The roar, the fans, the tweets, the chips and the beers ... the story of Rotherham United 2 Plymouth Argyle 0

The packed stands, the red-and-white ranks, the swirling flags as the players walked out in front of home supporters for a league match for the first time since February 2020, they were all wonderful.

But it was the roar shaking AESSEAL New York Stadium just before kick-off that heralded fans were finally taking control of their Saturday-afternoon theatre again.

There was a minute's applause for lost Millers, then came the deafening, guttural barrage, an outpouring of anticipation and togetherness after 18 months of frustration and silence.

The excitement, the novelty, had built through the morning and social media had been awash with giddiness as Rotherham United's League One encounter with Plymouth Argyle approached.

"Absolutely cannot wait to meet up with the football family later," said one Tweet that caught the mood perfectly. "Pre-match slurps, banter and all-round daftness. Then that walk down Main Street to NYS to back the lads. Sing loud and proud."

The fact that the Millers won and went top of the opening-day table turned a momentous day into a perfect one.

"It was really good to have the fans back," said manager Paul Warne. "You realise how much energy they bring to the team and how much they are needed at every club.

"I went out for the warm-up and we got clapped. I haven't had that in ages. We have become used to playing in ghost towns.

"As the players came out and everything was looking completely red and white, wow!"

There was another huge roar as Rotherham took an early lead. Substitute Kieran Sadlier has been a Miller for a year but has known nothing but an empty New York because of coronavirus restrictions.

"Sads turned to me on the bench and said: 'Is it always this loud?'" Warne grinned. "I was like: 'Yes, it is really, especially if the team are doing well.'"

THE MATCH

It just had to be Freddie, it just had to be right in front of the Plymouth followers.

The match was ten minutes old and the former Argyle striker was copping for a load of stick from the sizeable away contingent.

In came Dan Barlaser's corner, bodies and blocks flew everywhere and suddenly there was the ball half a yard from goal and with only one player near it. Freddie range, Freddie time.

Ladapo's smile was flashing whiter than the sleeves on the Rotherham shirts being worn for the first time as he cupped his ear to the South Stand and ran off to receive the embrace of his teammates.

"Disney stuff," Warne said. "Soccer gold. There's nothing like scoring against your old club when you're being abused."

The Millers were finding life less torrid in the third tier. The visitors, shorn of striker Niall Ennis who was injured during the warm-up, had possession and territory and threatened on several occasions to open up the home side but couldn't punish Warne's men in the way a Championship side undoubtedly would have.

"There were things I wasn't so pleased with," the boss said. "We had Plymouth runners running off our shoulders a little bit too easily for me and our throw-ins need to be improved.

"Our communication wasn't really at it - that was due to the fact there was nearly 10,000 people in the stadium - and there was a little bit of rustiness. In the second half we didn't get to second balls as much as I would have liked."

Only three minutes had gone when Plymouth went close to an opener, Jordan Houghton fizzing a volley narrowly over. Following Ladapo's big moment, Dan Scarr powered a header too high and Houghton's 20-yard effort brought a sharp save from Viktor Johansson

Rotherham handled the danger, then delivered, taking a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute as Michael Smith was set free on the right by Jamie Lindsay's clever pass and found Ben Wiles at the back post. The midfielder took his time before curling a pinpoint finish into the opposite corner.

The crowd were lapping it up, singing loud and proud, just as the tweet had implored. Warne was content afterwards but not planning anything too wild in his celebrations over the weekend.

"I'll get up tomorrow and have a coffee. Joy," he said. "Then I'll take my dog to Clumber Park and let him have a swim. Massive joy. Then I'll watch the game back.

"Tonight it's my job to go home via Maltby and pick up the fish and chips. That's a dad job, innit? Me and my missus, Rach, we share a fish."

Wiles' weak back-pass almost let in Ryan Hardie at the start of the second half and the visitors kept pressing and probing but never had a clear sight of goal again.

