The chosen ones ... The Advertiser's Rotherham United select side from boss Paul Warne's three seasons in League One
I don’t want to be the one who breaks the news to him that he hasn’t made the line-up.
Vaulks was the competitor, the heartbeat, the leading light in Rotherham United’s 2017/18 League One promotion side, a man who stood up in every argument and never shied away from confrontation. Long in the throw, long in the memory.
So you tell him, not me.
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Hide AdYou tell him that he’s among the substitutes for the Advertiser’s combined side from the three years the Millers have aimed for the Championship under Paul Warne.
In both previous seasons they succeeded and they’re on course in this campaign to make it an amazing hat-trick.
Twenty-six players made league appearances in 2017/18, 27 in 2019/20 and 23 have played this term.
This is our final cut, in a 3-5-2 formation ...
GOALKEEPER: JOSH VICKERS
Daniel Iversen, Marek Rodak and Viktor Johansson would have been worthy selections but they’re kept out of the team by the clean-sheet king.
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Hide AdAfter waiting more than a year for his debut, Vickers got his chance this season when Johansson suffered an injury and he leads the division’s keepers for percentage of shut-outs by a mile.
The top end of his game can be matched by the others — all four are capable of unbelievable saves — but none of them reach his levels of consistency when it comes to the routine stuff. He doesn’t make mistakes.
Think of an opposition goal he has been at fault for. Hard, isn’t it?
2021/22 — 20 league games so far
RIGHT CENTRE-HALF: SEMI AJAYI
There was a gaffe in him but most of the time Ajayi was regal.
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Hide AdHe was a presence in the air, scored more than his share of goals and no-one — and I mean no-one — ever got the better of him on the ground when he glided out to deal with danger down the flank.
Tests carried out at the club’s training ground in Warne’s first promotion season showed the defender’s flat-out top speed was the fastest at the club.
2017/18 — 38 (including play-offs)
MIDDLE CENTRE-HALF: RICHARD WOOD
The Wembley 2018 play-off final, two goals, the mad dash down the touchline, the magic hat, the best day of Wood’s career ...
He’d picked up the team by the scruff of the neck around Christmas time and decided ‘We’re in this together, we’re going up together.’
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Hide AdRotherham’s longest-serving player wasn’t done there, though, and was a mainstay in the side when the Millers won promotion again two years later. If Rotherham win promotion again this term he will be one of only three men in this 11 to have played a part in all three triumphs.
Hard on himself, hard on the opposition, hard on his teammates, the veteran remains as important to the cause now as he’s ever been.
He gets the armband in this team because he leads and doesn’t know fear. That’s not quite true actually. He’s a little bit scared of his missus.
2017/18 — 39 (including play offs), 2019/20 — 23 (season restricted to 37 games by Covid), 2021/22 — 32 so far
LEFT CENTRE-HALF: MICHAEL IHIEKWE
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Hide AdOne of the other players going for a Rotherham treble, Ihiekwe was named in the PFA Team of the Year for his form in 2019/20.
He’s not been quite that imperious this season, but gets into the side on his ‘wrong’ left side because of the all-round strength of his game. The Scouser does good work in both boxes.
Clark Robertson would have been a strong contender for a place here had he not suffered so cruelly with injuries during his time at AESSEAL New York Stadium.
The frustration for the Scot is, he’s remembered for the games he missed rather than the ones in which he brought his cultured performances to bear.
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Hide Ad2017/18 — 31 (including play-offs), 2019/20 — 33, 2021/22 — 35 so far
RIGHT WING-BACK: CHIEDOZIE OGBENE
A lightning threat who has adapted superbly to the extra demands of being a modern-day wing-back rather than an old-fashioned winger.
He’s the most dangerous wing-back in the division. Don’t take my word for it. All the stats, from high-speed running to successful dribbles to most fouls won, say the same.
Arguably he’s the most dangerous attacker in the division full stop.
