Another new season will soon be here so let’s have a quick look at who we might be meeting
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Ground – Highbury Stadium
Nickname – The Trawlermen or The Fishermen
Manager – Simon Grayson
Originally established in 1908 Fleetwood FC were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. 1976 money troubles saw the club fold but 1977 saw Fleetwood Town FC take their place in Division One of the Cheshire League but nineteen years later the club folded again.
This current Fleetwood Town club was formed in 1997 as Fleetwood Wanderers and were placed in Division One of the North West Counties Football League immediately changing their name, due to a sponsorship deal, to Fleetwood Freeport FC. Promotion to the Premier Division of the North West Counties League in 1999 saw them become Fleetwood Town again.
The Trawlermen had a few successful years and the end of the 2011/12 season saw them promoted to the Football League. The 2013/14 saw them get to the League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley beating Burton Albion one-nil to get into League One.
After various managers and interim managers in the last four years or so Joey Barton took up the reigns for the beginning of the 2018/19 season leaving in January 2021 with the club in tenth place. At the end of the month Simon Grayson was appointed manager with the Cod Army finishing in fifteenth place with Callum Camps top scorer with ten goals.
The clubs have met just four times in the past in the league, the last time being at the New York Stadium in April 2018. Ashley Eastham put the visitors in front on just five minutes but a Nathan Pond og and a Joe Newell goal gave the Millers the lead. Cian Bolger put Fleetwood back in front with Richard Wood getting the winner thirteen minutes from time for the hosts.
GILLINGHAM
Ground – Priestfield Stadium
Nickname – The Gills
Manager – Steve Evans
Founded in 1893, Gillingham joined the Football League in 1920 but were voted out at the end of the 1937/8 season returning twelve years later. Going into administration in 1995 the club were threatened with expulsion but in the summer Paul Scally, a London-based businessman, stepped in and bought the club and the following season the Gills were promoted to the Old Division Three.
1999 saw Gillingham get to the play-offs in Division Two losing out to Manchester City but the following season they were at Wembley again in the play-off final beating Wigan to reach League One. A few relegations and promotions happened over the next few seasons with their last promotion coming in May 2012 to League One. June 2019 saw former Millers Boss Steve Evans take over the Gills.
The Gills finished last season in tenth position in League One with sixty-seven points and with nineteen goals Vadaine Oliver was top scorer.
Gillingham and Rotherham last met at the Priestfield Stadium in November 2019. It was a game that saw the Millers get three away wins in a row with Michael Smith opening the scoring and Matt Crooks getting two – his first a ‘wonder goal’ from some thirty yards out – to make it a three-nil win for the visitors.
IPSWICH TOWN
Ground – Portman Road
Nickname – The Tractor Boys
Manager – Paul Cook
Ipswich Town were founded in 1878 but not turning professional until fifty-eight years later joining the football league in 1938 playing in Division Three (South). They won the title at the end of the 1953/4 season but were relegated straight back down the following year but began to make better progress when Alf Ramsey took over as manager in 1955 and in 1961 won promotion to the top tier of English football. Under Bobby Robson the team flourished and in 1981 went on to win the UEFA Cup.
Robson left in 1982 to manage England with the end of the 1985/6 season seeing them relegated to the Second Division. John Duncan was replaced John Lyall who got Ipswich promoted as champions of the Second Division into the new Premier League where they held on in there for a couple of seasons before Lyall was sacked and under George Burley they were relegated. Burley took them to three successive play-offs before they returned to the Premier League in 2000 via a Wembley win over Barnsley. After a good first season in the top tier the following season saw them relegated back to the Championship. Joe Royle took over after Burley was sacked and after getting Ipswich into the play-offs twice he resigned in 2006 and Jim Magilton took over who was himself replaced by Roy Keane in 2009. Various other managers came and went with Mick McCarthy arrived in November 2012 steering them away from relegation.
