The Millers are relegated ... on-the-whistle report: Wigan Athletic 3 Rotherham United 0
THE final whistle sounded, boss Lee Clark shook hands with the opposition manager and that was that.
So, on the 30th anniversary of one of their greatest moments, Rotherham United suffered one of their worst as their sorry, spiritless relegation from League One was confirmed tonight.
Back then, on April 14 1996, it was a first-ever trip to Wembley for the Millers and the glory of victory over Shrewsbury Town in the Auto Windscreens Trophy Final.
This evening, it was a wholly predictable defeat at Wigan Athletic that left the visitors with fourth-tier football to contemplate for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign that marked the opening of AESSEAL New York Stadium.
With 12 points left to play for, Rotherham are short of safety by 13 in a season in which they've been short of many things.
The Millers fell behind on 15 minutes when a cross to the back post was headed back across goal and Jason Kerr nodded the ball past Ted Cann.
They were fielding arguably their weakest side of a miserable campaign and were second best to the home side for whom goalkeeper Sam Tickle was a virtual spectator as the first half unfolded.
Only a smattering of fans had made the journey across the M62 and they were surrounded by a sea of empty seats in an away end capable of holding more than 4,500 spectators.
Clark, just a month and five matches into an impossible survival mission, cut a downcast figure in his technical area.
Rotherham had an effort on goal just before the break when Dan Gore fed Sam Nombe who fired over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
With injuries, as ever, plaguing the squad, academy teenager Cohen Lee was handed his first start in senior football after being an unused substitute in the loss against Barnsley at the weekend.
Josh Benson, Liam Kelly and Reece James - all in the 11 against the Tykes - were missing and two other players, Denzel Hall and Duncan Watmore, who both made sub appearances in the South Yorkshire derby, were also absentees.
Joe Rafferty and Brandon Cover came into a side showing three changes while in the Wigan squad was former Millers loan winger Joe Hungbo.
Seven minutes into the second half, the Millers fell further behind when Joe Taylor skipped to apply a deft finish and, ten minutes later, they slipped deeper in arrears when Callum Wright's deflected shot found the net.
The visitors spent most of the second period in their own half as the heady days of six seasons in League One and seven in the Championship came to an ignominious close.
Seven minutes of added time just added to the agony and the players looked forlorn as they finally trooped off the pitch.
For too much of the season, there has been too little fight. For too much of the run-in, there has been too little fight,
And Rotherham duly bade farewell to the division with a ninth consecutive match without a win.
Wigan (3-2-4-1): Sam Tickle; Will Aimson, Jason Kerr, James Carragher (Morgan Fox 69); Jensen Weir (Owen Moxon 85), Matt Smith; Raphael Borges Rodrigues (Joe Hungbo 80), Dara Costelloe (Ryan Trevitt), Callum Wright, Fraser Murray; Joe Taylor (Harrison Bettoni 80). Subs not used: Toby Savin, Christian Saydee.
Rotherham (3-5-2): Ted Cann; Joe Rafferty, Lenny Agbaire, Zak Jules; Jamal Baptiste (Emmanuel Adegboyega 73, Dan Gore, Gabriele Biancheri (Ar'Jany Martha 62), Cohen Lee (James Clarke 73), Brandon Cover (Jordan Hugill 73; Sam Nombe, Harry Gray. Subs no used: Ben Childs, Jack Holmes, Josh Ayres.
Goals: Kerr 15, Taylor 52, Wright 63 (Wigan)
Referee: Benjamin Speedie (Merseyside)
Attendance: 7,989 (154)