Preview – Millers v Pilgrims

Rotherham United welcome Plymouth Argyle to the New York Stadium for the first game of the new season tomorrow.

While the Millers were relegated from the Championship last season Argyle weren’t having the best of things in League One but did survive ending the season in eighteenth place, six points above Rochdale who went down but with a minus twenty-seven goal difference.

Argyle have brought in a few new faces over the summer including James Wilson from Ipswich, Dan Scarr from Walsall, defender Will Aimson from Bolton, Cambridge ‘keeper Callum Burton and former Everton defender Brendon Galloway on a short-term contract.

The Millers took their time fetching in players the first being goalkeeper Josh Chapman as back-up for Viktor Johansson and Josh Vickers, midfielder Shane Ferguson arrived mid July before Hakeem Odoffin, Ollie Rathbone and loanee Rarmani Edmonds-Green signed on earlier this week.

Paul Warne has a number of injuries going into this first game with Vickers, Angus MacDonald and Curtis Tilt all out and with a question mark over Michael Ihiekwe, Joe Mattock and Johansson who went off injured in the last pre-season friendly. If Ihiekwe doesn’t make it then Edmonds-Green will make his debut.

Speaking to the Official Site Millers Boss Warne said that tomorrow’s opponents are ‘comfortable’ on the ball saying, ‘They have an attacking system and create plenty of chances and they are well coached. We will have to be at our very best because, like us, they will be up for it.’

A knee injury has kept George Cooper out of the Plymouth team since December last year although it is possible that he could travel for the game on Saturday, though also possible that he won’t feature. Summer signing James Bolton has missed all the pre-season games suffering an ankle injury but could be fit for this one.

Speaking to their Official Site Plymouth Boss Ryan Lowe said that his team will come to the New York Stadium ‘bouncing’. ‘We’ll show them respect because they deserve it,’ Lowe said. ‘Rotherham have had a great four or five seasons under Paul Warne, they weill be one of the favourites to go back up but we just look at it that we’re going to lock horns with another good team and whoever plays the best will probably win. We’re hoping that will be us.’

The referee for this first game encounter is Seb Stockbridge from Tyne and Wear.