Friendships on hold and a call to Millers fans ... Rotherham United v Wigan Athletic preview

The Latics head to AESSEAL New York Stadium with Ryan Lowe as manager and a long-standing friend of the Millers boss, Glenn Whelan, as first-team coach.

Hamshaw is focused on his team's bid to take all three points and climb higher than their present 17th spot.

“I'm a big fan of Ryan Lowe,” he said. “He's done well wherever he's been. My old mate, Glenn Whelan, is there as well. They've got good players, they've spent a bit of money in the window, they've got a good strikeforce.

“I've got a huge amount of respect for Glenn and Ryan and their team. But on Saturday I don't have much respect for them until after the game finishes! Ryan wouldn't have taken the job if he didn't think Wigan couldn't push on at the top end of this league.”

Before moving to the Brick Community Stadium, Lowe won promotions in the hot-seat at Bury and Plymouth Argyle and kept Preston North End in the top half of the Championship.

Whelan and Hamshaw first encountered each other as teammates at Sheffield Wednesday more than 20 years ago.

The Rotherham boss and goalkeeper coach Andy Warrington were among the spectators on Tuesday night when the 13th-placed Latics lost 1-0 at Luton Town.

Among Athletic's summer signings are forwards Dara Costelloe, Paul Mullin and Christian Saydee from Burnley, Wrexham and Portsmouth respectively.

“Wigan will come here thinking they can get three points,” Hamshaw said. “Our home form has been excellent since I've been here and the fans have been amazing. At home we've been on the front foot and I want that to continue.”

The manager, still in the early days of his 'reset' mission, is calling for supporters to get behind the Millers who are seeking to bounce back from two defeats on the road, at Stevenage and Cardiff City.

“One or two voices will always raise their heads, but I think we're all in it together,” he said. “The fans I've come across, they're all aware of where we're at.

“I think it's been a bumpy ride so far this season. I don't want to keep going over old ground. We're just trying to get the club back to where it has been in the past.

“As they did for Ronnie Moore and Paul Warne, as they will for me, things take a bit of time to get right. We're really clear on what we want to do.

“I understand that results are very, very important. All I can ask is that all the fans stick together and make New York loud.”

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One to watch

Wigan winger Joseph Hungbo is a well-known face to Rotherham fans, having been on loan at AESSEAL New York Stadium for the first half of last season. He never established himself under then-boss Steve Evans after leaving German side Nurnberg and joined the Latics on a permanent deal in January. The 25-year-old winger played for them 11 times last term and has been a regular starter in this campaign.

Form guide

Millers: WLWL

Wigan: WLWWL

The Latics’ last two home games have brought wins over Notts County and Peterborough United in the Carabao Cup and league respectively. They lost 1-0 at Luton Town in the league on Tuesday.

Recent meetings

Apr 21 2025, League One Wigan 1 Millers 0

Dec 26 2024, League One: Millers 0 Wigan 1

May 8 2023, Championship: Wigan 0 Millers 0

Oct 1 2023, Championship: Millers 0 Wigan 2

Feb 18 2022, League One: Millers 1 Wigan 1

Ollie Rathbone

Aug 14 2021, League One: Wigan 1 Millers 0

Feb 9 2019, Championship: Millers 1 Wigan 1

Clark Robertson

Sep 1 2018, Championship: Wigan 1 Millers 0

Forty-two contests between the clubs since 1935 have brought 11 wins for Rotherham and 22 for Wigan.

Last clash

Rotherham gave the worst performance of manager Matt Hamshaw's eight games in the hot-seat at the end of last season as they went down in April to a first-half James Carragher header at the DW Stadium.

Opposition boss

Ryan Lowe had a long career as a striker, playing for a variety of clubs and making over 600 appearances, before moving into management in 2018. He led Bury and then Plymouth Argyle to League Two promotion and his success at Home Park saw Championship side Preston North End take him to Deepdale in December 2021. The Liverpudlian never finished lower than 13th in three seasons before deciding, at the start of last term, to take a break from football. He returned as boss of Wigan in March.

Man in the middle

Oliver Langford is in his 18th season, which makes him one of the longest-serving officials in the EFL. The West Midlands referee was last at New York in April 2024 when he took charge of the 1-0 defeat against Plymouth Argyle that confirmed the Millers' relegation from the Championship. He was the man who abandoned the Cardiff City clash early in the second half when a freak rainstorm hit S60 in March 2023. This term, he has shown eight yellow cards and one red in three outings.

The odds

A Rotherham win is being offered at 17/10 while the bookmakers make Wigan 6/4 to triumph at New York. A draw is 21/10.