Survival, a captain's farewell, a sacking and a new boss: the Rotherham United highs and lows of the last 12 months

JANUARY

It's the New Year but, to start with, it's not a happy one.

January 1 brings an insipid Championship defeat at Millwall that is followed by FA Cup embarrassment at the home of a team from the division below in Ipswich Town.

Manager Matt Taylor, two months into the job calls a meeting with his players at Roundwood. More than words fly. A plastic bottle goes through the air at one stage.

The confrontation has the desired effect. Results pick up and the survival mission is back on.

Everyone is sad to see that prince of passers, Dan Barlaser, leave for Middlesbrough while Jordan Hugill and Sean Morrison are among the arrivals in the transfer window as chairman Tony Stewart digs deep to fuel the safety bid.

The big bonus of the month is that another in-demand player, Chiedozie Ogbene, stays.

Results: Millwall 3 Rotherham 0, Ipswich 4 Rotherham 1 (FA Cup), Rotherham 4 Blackburn 0, Watford 1 Rotherham 1.

Quote: “This is genuinely one of the best groups I’ve been involved in, but I think maybe there needs to be a bit more digging out. You don’t know how people will react with things like that. However, something has got to change, and very quickly.” Conor Washington after events at Portman Road.

FEBRUARY

All hail the 141.

That's how many intrepid Millers fans make the Monday-night trip to Swansea City to see Ogbene score in a 1-1 draw in South Wales. Yes, Monday night. Thanks, Sky TV.

There's more encouragement as the points keep on coming but a last-minute midweek loss at survival rivals Reading is a blow. On Valentine's Day as well. There's little romance for away followers as they make the long trip home from Berkshire.

Ollie Rathbone is immense in the win over Sunderland and puts Rotherham in front but he's struggling with a groin problem, as is the other scorer, Shane Ferguson.

Results: Rotherham 0 Sheff Utd 0, Blackpool 0 Rotherham 0, Reading 2 Rotherham 1, Rotherham 0 Coventry 2, Rotherham 2 Sunderland 1, Swansea 1 Rotherham 1.

Quote: “Playing for this club means a lot to me and the gaffer sat me down to say I was trying too hard, That helped me massively. I would like to say the speculation didn’t affect me but I’m a human being so I’m sure it did.” Ogbene on being unsettled by all the talk of a possible move.

MARCH

The Millers are under pressure against Cardiff City and suddenly AESSEAL New York Stadium is under water.

The match against the Bluebirds, another side locked in the battle to avoid the bottom three, is hit by a freak rainstorm at the interval and is abandoned early in the second half with the visitors leading 1-0.

The downpour is Biblical. Two fish and five loaves? It's more a case of three ground staff and three brushes. The trio try to dry out the pitch but have little effect and referee Oliver Langford has no option but to tell the teams to stay in their dressing rooms.

Results: Rotherham 3 QPR 1, Birmingham 2 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 1 Preston 2.

Quote: “Absolutely disgraceful!! We have a team fighting for every ball, every point, in a very tough league and I witness this!!! 1,500 supporters travelled five hours to watch our team play. Safe journey home. Sorry we couldn’t finish the game.” Tweeting Bluebirds coach Dean Whitehead doesn't think too much of the clean-up effort.

APRIL

Rotherham are inching, point by precious point, towards their goal.

Domingos Quina makes the biggest contribution of his disappointing loan spell by taking one for the team and getting himself sent off while preventing an opposition winner in the stalemate at Hull City.

Burnley, arrogant, self-entitled, champions-elect Burnley, are in town and have their title celebrations put on hold as Taylor's men hold them to a 2-2 draw.

Afterwards, they attempt to disrupt Rotherham players' moment with the home faithful by directing their warm-down routine towards the North Stand. Fuming Taylor tells them in four-letter terms to return to their own half.

Cardiff are back. Some of their fans are wearing snorkels, Fair play, that's funny. It doesn't rain goals but they're happy enough as a late strike from Cedric Kipre is enough to give them a victory to cheer.

