Steve Evans' derby mission as the boss faces up to how Rotherham United fans are feeling

The Millers find themselves in 14th spot after 14 matches despite being one of the pre-season favourites for promotion and boos have been heard at several recent games.

They head up the M1 tomorrow night to take on South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley and Evans knows the effect a first win at Oakwell in more than half a century could have on the mood of the club's followers.

“I understand why supporters – some supporters – are on the verge of writing us off, but it’s amazing what three points tomorrow could do,” he said.

“We want to go there, put in a good performance, get the points and settle everyone down.”

The boss was appointed after last term's Championship relegation had already been confirmed his bid to reverse Rotherham's decline hasbeen hit by the number of players who have been in the treatment room.

“This has been as hard a task as we’ve ever known as a management team,” he said. “We always knew that we’d have inconsistencies, but we never thought we'd have all the injuries that we’ve had to key men.

“Not at one stage this season have I been able to put my best team on the pitch.”

Barnsley are in eighth spot and have the division's best away record but they have won only once in the league this season – against Bristol Rovers – on their own turf.

“Our homework on them has been meticulous and we’ll go through that with the lads today and tomorrow,” said Evans at this morning's pre-match press conference.

“There are areas where we feel we can exploit one or two weaknesses. They're a good team. Their home form is suspect at times but they've got really good players and a manager (Darrell Clarke) I think the world of. We'll embrace each other before and after the game.”

The Millers' last taste of an away derby was the 2-0 humbling at Sheffield Wednesday in October last year when they performed so badly that the defeat spelled the beginning of the end for then-manager Matt Taylor.

Evans is expecting better this time around as his side seek to close the six-point gap between them and the play-off reckoning.

"Describing events at Hillsborough 13 months ago as “horrific watching”, he said: “If you were a Miller, you were hanging your head and sneaking out of Sheffield.

“I love derbies. They bring passion, they bring commitment. We need that from our players tomorrow. We’ll certainly get it from our supporters, they have been incredible.”

Rotherham are taking on the history books as well as the Tykes in the 7.15pm kick-off as their 13-match winless sequence at Oakwell stretches back to 1971.

“We haven’t won there in over 50 years,” Evans said. “Not that we’ve been there many times, but it does speak to how tough the challenge is.

“Our thoughts in terms of league form remain that we’ve made an indifferent start, but I see clubs just a couple of points above us saying they’ve had a great one, with arguably bigger resources and most of their players available.

“What I will say is that we’ll need a positive run between now and Christmas to put ourselves in a good position in the new year. We have to be in and around that ‘little pack’ when Santa comes calling.”