‘Physically sick’ … Leam Richardson feels the pain of another day of misery for Rotherham United

The Millers fell to a miserable 5-0 loss at Norwich City yesterday, just five days after crashing by the same scoreline at Coventry City, and the Championship's bottom club are 20 points from safety and relegation certainties.

Richardson has been at the helm for only three months and says he inherited a squad who aren't fit enough to compete at second-tier level.

For the second match running, his men were 4-0 down at half-time before the opposition eased off after the break.

“You feel physically sick,” he said. “You feel physically sick for the travelling fans who've been to Coventry and Norwich and been on the back of the performances we've offered.

“I'll take full blame, full responsibility, regardless of what's gone before. I'm the leader, so to speak. I pick the team, I put the players out there.

“In the last two games ... if you don't do the basics right at this level, you get punished, you get put on your arse.”

Rotherham, who have taken only two points in 2024. have nine matches left in which to salvage some pride before a summer of rebuilding under their new boss whom chairman Tony Stewart has pledged to stick by.

There are question marks over the attitude of some players who know they won't be at AESSEAL New York Stadium next year.

Richardson has called for unity as the Millers limp towards the end of this campaign, which is when he feels he can make a true impact in South Yorkshire.

“We can't carry people,” he said. “We've got to make sure we're all as one. We have to be united going forward. We can't have different agendas.”

Norwich, who have lost only once in eight outings, moved into the play-off spots with their victory and their boss, David Wagner, said: “The players have done exactly what we told them to do.

“They showed the hunger, passion, intensity and aggression that we have shown in recent weeks. It was fantastic.

“We have known that if we are on it in terms of possession and defence as well then we can cause some problems and this is exactly what the players have done. How the players did it today was perfect.”