Despite a win over Doncaster Rovers the end of February 2021 saw Ipswich and Paul Lambert part ‘by mutual consent’ and after rumours that there had been clashes between him and players, with Matt Gill taking temporary charge. A couple of days later Paul Cook was installed as Manager. The following month Ipswich Town was taken over by US investment group Gamechanger 20 Limited, Town ended the season in ninth place, five points behind Oxford in the last play-off place and top scorer of the season with ten goals was James Norwood.
Rotherham and Ipswich last met in January 2020 at the New York Stadium with the only goal of the game coming three minutes before half-time from Millers’ skipper Richard Wood.
LINCOLN CITY
Ground – Sincil Bank
Nickname – The Imps
Manager – Michael Appleton
Lincoln were founded in 1884 winning the Midland League in 1889–90. Two years later they became founder members of the Football League Second Division and were there until 1908. After failing to get re-elected they found themselves back in the Midland League which they were re-elected something which was repeated twice again. In 1921 they were founder members of the Third Division North and yo-yo’d a bit for the next few years. In 1962 they found themselves in the Fourth Division where they stayed until promotion in 1976 but by 1987 were playing Conference football although they were promoted at the first time of asking. Promotion, relegation and play-offs were on the cards until they were once again in the Conference for six seasons until promotion back into league football at the end of the 2016/17 season. In 2018 the Imps won the Football League Trophy and won the League Two title at the end of the 2018/19 season.
After the Cowley Brothers left for pastures new Michael Appleton was appointed the Lincoln boss in September 2019. Last season saw the Imps finish in fifth place in League One and after beating Sunderland four-one on aggregate they took on Blackpool in the League One Play-Off Final but lost out two-one. With fifteen goals Jorge Grant was top scorer last season.
The last time the Millers and Imps met was in a League One game in February 2020 at Sincil Bank when the only goal of the game came from Matt Crooks two minutes into the second half to give the visitors all three points.
MK DONS
Stadium – stadium:mk
Nickname – The Dons
Manager – Russell Martin
The club officially consider themselves as founded in 2004 although they are a club coming out of Wimbledon FC’s move to Milton Keynes in September 2003.
MK Dons appeared in League One in the 2004/5 season, two years later getting relegated to League Two but winning the title in their new home stadium:mk at the end of the 2007/8 season. 2014/15 saw them promoted to the Championship but after just one season were relegated back to League One and the 2017/18 saw them drop to League Two but were promoted straight back to League One at the end of the season.
Last Season saw the Dons get sixty-five points and finish in thirteenth place with Cameron Jerome top scorer with fifteen goals and also had four assists.
February 2020 saw the pairs last meeting which was a one-all draw at the New York Stadium with Freddie Ladapo putting the hosts in front on ten minutes but twelve minutes later the Dons were level thanks to a Rhys Healey goal.
MORECAMBE
Stadium – Mazuma Stadium
Nickname – The Shrimps
Manager – Stephen Robinson
Morecambe were founded in 1920 going into the Lancashire Combination League and in their forty-eight year stay they won the title five times. 1968 saw them join the newly formed Northern Premier League and won the FA Trophy in 1974 and the Premier League President’s Cup eighteen years later. At the end of the 1994/5 season they were promoted into the Conference and 2007 they won the play-off final to get into League Two.
The Shrimps find themselves in League One this season after winning the play-off final at Wembley against Newport County. Two players finished the season on fifteen goals Carlos Mendes Gomes and Cole Stockton, Gomes having six assists and Stockton four.
Rotherham and Morecambe last met in an EFL Cup game in August 2016 at the New York Stadium. The game saw nine goals the first one on six minutes when Cole Stockton scored for the visitors. A Greg Halford penalty just before the sixty minute mark pulled the Millers level but Jack Dunn put Morecambe ahead again nine minutes later. With ten minutes to go Jerry Yates again equalised for Rotherham and for the first time in the game two minutes later Anthony Forde put them in front but two minutes into time added on Dunn equalised for the visitors from the penalty spot. In extra time former Miller Kevin Ellison put Morecambe in front with Dunn getting his hat-trick and Morecambe’s fifth goal. In the final minute of extra time Yates got another one for the Millers with Morecambe winning five-four.
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