Paul Douglas on spiralling League One costs and Rotherham United fans' frustration

The Millers are at third-tier level this season for the first time in three years and the COO revealed the huge jump in finances required since the club's 2021/21 promotion campaign.

“I would estimate that the costs have gone up probably by about 50 per cent,” he said. “I'm not exaggerating.

“That's the legacy of the effect of clubs coming into the Championship from the Premier League with big parachute payments.

“Championship clubs are having to try to compete against it. That's had an inflationary effect on wages in the Championship, which works its way down into other divisions.

“League One, particularly, has suffered. It's a more expensive division than it's ever been.”

Rotherham were relegated last season and brought in 14 new players in an overhaul of their squad in the hope of making an instant return to the higher level.

The turn of the year saw them just below mid-table and, with much of the budget having been used in the summer rebuild, they made three signings – all loans – in last month's transfer window.

Fans were keen to see more business done and Douglas says he understands why they were disappointed.

“The reality is, the January window is a very difficult window to come out of better than you went in unless you've got a huge financial nest egg,” he said.

“It's a seller's market. People aren't letting players go unless they're not really that bothered about them. If they are bothered about a player, why would they let him go halfway through a season unless it was for an amount that was, essentially, more than the lad was worth?

“Clubs who have traditionally been busiest in January windows are those who are either struggling to stay in a division or desperate to get out through promotion.

“We've had our own windows where that's been the case. The season before last, when we brought in Jordan Hugill and one or two others, January was a very busy window for us and it needed to be. It kept us in the Championship.

“We do recognise the frustration people feel. When we have been in League One previously, certainly the last four times, we've always been a team to be reckoned with, we've always manage to punch above our weight.

“The last season was a very difficult one for our fans to endure. We struggled home and away – particularly away.

“All I can say to our supporters is, stay behind us, as they have done, and recognise that we're all trying our best to bring success and entertainment and pride to them. That's what gets us out of bed every morning.”

Douglas feels that events in 2023/24, when the Millers suffered a terrible campaign and finished in bottom spot, have compounded fans' dismay this time around.

“The last season was a very difficult one for our fans to endure, he said. “We struggled home and away – particularly away – and it was a hard season in which to keep going week in, week out.

“We're incredibly grateful for the support we received all through it.”