MILLERS FAVOURITES: Revs, Adam Collin and absolute limbs ... Fan Neil McDonald recalls his best ever Rotherham United day

HERE we kick off our new 'Millers Favourites' feature with Rotherham United fan Neil McDonald remembering the 2014 League One Play-off Final at Wembley when the Millers beat Leyton Orient on penalties after the game had finished 2-2.

My beloved Millers were in the League One Play-off Final and I couldn’t wait.

On Saturday afternoon I got dropped at Westbury Station on the Wiltshire/Somerset border to get the train into London.

Arriving in Paddington in the early-evening sunshine, I was confronted by misery. Derby County had just lost in the Championship Play-off Final and there were glum faces everywhere. I felt sick. This could be me tomorrow?

I quickly jumped the Tube to St Paul’s and checked into my accommodation. After a quick change, I headed out for food and beer and to watch the Champions League Final. The bar must have had every Spaniard who lived in London inside. Atletico Madrid scored. ‘We’re the Red and White Army’ belted out. I had goosebumps. 

The next day I awoke early, grabbed a coffee and wandered across Central London to meet my mate, Rich, at Euston. We lined our stomachs with a fry-up in anticipation of the drinking to come and made our way to The Torch pub. Beer flowed and familiar chants filled the air. 

Pre-match beers

Inside Wembley, I took my seat.

What followed for me was undoubtedly the best game I’ve seen live. It was a roller coaster of emotions. This was something we had become used to under Steve Evans but this one was the Corkscrew, the Big Dipper and Oblivion all rolled into one! 

At half-time and 2-0 down, things weren’t looking great. I scrolled to a picture on my phone of my gran who’d passed away a few years earlier. She’d worked for years on the Millmoor Lane tea bar and was a true Miller. I asked her to ‘have a word’.

The second half was tremendous. Revs' wonder-strike and the limbs that followed will live long in the memory. Extra time came and went and after 49 games our season had come down to this.

Even when we were down in the penalty shoot-out, I knew we’d win it. When Chris Dagnall stepped up, we all held our breath. Ad Collin guessed right and all hell broke loose. The celebrations that followed on the pitch and in the crowd were a joy to be a part of. 

Neil with his pal, Rich

After grabbing a couple of pints with Rich at Euston, I made my way back to Paddington and the train back to Wiltshire. Thankfully, the bar was well stocked.

I spent the whole journey back engrossed in the reaction and interviews on social media and when I arrived back in Westbury I staggered to my waiting lift.

‘How did they get on?’ 

Send us your recollections of your favourite Millers games, moments, players, managers, away trips etcetera. E-mail 300 words or more to paul.davis@rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk and then watch out for your story appearing in the paper and online.