Why staying up would mean a little bit more to Rotherham United captain Joe Rafferty

He doesn't have a single relegation on his CV.

The 32-year-old had been at the coalface for more than 14 seasons after starting out at Rochdale as a teenager and taking in stops at Preston North End and Portsmouth before arriving at AESSEAL New York Stadium in the summer of 2024.

The Scouser is determined to help the bottom-four Millers escape the drop to League Two so he can keep his proud record intact.

“I've never been relegated,” he said. “I had a close call one year with Rochdale, but it was a totally different situation to the one we're in now.

“Then, Rochdale were expected to go down and managed to stay up. We went into this season with no expectation of being anywhere near it. The reality is, that's where we are.”

All being well, Rafferty will hit the 500 mark at some stage in the 2026/27 campaign.

For now, he and Rotherham have 14 matches left to salvage their season and avoid becoming a fourth-tier side for the first time since 2013.

The right-back made his debut for Dale back in 2012 when he was 18. Nowadays, he's a senior pro, wears the armband and wants to set a captain's example in helping those with fewer miles on the clock to navigate a testing time.

“Ultimately, it's up to myself, Daws (Cameron Dawson), Jamo (Reece James), even Duncan (Watmore) who's just come in, and Jord' (Hugill), even though he's not available at the minute, to guide the younger boys.

“First and foremost, we can lead through our performances. That's the biggest guide that the young lads can possibly have. If they see us giving everything, fighting for every single ball, doing everything we possibly can on and off the pitch, then that's one way to lead them.”

Rafferty headed north at the end of his deal on the south coast and has now played more times for Rotherham – 79, if he was on the pitch at Bradford City on Tuesday night – than he did for Portsmouth or Preston.

He's made the town his home and lives with his partner and two children on a quiet street near the Wickersley countryside.

Not only is he playing for personal pride, he's going into battle for manager Matt Hamshaw, the backroom team and the supporters.

The gaffer, the football staff – the likes of Woody (Richard Wood) and Tongey (Dale Tonge), they're really good people. They work really hard and they're really passionate. They care so much about this club.

“They're doing everything in their power to turn this around, I know that first hand because of what I see.

“It's down to us players to go out there and give them something back, and also give the fans something back.

“I want us to win every game for the fans. I speak to a lot of them in and around the place because we're living round here and they live and breathe it.”

Last Tuesday’s Yorkshire derby at Bradford City was his 477th match, a whopping 257 of which came during a six-and-a-half-year stint with Dale before he had a taste of the Championship with North End.

Next up is a home encounter this weekend against a side boasting one of the best away records in the division, Plymouth Argyle.

The Millers need points, their skipper needs the ‘r’ word to give way to survival.

“No player, no matter what situation you're in in your career, wants to be relegated,” Rafferty said. “You avoid it at all costs, whether you're in contact, out of contact.

“I'm playing for myself, playing for my kids, playing for my family, I'm playing for everything. It's vitally important that we avoid relegation.”