Results: Hull 0 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 3 West Brom 1, Norwich 0 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 0 Luton 2, Rotherham 2 Burnley 2, Bristol C 2 Rotherham 1, Rotherham 1 Cardiff 2.

Quote: “One game, Mate. F*cking hell!” Lee Peltier borrows his manager's vocabulary book as he teases Josh Vickers for assuming media duties after the goalkeeper's first league appearance of the campaign, at Norwich City.

MAY

Match-winner Hakeem Odoffin is dancing and Richard Wood is fighting back the tears after safety is secured.

The ‘Magic’ song is sung on a magic day as the out-of-contract captain is given a humbling reception with his two sons in front of the kop following the triumph over Middlesbrough in his final home outing.

There's no need for snorkels as the Millers breathe a huge sigh of relief. Fifty points and 19th spot. They stay up for the first time in four attempts since 2017.

Rathbone and Ferguson are among a list of absentees stretching into double figures but the job has been done.

Nearly 5,000 Millers head to Wigan for a last-day party where Wood receives a similar ovation to the week before.

Taylor is ruthless. Within days, some staff, including ones in key medical positions, are heading out of the door.

Results: Rotherham 1 Middlesbrough 0, Wigan 0 Rotherham 0.

Quote: “I don't have a massive ego - I'm not the type to milk things - and I wasn't sure how to react. I just tried to try to take everything in. To get that send-off from supporters with my boys there to see it ...” An emotional skipper can't finish his sentence as he talks about his New York farewell.

JUNE

Deals for Peltier, Sean Morrison, Tyler Blackett and Grant Hall start the close-season recruitment. The gamble on signing older players will come back to haunt Taylor.

Winger Ogbene goes to the Premier League with Luton Town. No surprise there. Right-back Peter Kioso is allowed to drop down to League One on loan with Peterborough United. Now that is surprising. Injury has wrecked his first season but he has talent and would be a useful man to have around.

The Millers offer a contract to 37-year-old former Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp, the second tier's most prolific ever scorer, and a stand-off that will drag on for much of the summer begins

Quote: “What Rotherham stand for as a club is what I stand for as a person. I'm not the most skilful player. I'm dead simple, hard-working and give everything. That's what the Millers have been about.” Wood reflects on nine years in S60.

JULY

Sharp isn't saying ‘yes’ and he isn't saying ‘no’.

Rotherham are also chasing another player, midfielder Christ Tiehi. He is keener to sign but red tape surrounding a work permit for the Frenchman who has been playing in the Czech Republic delays the deal.

Trialist Andre Green impresses enough in two friendlies to be offered terms. Ollie is fit again but there's still no sign of Fergie.

Quote: “We're in the reckoning but there's competition. He's a player in demand. We've done the best we possibly can as a club and we'll see how it develops.” Taylor on the pursuit of the former Blades hitman.

AUGUST

Sharp still isn't saying ‘yes’ and now the Millers are saying ‘no’ by turning their back and looking elsewhere.

Opening day brings a wake-up call at Stoke City. Cafu is wrongly dismissed and the same fate befalls Fred Onyedinma in the next league match as referee Robert Madley costs the home side victory over Blackburn Rovers.

Not for the first time in his New York tenure, Taylor is pointing fingers at officials. It brings a double apology from referees group PGMOL but the damage has been done.

Injuries are biting again. Ferguson is in the midst of three rounds of surgery and Peltier is out for a while. There'll be more - so many more - casualties to come.

Ben Wiles ends a 16-year Rotherham association by going to Huddersfield Town and the £1-million-plus fee for the local lad is used to make Sam Nombe the Millers' record signing.

Results: Stoke 4 Rotherham 1, Rotherham 1 Morecambe 1 (EFL Cup, Millers win on penalties), Rotherham 2 Blackburn 2, Sunderland 2 Rotherham 1, Rotherham 1 Leicester 2, Stoke 6 Rotherham 1 (EFL Cup).Quote: “Football is going in a strange direction. I know they are trying to make it a better product but I am not sure it is at the moment. It's actually gone the other way.” Taylor is questioning the misfiring crackdown by referees on time-wasting and gamesmanship.

