out for offside to the disappointment of everyone who was drenched behind the goal!
End of the season, end of an era, time to look forward with a new board and manager, the future’s bright, the future’s Rotherham United!…..