‘Chieo, Chieo, Chieo.’
2019/20 — 25, 2021/22 — 38 so far
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: BEN WILES
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Hide Ad“Wilesy, you beauty. He’s going to be a legend at this club.”
Joe Newell was watching Wiles turn out for the reserves at Roundwood a few years ago and knew potential when he saw it as the callow youngster hit the target with a searing finish.
When he made the first team, the youngster — who has already passed 150 appearances — initially filled in wherever required: midfield, left wing, right wing, left-back, right-back.
Not any longer. This season’s only ever-present player, he has made the central-midfield role his own, punching holes in opposing defences with his pace and close control on his way to scoring nine goals.
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Hide AdI’ve asked many a Rotherham first-teamer in the last few years who the most gifted player in the squad is and the answer is always the same: they agree with Newell.
2019/20 — 33, 2021/22 — 39 so far
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: DAN BARLASER
He should have been included in the Team of the Year in 2019/20 and ought to make the PFA selection in this campaign.
‘Dan the Diag’ has been as peerless as a playmaker in this campaign as he was when he first came to the club two seasons ago.
The passing and set-pieces are as smooth and rapier as ever and he’s added extra dimensions to his game. A new-found physicality has improved his contribution of possession and, importantly, he’s hitting the target more and more — eight times in his last 21 outings.
2019/20 — 27, 2021/22 — 37 so far
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: MATT CROOKS
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Hide AdHe fuelled up before matches on black pudding and his Grandma Maureen gave him a quid every time he scored a goal.
Crooks wasn’t your normal footballer or your normal athlete.
League One couldn’t hold him. He was too big, too powerful, too full of running with and without the ball. No-one could bomb on and stretch the opposition and get them turning back towards their own goal like he could.
“Go, Crooksy, go,” Warne would implore him from the first to the final whistle.
Crooksy was always going.
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Hide AdBy the end of the season, Grandma Maureen had handed over more than a tenner and he’d joined Ihiekwe in the 2019/2020 PFA Team of the Year.
2019/20 - 33
LEFT WING-BACK: MICKEL MILLER
He’s had injuries and he went out on loan in his first Rotherham year, in the Championship, because of his lack of game-time.
It hasn’t always been as good as it is now for Miller with the Millers.
There had been fleeting signs of what he could do, now he’s doing it more and more. Not even Ogbene can match the balance and fluidity of his mazy running.
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Hide AdThink Joe Newell only with more pace and an even better eye for an opening to ghost through.
All that’s needed is an improvement to that chequered injury record.
2021/22 - 20 so far
STRIKER: MICHAEL SMITH
Smith plus one.
It’s been that way up front virtually since the day the centre-forward arrived at New York more than four years ago.
Manager Warne, who stole him from Bury on a free transfer, describes him as the best striker Rotherham have ever had.
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Hide AdTwenty-four goals this season back up the boss’s claim but his player’s colossal contribution can’t be measured merely by a scoring tally.
Smith — the third of the three eyeing the triple — runs himself ragged, plays through pain, takes a battering and gives one out and has a touch more associated with a number ten than a six-foot-four-inch targetman.
He has never missed a Millers match through injury. Only a ban has ever kept him out.
2017/18 — 23 (including play-offs), 2019/20 — 34, 2021/22 — 38 so far
STRIKER: KIEFFER MOORE
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Hide Ad“You wouldn’t fancy playing against them two big horses, would yer?”
Warne was talking about Moore and Jamie Proctor in 2017 but his rhetorical question applies equally as well to a Moore/Smith combination.
Kieffer came, conquered for a half a season as he hit the target 13 times on loan, then went on to higher things including becoming a fixture in the Welsh national side.
It was short but it was sweet.
2017/18 - 22
THE SUBS
Daniel Iversen, Clark Robertson, Will Vaulks, Ollie Rathbone, Shane Ferguson, David Ball, Freddie Ladapo.
