As the new season draws ever closer who will Rotherham United be meeting in The Championship?
Cardiff City
Formed in 1899 as Riverside AFC they joined the Cardiff & District League the following season changing their name in 1908 to Cardiff City. They raised enough capital to build their own stadium in 1910, Ninian Park turning professional the same year and joined the Southern Football League Second Division winning the title and promotion at the second time of trying. In 1927 Cardiff became the first non-English side to win the FA Cup (ironically on St George’s Day). A few ups and downs followed over the years and in 2000 Sam Hamman bought the club changed the colours and re-named them ‘Cardiff Celts’ which went down like the proverbial lead balloon and it was soon changed back to Cardiff City. Financial problems with owners coming and going saw Cardiff eventually move into the Cardiff City Stadium in 2009 while winning the 2012/13 Championship title seeing them in the Premier League for the first time. They were relegated but Neil Warnock was appointed in October 2016 and took them back to the English top tier for the 2018/19 season. Once again they only spent one season in the top flight coming back into the Championship last season.
Of the fifty league games that the Millers and Bluebirds have played against each other Rotherham have twenty-three wins to City’s fourteen.
The last time that Rotherham and Cardiff met was in the Championship at the Cardiff City Stadium in February 2017. Goals from Kadeem Harris, Junior Hoilett, Craig Noone and two from Kenneth Zahore gave the hosts a five-nil win.
Ground – Cardiff City Stadium
Nickname – The Bluebirds
Manager – Neil Harris
Coventry City
Formed as Singers F.C. in 1883 Coventry City took on their name fifteen years later joining the Football League in 1919. In 1992 they were an inaugural member of the Premier League spending thirty-four seasons there until relegated in 2001. After eleven years in the Championship they were relegated again to League One and 2017 saw them drop to League Two although they did win the EFL Trophy at Wembley. August 2005 saw them move from Highfield Road to the Ricoh Stadium and two years later they were close to going into administration and in 2013 they had to play their ‘home’ games at Northampton’s Sixfield Stadium returning to the Ricoh the following season. At the end of the 2017/18 season the Sky Blues were promoted back to League One via the play-offs but once again found themselves ground sharing, this time with Birmingham City. The Sky Blue’s were promoted as Champions of League One after the 2019/20 season was cut short due to Covid-19.
The Millers and Coventry have played in thirty league games in the past the last one being in February 2020 at St Andrew’s. After Freddie Ladapo had put the visitors in the lead Matt Godden equalised for City just after half-time.
Ground – St Andrew’s
Nickname – Sky Blues
Manager – Mark Robins
Derby County
Derby County were founded in 1884, originally playing their home games at the cricket club’s Racecourse Ground with their first competitive match was a seven-nil defeat to Walsall Town in the 1885 FA Cup. In 1895 County moved to the Baseball Ground where they stayed until 1997 when they moved to Pride Park Stadium. Arguably, some of the Rams best years came from 1967-73 when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor were in charge. Last season Derby finished tenth in the Championship with Chris Martin and Martyn Waghorn getting twelve goals each.
The 2018/19 season was the last time the Millers and Rams met which was in the Championship with the last game being a six-one defeat for Rotherham at Pride Park. Martyn Waghorn got a hat-trick, two from the penalty spot, with Bradley Johnson, Mason Mount and Duane Holmes getting the other three. Richard Wood got a consolation for the visitors. Of the fifty-three games the two have played in all competitions Derby have won twenty to the Millers sixteen.
Ground – Pride Park
Nickname – The Rams
Manager – Philip Cocu
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town were formed in 1907 and three years later entered the Football League. In 1926 they became the first English team to win three successive league titles. After the Second World War the club were in a bit of a decline and dropped out of the First Division in 1952 although 1970 saw a brief return to the top they have meandered between the lower leagues since. The end of the 2016/17 season saw the Terriers promoted to the Premier League and they finished sixteenth in that first season but the following season finished bottom with just sixteen points.
