Penalties and Rotherham United's way of playing ... Leam Richardson has his say after coming up against his old club
FORMER Rotherham United boss Leam Richardson claimed his new club should have been awarded two spot-kicks in their clash with the Millers at the weekend.
The 46-year-old, who took the Reading hot-seat late last month, was facing his old club for the first time since his dismissal following a five-month reign during the 2023/24 Championship relegation season.
In front of a large crowd, the Royals came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday and Richardson said his side would have taken all three points had two key first-half decisions gone their way.
Referee Alan Young waved away appeals when Hamish Douglas appeared to handle the ball inside the box and then nothing was given when Reading striker Kamari Doyle hit the deck soon afterwards.
Speaking minutes after the final whistle, Richardson said: “Everybody I've spoken to so far says it's 100 per cent two penalties. So I would suggest that's right, without me seeing them back.
“It's disappointing because we've got nearly 16,000 people here. When the penalties are nailed on, you should get them, and then we go on and win the game.
“Listen, it's a hard job for the officials. You trust them to make the right decisions.”
Richardson, who won the League One title with Wigan Athletic before his short-lived stint as Matt Taylor's successor at AESSEAL New York Stadium, also offered an opinion on Rotherham's tactics.
“The game was a little bit bitty,” he said. “They were trying to slow the game down. I've total respect for everybody who tries a way to win. It's certainly not mine. We'll move on.”
Richardson was hired by the Millers at a time when the drop from the second tier was all but mathematically certain and was seen as a man who could lead a revival in League One.
However, he never got the chance to make that happen as chairman Tony Stewart lost patience in April, two games after relegation was confirmed, and pulled the trigger.
Present Rotherham boss Matt Hamshaw backed his Reading counterpart to be a success with the Royals.
“Leam will get it right there, I'm sure he will,” he said. “They've done a lot of work on the different way they're playing.”