VERY HONOURABLE MENTIONS
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Hide AdMarek Rodak, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Joe Mattock, Wes Harding, Jamie Lindsay, Jon Taylor, Joe Newell.
So, there you have it.
Huge apologies to signing of the summer, Ollie Rathbone, who deserves to be in there but was kept out by the better goal returns of Wiles and Crooks.
In particular, sorry, Will.
I mentioned my team to Millers coach Matt Hamshaw, someone else who has been around all three promotions.
“You’ve left out Will Vaulks?” he grimaced. “Good luck with that.” Then he shuddered. “It’s a braver man than me who tells him.”
THE LEAGUE ONE LADS
2017/18:
Semi Ajayi
David Ball
Jonson Clarke-Harris
Shaun Cummings
Josh Emmanuel
Anthony Forde
Lee Frecklington
Michael Ihiekwe
Caolan Lavery
Joe Mattock
Kieffer Moore
Joe Newell
Richard O’Donnell
Matt Palmer
Darren Potter
Lewis Price
Jamie Proctor
Ben Purrington
Marek Rodak
Michael Smith
Jon Taylor
Richie Towell
Will Vaulks
Ryan Williams
Richard Wood
Jerry Yates
2019/20:
Hakeeb Adelakun
Dan Barlaser
Trevor Clarke
Matt Crooks
Jake Hastie
Michael Ihiekwe
Daniel Iversen
Billy Jones
Josh Koroma
Freddie Ladapo
Julien Lamy
Jamie Lindsay
Shaun MacDonald
Joe Mattock
Carlton Morris
Chiedozie Ogbene
Matt Olosunde
Lewis Price
Jamie Proctor
Clark Robertson
Michael Smith
Adam Thompson
Curtis Tilt
Kyle Vassell
Ben Wiles
Richard Wood
Jerry Yates
2021/22:
Dan Barlaser
Rarmani Edmonds-Green
Shane Ferguson
Will Grigg
Wes Harding
Michael Ihiekwe
Viktor Johansson
Josh Kayode
Freddie Ladapo
Jamie Lindsay
Angus MacDonald
Joe Mattock
Mickel Miller
Hakeem Odoffin
Chieo Ogbene
Jordi Osei-Tutu
Ollie Rathbone
Kieran Sadlier
Michael Smith
Tolaji Bola
Josh Vickers
Ben Wiles
Richard Wood
FANS' PICKS
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Hide AdWE asked supporters on Twitter to select their best Rotherham United side from the League One years under Paul Warne.
Here’s a selection of the replies.
Liam Hall - @LiamHall19
This is one of the toughest questions ever.
3-5-2: Vickers , Wood, Ihiekwe, Ajayi; Ogbene, Rathbone, Vaulks, Barlaser, Miller; Smith, Moore.
GRP - @74__GRP
3-5-1-1: Rodak; Harding, Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Wiles, Rathbone, Barlaser, Newell; Crooks, Smith. Subs: Iverson, Vaulks, Ajayi, Lindsay, Kayode, Taylor, Ladapo.
Zee Thompson - @Zee80Thompson
3-5-2: Rodak; Harding, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Rathbone, Barlaser, Miller, Crooks; Smith, Ladapo.
MC - @MJCollins97
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Hide Ad3-5-2: Rodak; Ajayi, Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Crooks, Barlaser, Rathbone, Newell; Smith, Moore.
Andrew Williams - @alwrufc
3-5-2: Rodak; Ajayi, Wood, Ihiekwe; Barlaser Rathbone Crooks Ogbene Newell (on his day); Smith Ladapo.
Patrick Ramskill - @padthemiller
Wow, a tough old question.
3-5-1-1: Rodak, Edmonds-Green, Ajayi, Ihiekwe, Ogbene, Rathbone, Vaulks, Barlaser, Newell; Crooks; Smith.
Keeper especially hard. Hate leaving Wood out and Mattock should probably be on the left.
