ROTHERHAM United have a daunting task on their hands this week as they seek to protect a proud record against opponents Bolton Wanderers.

The drop-zone Millers are at home to the Trotters and haven’t lost against them on their own turf in the last 60 years.

Twenty matches have been and gone, with Rotherham winning 14 and drawing six of them.

However, Bolton are in third spot in League One, unbeaten in 11 outings and will fancy their chances of taking all three points at AESSEAL New York Stadium to boost their promotion push.

placeholder image — AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Their last victory in S60 came in August 1966 when they triumphed 1-0 in the old Division Two (now Championship).

Managed by Steven Schumacher, their most recent game saw them fight back on their own turf from 2-0 against Wycombe Wanders to win 3-2, with all of their goals coming after the 87th minute in a frantic finale.

Millers assistant boss Dale Tonge said: “They'll obviously respect us as the home side, but they'll focus on themselves. They're a very, very good team. They've got a manager who knows how to get out of this league and some top players.

"With how they won the game last weekend, they'll come here in very, very good spirits. They scored three goals in, what, seven minutes?

Rotherham are in the drop zone but, with 11 games to go, they still have a number of teams in close proximity to them who they believe they can catch.

“It's a very, very even league this season,” said Tonge. “There are couple of standouts in terms of Cardiff City and Lincoln City . In previous years, you've had three, four, maybe five standouts.

“A good week or two can change your outlook. Once, we were in the top half of the table. A few weeks later, we were near the bottom. That's how quickly it can change.”

A familiar face should be making a return to S60 – Wanderers wide man Jordi Osei-Tutu who had a loan spell from Arsenal with the Millers in 2022 and scored in the 4-2 triumph over Sutton United in the Papa Johns Trophy Final at Wembley. His last-gasp strike made it 2-2 and took the match into extra time.

The 27-year-old has made 30 appearances for Bolton this term.

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One to watch

Hull City loanee Mason Burstow has hit the target 11 times in 40 outings, including bagging three goals in his last four matches. The 22-year-old striker, who started out with Charlton Athletic, joined Hull in August 2024 and scored twice in 32 games in his debut year at the MKM Stadium. The former England under-20 international played twice as a substitute in the Premier League when he was a youngster with Chelsea.

Form guide

Millers: LLLWDL

Bolton: WDDDWW

Following a 5-1 win at Exeter City, Wanderers scored three last goals – including two in stoppage time – to beat Wycombe last weekend.

In 47 contests between the sides since 1960, there have been 22 wins for Rotherham and 11 for Bolton.

Recent meetings

Dec 26 2025, League One: Bolton 2 Millers 1

Sam Nombe pen

Sep 2 2025, Vertu Trophy: Bolton 1 Millers 0

Apr 8 2025, League One: Bolton 0 Millers 1

Nombe

Jan 11 2025, League One: Millers 3 Bolton 1

Mallik Wilks pen, Reece James, Nombe

Jan 1 2022, League One: Millers 2 Bolton 1

Michael Smith 2

Sep 18 2021, League One: Bolton 0 Millers 2

Ben Wiles 2

Sep 14, 2019, League One: Millers 6 Bolton 1

Wiles, Freddie Ladapo 2, Carlton Morris 2, Jake Hastie

Dec 26 2018, Championship: Bolton 2 Millers 1

Will Vaulks

Oct 20 2018, Championship: Millers 1 Bolton 1

Will Vaulks

Feb 6 2016, Championship: Bolton 2 Millers 1

Chris Burke

Last clash

Rotherham thought a 90th-minute Sam Nombe penalty had earned them a 1-1 Boxing Draw at the University of Bolton Stadium, but an error from Thomas Holmes in added time gifted the home side a 2-1 triumph.

Opposition boss

After a playing career as a midfielder for Bury, Bradford City, Crewe Alexandra and other clubs, Steven Schumacher became manager of Plymouth Argyle in 2021 and led them from League One to the Championship. A spell in the Stoke City hot-seat didn't work out, and the Liverpudlian, now aged 41, became boss of Bolton last January. Wanderers started the season slowly but are now firmly in the promotion picture.

Man in the middle

James Oldham has been an EFL referee since 2019 and takes charge of games in Leagues One and Two. His last experience of Rotherham came in September 2020 in the Carabao Cup at Salford City during the Covid season. The Millers went out in a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw after extra time. This term, he has dismissed two players and issued 81 cautions in 19 outings.

The odds

The bookmakers are strongly favouring the visitors, offering a Rotherham win at 16/5 and a Bolton one at 3/4. A draw is 5/2.