An old player, a new hat and a legend close to tears as Rotherham United fans sing for Richard Wood

HE was wearing something on his battered bonce; of course he was.

This was Rotherham United’s captain and the leader is so renowned for his special headgear that fans even sing a song about it.

“Richard Wood is magic, he’s wears a magic hat.”

This wasn’t the one with the brick in it from his two-goal exploits in the 2018 play-off final at Wembley when he and the words, ‘Millers’ and ‘legend’, first went together.

This was the 2023 version and an altogether daintier number: a soft, blue affair adorned by gold stars. It was a bit pointy with a bend in it — a lot like the nose he’s broken so many times while fighting for Rotherham’s cause.

Back then it was promotion from League One being celebrated, this time it was survival in the Championship at the fourth attempt in probably his last ever game at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

It got emotional.

“I’m a little bit overwhelmed,” he said as I interviewed him somewhere around the halfway line after Monday’s 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in front of a packed house had sealed the deal.

“It’s been a great day, I’ve loved every minute of it. I’m just trying to take it all in. To have my family on the pitch with me is really special.”

Then he had to stop to compose himself as he held back the tears.

“I was all right during match,” he managed to continue. “I was concentrating on playing and trying to keep the lads going. It’s afterwards that it’s hitting me. The reception made me fill up. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

He was referring to the massed ranks of the North Stand who had stayed behind to sing his song as the lap of appreciation he was leading paused in front of them.

It has been one of the great Millers days. From the moment Wood had walked out at the head of the team with youngest son Graye at his side everything had felt right, anything had felt possible. New York shook with anticipation and support.

“My eldest, Jenson, couldn’t do it. He’s taller than me now and it would have looked a bit awkward!” the skipper grinned. “Graye was adamant he was doing it. We didn’t tell anybody beforehand. It’s something good for him to look back on.”

The spring sunshine picked out the blue and gold. It was amazing how such a delicate piece of embroidery suited a 6ft 3in hulk who has been a wrecking ball of a player in a near-decade-long spell at the club.

Wood wasn’t certain where the hat had come from. “Somebody just brought it out for me,” he said. “I think it had been lying around in the main office. I was happy to put it on.”

Thoughts turned to what was to come later. He’d put a good chunk of his own money behind the bar at a Sheffield hostelry so he and his teammates could mark their achievement in suitable fashion. “I’ll enjoy tonight!” he smiled.

The party started at the Cutlery Works at Kelham Island and from thereon became a bit of blur. The Millers moved on at some stage in the evening but in his text the following morning he had no idea to where. Reliable sources inform me it was Tiger Works on West Street in the city centre.

Anyway, back to the game ... there have been many significant interventions by Wood since his 2014 arrival at the club but few have been more important than the clearance off the line that kept the score goalless early in proceedings.

The outcome could have been horribly different had top-four Boro gone in front then.

“It was my fault to start with,” he said of the slip that allowed Riley McGree to run clear and clip the ball over keeper Viktor Johansson.

“I misjudged the ball. But you never give up on it and I was able to run back and put it right. I supposed that sums me up as a player and what I’ve done in my time here. I’ve never given up.”

The 37-year-old had fallen out of manager Matt Taylor’s favour at the turn of the year but had been back in the side for the last five matches when everything had been on the line, taking his tally of Rotherham appearances to 255.

“Staying up has been a long time coming but hopefully this is the start of being a Championship club and maintaining it,” he said. “A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes.

“Considering the size of our club and how big some of the budgets are elsewhere in the division, it’s a great achievement to stay up.”

Out of contract in the summer and having just played in New York’s final match of the campaign, he took a long, lingering look around the stadium.

“If it’s the end then it’s a good way for it happen,” he said. “This will always be a special place. I absolutely love it here. It means a lot. I don’t want to get too emotional about it but ...”

Then he had to bite on his lip again.

“It’s a great feeling to help keep us up in the Championship,” he said. “I’ve done it a couple of times now. Along with three League One promotions, it’s not a bad record, is it? I like to think I’ve made a mark while I’ve been here.”

He wandered off still wearing the hat. Blue and gold for one day only. Red and white for nine years.

Magic.

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BOSS’S VIEW

“Woody was up against two of the best centre-forwards this league’s seen in a long time For him to get through it as he did ... he and Viktor are the mainstays of this  club — one the player of the season and the other epitomising what this club are about. You could see what it meant to them. I’m so, so pleased to be involved with good people like that.”

— Matt Taylor