Steve Evans versus the club who fired him ... The Rotherham United boss reflects on the trip to Peterborough United

Rotherham United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim BrailsfordRotherham United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim Brailsford
Rotherham United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim Brailsford
ROTHERHAM United manager Steve Evans this weekend heads back to the club who sacked him when they were in a play-off spot claiming he bears no grudge against them.

The Scot spent 11 months in the hot-seat at Peterborough United from February 2018 to January 2019 before chairman Darragh MacAnthony wielded the axe despite the team's high ranking in League One.

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The Millers clash with Posh on Saturday when Evans will do battle with the man who succeeded him as boss at London Road, Darren Ferguson.

"I loved my time there, I never hid that," he said. "We thought we were going in for a two-year project to get the club back into the Championship.

ROTHERHAM United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim BrailsfordROTHERHAM United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim Brailsford
ROTHERHAM United manager Steve Evans. Picture: Jim Brailsford

"They've been a bit of a 'Rotherham', if you like, in terms of going up and back down with no real success at being able to stay up there.

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"We were sixth when the chairman decided I wasn't for him. One thing I've always said, if you own a football club you're entitled to pick your manager every day of the week. That goes from the Premier League to non-league.

"Darragh wanted a change. The only consolation I had was that he picked an outstanding manager to replace me." The match pits together two sides who are close to each other in the table. The Millers, who are seeking a third straight league win, are on 13 points, a point and three positions below their 14th-placed opponents.

"They are tough opposition, without a shadow of a doubt," said Evans who lives in Stilton, only 15 minutes from Peterborough's ground. "They're a bit like us in terms of reshaping their squad. They've sold two or three really good players.

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"I've been a competitor with Darren for a number of years. We're neighbours, relatively speaking. They're a really good benchmark for how well we're doing. If they beat us, they go slightly away from us; if we beat them, we jump above them.

Evans is desperate for a victory in front of a good-sized away following that would help his side close in on the play-off picture.

"It's my adopted home city and I've previously managed there so the game probably means a little bit more to me," he said.

"By the same token, however, everyone in the stadium without a Rotherham connection will really want to see me lose."

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