2-0 Millers

At the other end, Ladapo rode Scarr's challenge and shot too close to keeper Mike Cooper, Mickel Miller couldn't get enough speed or direction into a low effort as he latched on to Wiles' ball over the top and Chiedozie Ogbene found himself in acres of space after being sprung clear by Smith only to smash the ball into the North Stand.

Warne thought back to his earlier criticism. "I am nit-picking," he said. "Overall, I am pleased with the win, pleased with the clean sheet, pleased to see Freddie get his goal, pleased to see Wilesy bend one in, pleased to see Chieo (Chiedozie Ogbene) back on the pitch after his injury problems last season, pleased to see three new lads come on.

"I liked that we looked dangerous in the final third and that we were pretty well organised."

The last ten minutes were a Millers blitz and they should have extended their lead. Jamie Lindsay flicked a header off target, Ladapo couldn't finish off a brilliant run and ball by Wes Harding before Ogbene blazed high and wide, Michael Ihiekwe headed over, Lindsay saw a fierce drive blocked and Ihiekwe had another header saved.

The performance hadn't been as perfect as the day, but Rotherham were still given a standing ovation at the end.

THE NEW BOYS

Ollie Rathbone came on in the second half, took a while to get going and then started to impress while Hakeem Odoffin followed a little later, made light of his lack of fitness and looked like an athlete.

The best debut, though, came from Northern Ireland winger Shane Ferguson who scampered on only seven minutes from time yet somehow managed to put in what seemed like 20 telling crosses.

"He's not bad, is he?" Warne said. "I have got a lot of time for Shane. He was fully respectful of the fact he didn't start today. I got all four new lads in my office on Friday and said: 'I know you've all come here to play but it's your job to get in the team.'

"Shane has had a brilliant career. He has played for his country 47 times and I'd be pleased if I played 47 times for my county. His ability should not be under-estimated.

"Mickel just nicked the starting role because he has been here a bit longer and has a bit more pace. But with his quality on the ball and the things he can do, Shane can be a really good addition for us."

Ollie Rathbone

Warne - relishing having supporters for company, his club back at a level where they have excelled in recent years - was feeling more relaxed than he ever was in the second tier last term.

"I haven't been nervous today," he said. "It's the first proper game in charge where I haven't been nervous at all. The lads trained so well yesterday that I was fully confident that, if nothing else, we would put on a performance.

"They should be really grateful that they are allowed to play their home games in this stadium in front of a raucous crowd like this. I just wanted them to enjoy every minute. For a pleasant change, I seemed to enjoy quite a lot of it myself."

Then, disaster struck. His chosen chip shop was closed. He and Mrs Warne had to share a fish from a less-well-liked outlet and the manager was in bed for 10pm after watching the Olympics round-up on TV.

Elsewhere in Millers circles, with fans back, with points in the bag, with joyous normality resumed, there were a few slurps going on.

Rotherham (3-5-2): Viktor Johansson; Wes Harding, Richard Wood, Michael Ihiekwe; Chiedozie Ogbene, Jamie Lindsay, Dan Barlaser (Ollie Rathbone 58), Ben Wiles (Hakeem Odoffin 76), Mickel Miller (Shane Ferguson 83); Freddie Ladapo, Michael Smith. Subs not used: Josh Chapman, Kieran Sadlier, Josh Kayode, Rarmani Edmonds-Green.

Plymouth (4-1-3-2): Mike Cooper; Joe Edwards, James Wilson, Dan Scarr, Macauley Gillesphey; Jordan Houghton; Panutche Camara, Danny Mayor (Ryan Broom 64), Conor Grant (Adam Randell 76); Ryan Hardie, Luke Jephcott (Rhys Shirley 76). Subs not used: Callum Burton, Brendan Galloway, Ryan Law.

Goals: Ladapo 10, Wiles 38 (Rotherham).

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge (Tyne).

Attendance: 9,417 (1,102).