The Millers and the Terriers have met fifty times in the league in the past with Town winning twenty-seven to the Millers nine. The last time the pair met was in the EFL Cup at the John Smith’s Stadium in August 2017. Semi Ajayi put the Millers one up in the first minute but a Philip Billing penalty and a Joe Lolley goal two minutes apart gave the hosts the win. The teams last met in the league on Valentines Day 2017 at the New York Stadium with Ajayi and Lolley scoring to send the pair in level at half-time, Tom Adeyemi giving the Millers back the lead on seventy-one minutes with Elias Kachunga getting a second equaliser for the Terriers before a Tommy Smith goal in time added on saw the visitors take all three points back to West Yorkshire.
Ground – John Smith’s Stadium
Nickname – The Terriers
Manager – Carlos Corberan
Luton Town
Luton were founded in 1885 and were the first club in southern England to turn professional which was five years later and joined the Football League for the start of the 1897/8 season. Financial problems saw them leave just two years later but they were back in 1920 reaching the First Division in 1955/6. The Hatters were in the 1959 FA Cup Final losing to Nottingham Forest. They were relegated the following season and then twice more in the following few years starting the 1965/6 season in the Fourth Division. After a couple of promotions they started the 1974/5 season back in the First Division although they were relegated after just one season. 1981/2 saw them top the Second Division and 1988 saw them win the League Cup against Arsenal. After relegation they started the 1992/3 season back in the Second Division. Town found themselves in free-fall after that and the 2008/9 season saw them docked thirty points for financial irregularities and they went on to spend five years in non-league before winning the Conference Premier in 2013/14 to see them back in the Football League. 2016/17 saw Luton promoted to League One and they got back-to-back promotions climbing into the Championship the following year.
The Millers and Hatters have played in thirty-three games together in all competitions the last time being in 2009 in the FA Cup with the first game at Don Valley being a two-all draw with Luton winning the replay three-nil at Kenilworth Road.
Ground – Kenilworth Road
Nickname – The Hatters
Manager – Nathan Jones
Middlesbrough
Formed in 1876 Middlesbrough turned professional twenty-two years later and although reverting back to amateur status in 1892, they turned professional permanently in 1899. The club won promotion to the First Division in 1902 and moved to Ayresome Park the following year. 1924 saw the ‘Boro relegated and then for the next few years they seemed to yo-yo between Division One and Two with the low time of the club coming in 1966 when they were relegated to Division Three for the first time in their career although they were only there for a season. After financial difficulties in the mid-1980’s the club once again found themselves drop to Division Three which, if not for a board member getting together a consortium ten minutes before a deadline, they could have found themselves out of the Football League all together. After a few more ups and downs the club were founder members of the Premier League.
Rotherham and ‘Boro have played thirty-six league games with Middlesbrough winning eighteen to the Millers ten. The last time the pair met was the last game of the Championship season in 2018/19 at the Riverside Stadium. Britt Assombalonga scored from the penalty spot for the hosts on twenty-eight minutes and nine minutes later John Obi Mikel made it two-nil with a penalty from Michael Smith in the final five minutes of the game giving the Millers a consolation goal.
Ground – Riverside Stadium
Nickname – ‘Boro
Manager – Neil Warnock
Millwall
Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885 a resolution was passed for the club to drop ‘Rovers’ from their name in 1889 and add ‘Athletic. As Millwall Athletic they were founding members of the Southern Football League and moved to The Den in 1910. Dropping ‘Athletic’ from their name Millwall were invited to join the Football League in 1920. In August 1993 Millwall moved to The New Den, which was the first new football stadium constructed for a professional team in London since 1937 and the first all-seater stadium built after the ‘Taylor Report’.
The Millers and Lions have played in thirty-two league games together the Millers winning twelve which is one more than Millwall. February 2019 was the last time they played in a League game which ended goalless at The Den. The pair have played in two FA Cup games, one being a draw and Millwall winning the other with both teams winning a League Cup game each.
Ground – The Den
Nickname – The Lions
Manager – Gary Rowett
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