"Three knocking at the door" ... Tony Stewart on more takeover interest in Rotherham United

Stewart has presided over plenty of success during his 18-year-reign but three successive troubled seasons have sent the Millers tumbling from the Championship into League Two.

Many fans are calling for him to sell up, and he revealed that he isn't short of suitors - and hasn't been in the past either.

“Over the last 10 years, I've had Americans, Chinese,” the 81-year-old said. “Even now, there are three knocking at the door.”

The Swiss-led Bridge Football Group, which has nvested in three other clubs around the globe, paid a visit to AESSEAL New York Stadium last month.

Stewart says he would bid farewell if he thought it would be to Rotherham's benefit, but doesn't anticipate any developments in the 2026/27 campaign as the Millers seeks to bounce back from this term's League One relegation.

“I can't see it happening next season,” he said. “Over the last 10 years, I've had Americans, Chinese. Even now, there are three knocking at the door.

“If the right deal came along that put Rotherham in a better situation, that would make the club progress better, I'd sell. If that proposal came tomorrow, I would sell. If anyone wants to get in the queue, I'll give them the time as long as they give the money.”

He claimed to be unaware that some supporters think the time has come for a change, saying: “I don't have anyone saying that to me.

“You'll always get critics. At the end of the day, they've got me until I decide to move.”

The chairman appeared to point the finger at past bosses Matt Taylor, Leam Richardson, Steve Evans and Matt Hamshaw for the club's slide since the September 2022 departure of Paul Warne who left them in the top 10 in the Championship.

When asked how he'd coped with the Millers' slide, he said: “I like to win, whether it's golf, football or whatever. A chairman is responsible for making sure that everybody's paid on time, but delegates to managers, to directors.

“The last three seasons, I've seen things that we've not seen in the previous 15 seasons. When things don't go right, you question it. The manager at that time would say: ‘It's this, it's that, it's the other.’

“In our case, the manager had responsibility for recruitment, he had responsibility for all the analysts and so forth. The chairman just pays the cheques. Because if I knew what managers knew, I wouldn't employ them.

“At the end of the day, a decision's got to be made. If you lose confidence in a manager, you take action. They're not just playing with the finances of the chairman, it's the finances of the club. If you don't do something, it's folly to the club.”

In a revamp of their footballing structure, Rotherham have just appointed Steve McClaren as head of football, with a new head coach due to arrive soon following the exit of short-term manager Lee Clark earlier this month.

Stewart said: “Talking to Steve, it illustrated the gap that we had. It was obvious to Steve, but not to me, that we needed someone who had got football knowledge in depth - someone who could take on the responsibility of not just coaches, recruitment, physios, analysts, but everything that makes a football club tick.

“I do see it being more professional, I do have confidence in what we've just done. It's an opportunity to reset and kick on again. Steve's been here a short time, but he's done a lot in a short time. He's seen a lot of people.

“I'm impressed with the things he's talked about. Most of the things have been good ideas, so I welcome that. I'll welcome even more seeing them put into action.”