In Profile: Rotherham United

Pre-Season
26 Jul 2019
3 Minutes
Rotherham United will welcome one of two Leicester City sides which are set to be deployed in a double header of pre-season fixtures on Saturday.

One Foxes squad will head to bet365 Stadium to tackle Sky Bet Championship side Stoke City, while the other visits New York Stadium to face Rotherham.

After already taking a closer look at Stoke, LCFC.com now profiles Rotherham, who were relegated to the third tier of English football last season.

The manager

Warne will be hopeful of repeating his promotion exploits with Rotherham.

Paul Warne has been manager of Rotherham United for four years, a period of time which has included considerable change at New York Stadium.

In November 2016, the former Millers midfielder replaced Kenny Jackett, initially on an interim basis, and while they were relegated, he won the confidence of many in South Yorkshire. 

The following season, the club was rewarded for that faith as Warne led them back into the Championship by winning the Sky Bet League 1 Play-Offs.

However, despite a valiant effort to preserve their second-tier status, Rotherham were ultimately relegated again under Warne's management, finishing 22nd last season.

Over Warne's entire management career with the club which he represented 257 times as a player, he has won 30.8 per cent of his matches. 

The squad

Former Preston and Swansea City striker Jamie Proctor is among Rotherham's ranks.

Two of Rotherham's biggest goal threats last season, Semi Ajayi and Will Vaulks have this summer departed for West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City respectively.

Michael Smith, however, who netted eight goals in all competitions last term, has remained at New York Stadium.

So far this summer, Paul Warne has made five permanent signings - Shaun MacDonald, Freddie Ladapo, Julien Lamy, Matthew Olosunde and Jamie Lindsay.

Meanwhile, City fans will recognise one figure to have joined them on loan this summer, Foxes and Denmark Under-21s goalkeeper Daniel Iversen.

The trophy cabinet 

The Millers were promoted to the Championship in 2018, but relegated again one year later.

Rotherham have twice lifted the third tier title (1951 and 1981), while finishing as runners-up once (2001) and winning the play-offs on two occasions (2014 and 2018).

Elsewhere, the Millers have once been crowned fourth division champions, in 1989, finishing second three times (1992, 2000 and 2013), while also gaining promotion in third-place in 1975.

While the club is yet to win one of the two biggest domestic cup competitions, they did reach the League Cup Final in 1961, losing out 3-2 to Aston Villa.

More recently, a 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town at Wembley Stadium in 1996 booked them a Football League Trophy success.

The stadium

New York Stadium has a capacity of 12,021.

Rotherham have called New York Stadium their home since its opening in July 2012. Following spells at Millmoor and Don Valley Stadium, New York Stadium has since provided the Millers with a spacious and modern home venue for the past seven years.

This weekend's clash won't be Leicester's first visit to New York Stadium, though, after most recently playing Rotherham in another pre-season friendly in 2015.

Classic encounter

City were frustrated by their hosts in 2003, but they didn't have to wait long for promotion.

Leicester City edged closer to a return to the Premier League with a 1-1 draw with Rotherham United at Millmoor in April 2003.

Micky Adams' Foxes, who would seal the achievement a week later at home against Brighton, were behind just before the hour-mark following Alan Lee's opener.

It proved to be a tense afternoon for the visitors, but Trevor Benjamin's 75th-minute strike ensured that they returned to the East Midlands with a point.

City eventually concluded the 2002/2003 season as runners-up to Portsmouth in the old First Division, returning to the top-flight at the first attempt.