SEPTEMBER

Wow! Norwich are beaten at New York and social media is buzzing with delighted claims that it's the best football Rotherham have played in modern times.

But it's the only triumph of the month and the displays in defeats at Huddersfield and Millwall are some of the most passive the Millers have produced in modern times.

A pattern is emerging: decent at home, dreadful away.

And, of course, there are injuries. Cameron Humphreys takes his torn hamstring off for an operation.

Results: Rotherham 2 Norwich 1, Huddersfield 2 Rotherham 0, Millwall 3 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 1 Preston 1, Cardiff 2 Rotherham 0.

Quote: “We're at a little bit of a crossroads, waiting for a first win to give us more belief. Don't wait for it, go and make it happen.” Taylor's pep-talk to his team before that victory over the Canaries.

OCTOBER

There's a first point on the club's travels, at Southampton, but another match on the road has much more significance.

Chairman Tony Stewart joins supporters in being appalled by the manner of the loss in the derby at Sheffield Wednesday and Taylor, the man who engineered last term's safety feat, now has a survival issue of his own.

Blackett joins fellow centre-half Humphreys for hamstring surgery, Green is done for the season, Hall is seen briefly for the first time in the campaign and is quickly sidelined again.

Goalkeeper Viktor Johansson wins his first international cap for Sweden. Kioso is tearing it up at Posh.

Results: Rotherham 1 Bristol C 2, Southampton 1 Rotherham 1, Rotherham 2 Coventry 0, Sheff Wed 2 Rotherham 0.

Quote: “It's about who's got the character. I thought some of the players really tried to stand up but some went missing.” Taylor is as unhappy as the fans and his boss over the shame of Hillsborough.

NOVEMBER

Taylor is sacked. Injuries and the away form have done for him.The chairman isn't prepared to give him more time after a 5-0 mauling at Watford, but there's no successor already lined up and number two Wayne Carlisle is placed in temporary charge.

The hunt for a permanent successor is feeling almost as long as the Sharp saga.

Nathan Jones is considering the job but doesn't like what he sees at Hull and decides to wait until after he's watched another game before delivering his verdict.

Results: Rotherham 1 QPR 1, Rotherham 2 Ipswich 2, Watford 5 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 1 Leeds 1, Hull 4 Rotherham 1.

Quote: “It's up to the powers-that-be. I've brought in some of those players. It's not just on them, it's on me as well. But I'll be damned if anyone can do a better job with that group at this moment.” Taylor is philosophical and defiant at the same time minutes after the final whistle of the Hornets game.

DECEMBER

Jones walks away after observing proceedings at Birmingham City. Gary Rowett and Mark Warburton have been in the frame but neither take up the opportunity to be the new appointment.Finally, Leam Richardson is named head coach. Rob Kelly comes in as his assistant and Carlisle departs.

Daniel Ayala is red-carded in two successive appearances to earn the dubious distinction of being the only player in the EFL this season to put his name to that particular statistic.

Fergie isn't ready, Green has had an achilles op. Humphreys and Blackett aren't close to comebacks, Cafu, Sam Clucas and Onyedinma have also been out.

Tom Eaves' first goal since his 2022 arrival is a welcome distraction.

Rotherham have hit bottom spot and it's now more than two months since the last of their two wins. Their best team possibly stays up. Throughout the season, they've never been close to fielding it.

Richardson has a huge job on his hands and we all wish him well.

His fourth match brings his first win and some much-needed relief. The New Year is almost upon us. The fear is, it may be as unhappy as the start of this one.

Results: Birmingham 0 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 1 Swansea 2, Rotherham 0 West Brom 2, Plymouth 3 Rotherham 2, Leicester 3 Rotherham 0, Rotherham 1 Middlesbrough 0. Still to play: Rotherham v Sunderland.

Quote: “I'd like to think I bring many qualities as a person, as a manager, as a man-manager, as a coach, as a person who can get the best out of people and build an environment that suits the club.” The head coach on what he's adding to the survival challenge.