Rotherham United and Sutton United are having the weekend off from league football when they will both meet at Wembley in the Papa John’s Trophy Final on Sunday.
Sitting in top place of League One as I write this, though that might not be the case when they kick-off on Sunday, the Millers having won twenty-four of their thirty-nine games so far this season. Saying that March wasn’t a particularly good month winning just once, drawing two and losing two the last one of those being at home to Shrewsbury Town (ironically the last team they played in this competition at Wembley).
Sutton took their place for the first time in League football at the start of this season and are currently in, what I think, a credible place of tenth. Like the Millers the U’s have just one victory in March losing three of their other games and drawing one the game last weekend seeing them lose away to Port Vale with former Miller Jamie Proctor scoring Vale’s second in a two-nil win. Procts was also the last person to lead Rotherham out at Wembley when he was given the job after having had a particularly horrendous season with injuries.
Rotherham United Manager Paul Warne says that he wants his players to go out at Wembley and enjoy the game. Speaking to Radio Sheffield about his team selection the Millers Boss said, ‘As we need to re-jig our league one form may encourage me to go a little bit stronger so we will probably look more like a league team than a cup team. We have always respected this competition, always set out strong and hardly conceded any goals and it’s a reward for the whole squad that we’ve got here and I’m happy for them.’
Speaking about Sutton on the EFL Podcast the Millers Boss said, ‘I’ve seen a lot of them lately and they look very good. They’ve got pace out wide, which I’m a big fan of, their centre-forwards are prepared to drop in and they cause you problems and they are a well rounded group of players. They did really well last year getting promotion and have carried that on into the league above.’
The Millers will keep an eye on top scorer Michael Smith who has had to have injections in his foot but it is likely he will play while Joshua Kayode didn’t suffer any injuries in his International game with Ireland. Freddie Ladapo and Georgie Kelly are out of rehab and back in training which is good news. Angus MacDonald who was red carded in the last game is available as his suspension is only for league games. There is also news coming out of the club that goalkeeper Josh Vickers has a break in his hand so has to be a major doubt.
Speaking to IFollow U’s Manager Matt Gray said the squad can’t wait for the final on Sunday saying, ‘It’s exciting but we are trying to keep as much normality into the build up to the game as normal. We will be visiting Wembley on Saturday afternoon to have a look around and acclimatising ourselves. We have got players who have played there before so they will be passing on their experiences to their team mates. We are the underdogs, we are used to that, and I want everyone to enjoy the day but there is a game of football to be played and a trophy at stake and we want to win it. It will be a proud moment for me to lead the team out. It’s going to be a tough game but no tougher than the semi-final.’
Matt went on to talk about the Millers on the EFL Podcast saying, ‘They are a team who are very organised, fit, strong with many threats and many ways to score a goal.’
Sutton picked up a few ‘niggly’ injuries in the semi-final game against Wigan with Matt Gray saying if he hadn’t had to he wouldn’t have played those players in the next league game, saying ‘Wigan took it out of us really’. Those injuries built up and the U’s were short of players for their next games but players have been back in training and Sutton have nearly a full squad to choose from although there will be players who haven’t had minutes under their belts.
The man with the whistle at Wembley is Seb Stockbridge from Tyne and Wear.
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