Chris - @ChrisMRUFC
I cheated I swapped a striker for an extra midfielder.
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Hide Ad3-1-5-1: Vickers; Ihiekwe, Wood, Ajayi; Barlaser; Ogbene, Crooks, Rathbone, Vaulks, Miller; Smith.
Niall Geoghegan - @niall_m91
3-5-2: Rodak, Ajayi, Ihiekwe, Wood; Ogbene, Crooks, Barlaser, Vaulks, Newell; Ladapo, Smith.
Will Daniels - @WillDanielsRUFC
3-5-2: Vickers; Ihiekwe, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Barlaser, Rathbone Crooks, Ferguson; Smith Ladapo.
Mastro - @mastro_rufc
3-5-2: Johansson; Edmonds-Green, Wood, Harding; Ogbene, Wiles, Barlaser, Rathbone, Newell; Smith, Moore.
WAMAW! - @ocamic77
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Hide Ad3-5-2: Vickers; Harding, Ajayi, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Rathbone, Barlaser, Vaulks, Ferguson; Smith, Crooks.
hazza. rufc - @hazzarufc12
4-1-4-1: Rodak; Olosunde, Wood, Ihiekwe, Miller; Ajayi; Ogbene, Vaulks, Barlaser, Newell; Smith.
Sam - @SamRufc
3-5-2: Vickers; Edmonds-Green, Wood, Harding; Ogbene, Wiles, Barlaser, Vaulks, Newell; Smith, Moore.
James Benjamin - @JamesBenjamin4
3-5-1-1: Rodak; Edmonds-Green, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Vaulks, Barlaser, Wiles, Ferguson; Crooks; Smith.
Josh - @smith98_josh
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Hide Ad3-5-2: Vickers; Edmonds-Green; Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Wiles, Barlaser, Rathbone, Miller/Mattock; Smith, Moore.
Stuart Abbs - @rawmarshmiller
3-5-2: Rodak; Ajayi. Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Vaulks, Barlaser, Wiles, Mattock; Crooks, Smith.
Shaun Green - @ShaunGr72317238
3-5-2: Rodak; Harding, Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Vaulks, Barlaser, Wiles, Newell; Smith, Moore.
cornfordlewis - @CornyRUFC
3-4-1-2: Rodak; Ajayi, Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Barlaser, Vaulks, Newell; Crooks; Smith, Moore.
Mark - @mark_woffenden
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Hide Ad3-5-2: Vickers; Ihiekwe, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Crooks, Barlaser, Rathbone, Forde; Smith, Moore.
Benna Boys Fans - @BennaBoys
3-5-2: Iversen; Jones, Wood, Ajayi; Olosunde, Vaulks, Crooks, Wiles, Ogbene; Ladapo, Smith.
Ben Clemitshaw - @BClemitshaw
4-4-2: Vickers; Harding, Ihiekwe, Wood, Mattock; Ogbene, Crooks, Barlaser, Newell; Smith, Moore.
Jake - @JakeK4200
Rathbone unlucky, Wiles ahead through versatility.
3-5-2: Vickers; Ajayi, Wood, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Vaulks, Barlaser, Crooks, Wiles; Smith, Moore.
Finlay - @Finlay_Rufc5
Very hard to pick. Olosunde and Moore just miss out.
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Hide Ad3-5-2: Vickers; Ihiekwe, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Rathbone, Barlaser, Vaulks, Newell; Smith, Moore.
Stephen mycroft - @stephen_mycroft
3-5-2: Rodak; Harding, Ajayi, Ihiekwe; Ogbene, Barlaser, Crooks, Wiles, Newell; Smith, Ladapo.
Neil - @ChezPotter
3-5-2: Vickers; Harding, Wood, Ajayi; Ogbene, Rathbone, Barlaser, Vaulks, Newell; Crooks, Smith. Subs: Rodak, Ihiekwe, Wiles, Ladapo, Moore.