Why boss Paul Warne doesn't want to see his Rotherham United players tomorrow, plus skipper Richard Wood on the importance of a huge Millers following on Boxing Day

There will be no summons to training ahead of the following afternoon's League One trip to Accrington Stanley.

“They've been off every year I've been in charge," Warne said. “We've usually done well on Boxing Day when the players have been at home the day before.

“Through my career as a player and a manager, I've had more wins being off than in.”

The Millers players will still put themselves through a festive workout.

“They are good kids and I trust them,” their manager added. “They'll all go for runs on Christmas morning. I don't want someone like Icky, who lives in Liverpool, being in the car half the day and missing being with his young son because he has to do an hour at the training ground.

“I can get all the work done in the build-up to Accrington because there's been no midweek game this week."

Warne's men delivered Boxing Day wins three times in four years before last season's trip to Middlesbrough was postponed because of a Millers Covid outbreak.

In 2016 they won 3-2 at home to Wigan Athletic, in 2017 they triumphed 3-0 at Bury, the following year they were beaten 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers and 2019 brought a last-minute 2-1 victory at Shrewsbury Town.

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SKIPPER Richard Wood says Rotherham’s United’s bumper away following will have a big part to play as the Millers look to stretch their undefeated record to 22 matches on Boxing Day.

Covid permitting, the League One leaders head to Accrington Stanley where they will be backed by more than 2,000 travelling supporters.

The captain paid tribute to the fans who have followed the team around the country during their rise to the summit of the third tier in the first half of the campaign.

“We’ve sold a lot of tickets so there will be a good atmosphere,” Wood said. “The away support has been brilliant this season.

“The fans at Cambridge, where we won last Saturday, were really good. It makes a big difference when you’re away from home and you walk out before kick-off and see all that red and white in the away end.”

Rotherham received an allocation of 2,631 tickets and early this week only 500 were left on sale.

Paul Warne’s men will spend Christmas Day at home before setting out for the Wham Stadium on the morning of a fixture that marks the halfway mark of their promotion push.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Wood said. “It’s not a long trip, which is a good thing. Boxing Day is a great day for football. It doesn’t matter who you play.”

After the surge in Covid cases over the last fortnight, enough players from both sides will have to test negative for the disease before the match can go ahead.

“The situation around the country isn’t great,” Wood said. “Hopefully everyone is fine and we can get games on. I just want to play. If we’re told by testing that we can’t play, there’s nothing the players can do about it.”

Centre-half Rarmani Edmonds-Green is likely to be in the side after being taken off as a precaution against Cambridge when he took a second-half knock to his achilles. Wing-back Mickel Miller should be available following his recovery from a sore groin.

Tenth-placed Accrington are set to be without striker Dion Charles who hasn’t been selected since early September because of a contract stand-off. The 26-year-old has refused to sign  a new deal and could be sold in January.

“The ball’s in Dion’s court. If it doesn’t change from Dion’s perspective, it’s not going to change from my perspective,” said manager John Coleman.

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One to watch

Striker Colby Bishop has scored nine goals in 25 appearances this season including a match-winning effort at AESSEAL New York Stadium. Now aged 25, the former Notts County trainee played in non-league football before Accrington signed him in 2019 after he’s bagged 29 times in 36 games for Leamington.

Form guide

Stanley: LWDWLW

Millers: DDWWWW

Accrington’s last three league matches have been at home and a 5-1 win over Fleetwood Town was followed by a 2-0 defeat against Wimbledon and a 1-0 triumph over Bolton Wanderers. Their match last week at Sheffield Wednesday was postponed because of Covid cases in the Owls camp.

Last time out

A late goal by Colby Bishop gave Accrington a 2-1 win over Rotherham at New York in the first round of the EFL Cup in August. After the break, Kieran Sadlier equalised Dion Charles’ first-half effort before Bishop pounced in the 86th minute.

Recent clashes

Feb 22 2020, League One:

Accrington 1 Millers 2 (Freddie Ladapo, Ben Wiles)

Nov 16 2019, League One:

Millers 1 (Carlton Morris) Accrington 0

Dec 29 2012, League Two:

Millers 4 (own goal, Daniel Nardiello 2, Michael O’Connor) Accrington 1

Nov 27 2012, League Two:

Accrington 1 Millers 2 (Daniel Nardiello 2)

Feb 14 2012, League Two:

Millers 1 (Shaun Harrad pen) Accrington 0

Sep 13 2011, League Two:

Accrington 1 Millers 1 (Ryan Cresswell)

In 60 contests between the clubs since 1924, Rotherham have 31 wins compared to Accrington’s 18. Eleven games have ended in draws.

Rival boss

Accrington manager John Coleman is the third-longest-serving boss in the EFL, behind Harrogate Town’s Simon Weaver and Wycombe Wanderers’ Gareth Ainsworth. The 58-year-old’s second spell in charge has now lasted more than seven years. In 2018, he led the club out of League Two and they have been in League One since.

Man in the middle

Durham-based Andrew Kitchen is in his first season on the EFL List and has issued 44 yellow cards and two reds in 16 games. He refereed the Millers’ 4-1 October home win over Scunthorpe United in the EFL Trophy.

The odds

The bookmakers expect Rotherham to extend their unbeaten run to 22 matches with another win. An away triumph is 4/6 while an Accrington victory is 7/2. The draw is 27/10.

Accrington

1-0: 12/1

2-0: 19/1

2-1: 12/1

3-0: 55/1

3-1: 33/1

3-2: 33/1

4-0: 150/1

4-1: 100/1

4-2: 100/1

Draw

0-0: 9/1

1-1: 6/1

2-2: 12/1

3-3: 55/1

4-4: 200/1

Millers

1-0: 6/1

2-0: 7/1

2-1: 7/1

3-0: 12/1

3-1: 12/1

3-2: 25/1

4-0: 25/1

4-1: 25/1

4-2: 50/1