Fan’s anger after Rotherham United match against Swansea City shifted to Monday night for TV

The match against Swansea City, which was initially meant to be played on Saturday February 25, will now be played on Monday February 27 at 8pm and screened live on Sky Sports.

The news met with criticism online from Millers fans, many of whom had planned to spend a weekend in Swansea for the game.  

One of those left frustrated was Liam Hall who tweeted that his birthday weekend away had been “ruined” by the fixture change.

Liam, aged 28, of Ashby Drive, Kiveton Park, said: “Away matches are a rare occurrence for me so this was one to look forward to.

“The weekend falls around my birthday and I had a weekend planned in Wales from Friday to Sunday. I have got to call the hotel and see if they will change. If we don’t go, we may have potentially lost out on the hotel deposit and the cost of the tickets.”

The move to a Monday night also scuppered Liam’s chances of a precious “child-free” weekend as he had arranged for grandparents to babysit.

He also questioned why the Swansea match had been chosen for TV coverage.

He said: “It’s not exactly a game that will draw a big audience so I don’t understand why it has been chosen. It is not a local derby or a top-of-the-table clash.”

In line with the Domestic Broadcast Agreement, teams have to be given five weeks’ notice for any games that are to be moved for Sky Sports coverage but  this can still cause problems for fans who often plan travel and accommodation months in advance.

“Sky Sports and the EFL are not taking fans into consideration,” said Liam. “It’s not a game that is down the road or an hour away. It’s a four-and-a-half-hour trip.

“People are questioning whether they are going to go when they can watch it on Sky Sports. It’s a Monday. Getting time off work is hard and it would involve Tuesday off as well.”