Happy anniversary? Not after so many sleepless nights ... Rotherham United boss Steve Evans writes for the Advertiser

Next month, I'll have been in charge for a year.

I can't begin to tell you how proud I have been to be back for a second spell in the hot-seat.

I think I've aged about 20 years, mind! There have been a few sleepless nights.

My four-year-old grandson, Joseph, has certainly noticed a difference in me. ‘You're grumpy, Poppy,’ he said the other week. I replied: ‘If you had to watch us, you would be.’

It's been challenging, I don't mind admitting that. Fourteenth spot in League One isn't what I envisaged.

Last Saturday, I attended the Northampton Town v Blackpool match and sat with my friend, former Everton manager Sean Dyche. He was explaining how much he had to fix in his first season at Goodison park and it was as if he was describing what I have had to deal with.

I've had the most unbelievable support from the chairman and vice-chairman, Tony and Richard Stewart. Their backing has been above and beyond the call at times, but I know I will reward them.

When I've been down, they're the people who have lifted me back up.

I'm lucky in that if I lose my job tomorrow I won't have to worry about paying the bills next month. But that's not the point.

My love for the club and my loyalty to the fans and the Stewart family mean that I have to get it right here and provide another taste of the success that my first stint brought.

Darren Ferguson at Peterborough United, like me, has credit in the bank. But both of us know that that has run out when next season arrives.

As a management team, we've had so much to deal with in terms of last season's group. There were a lot of exits in the summer yet some people stayed who maybe didn't want to be here.

We’ve gone a long way to sorting that out but the work on it still isn’t finished.

The main issue has been losing key men to injuries at certain times. Sean Raggett, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Liam Kelly and Shaun McWilliams are just a few of the big players who have spent substantial amounts of time in the treatment room.

I clearly remember New Year's Eve, the night before we went to Lincoln City for a tough match.

The Imps are a very decent outfit, especially at home, but I told my whole family that we would win. I knew we would because, for once, we had everyone available.

It was the first time we could put out a side with the purpose and pace and everything we tried to add in the summer.

We had a few weeks when we were really good and then, bang, we were hit by injuries again. Some people will say that I'm making excuses. Actually, it's reality.

I don't think we have enough leaders in the side. Raggett has been a huge miss in that regard because he is a warrior who inspires the players around him.

He has managed only 11 appearances because of knee problems and I'm certain we would be higher in the table had he been available more often.

It's been such a frustrating campaign because when we've been good we've been very, very good. There have been glimpses of just what this group is capable of.

Rotherham United are known for playing with intensity, passion and aggression. When we do that, we win games. Huddersfield Town, Reading, Charlton Athletic and Bolton Wanderers came to New York. They're top sides that, basically, we tore apart.

We'll do more of that to teams next season, believe me we will.

I have a much clearer picture now of what's required and I'll give everything I have towards getting this club of ours back into the Championship.

Thank you for your support, Millers fans.