Warne eyes 'best ever achievement'

A win at home to Bristol Rovers this afternoon will effectively guarantee the Millers a top-six finish in League One, just a year after crashing out of the Championship.

The team chief told the Advertiser: "Mentally, we didn't start the season on zero, we started on -5 because we carried the psychological baggage from last season. Lots of people feared we’d have another like that and I understand that paranoia.

"If we get in the play-offs it would be the biggest thing I have achieved in my career because there is a lot more to managing than just putting a team out on a Saturday. It controls your life and all the staff here have had a massive influence in turning the club around.”

Paul Warne and old Millers team-mate and now Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst are heading for the play-offs.

Warne, meanwhile, is warning that Bristol will not be easy opponents despite being in mid-table and with nothing meaningful to play for.

He added: “They are a pretty free-scoring side and a good footballing team and they’ve been used to winning because of their promotions in the last few years. They didn’t have a great start but in all honesty their fortunes turned around when they beat us down at their place in December.

“They won’t make the play-offs but neither are they are to get dragged into anything. They’ll be hard opponents.”

Follow our Live Matchday Blog for updates throughout the afternoon.