As the football season draws ever closer let’s have a quick look at some of Rotherham United’s opponents next season . . .
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. Last season Huddersfield had five different men at the helm with former Miller Neil Warnock taking over in February and steering them out of the relegation zone to finish one place and three points better off than Rotherham.
The Millers and the Terriers have met sixty times in all competitions in the past with fifty-four of those being in the league, the last time being a two-nil win for the Terriers at the John Smith’s Stadium, goals coming from Duane Holmes and Jordan Rhodes.
Ground – John Smith’s Stadium
Nickname – The Terriers
Manager – Neil Warnock
Hull City
Founded in the summer of 1904 Hull City were finally admitted to the Football League the following season finishing in fifth place of the Second Division. They were relegated in 1930 to the Third Division North and after the Second World War, the club moved to Boothferry Park. Yo-yoing between the second and third divisions City found themselves in receivership, and the Fourth Division, in the early 1980’s. After a lot of comings and goings Hull moved to the KC Stadium in December 2002 and two years later had back-to-back promotions which got them into the Championship and eventually into the Premier League for the start of the 2008/9 season. They were again relegated to the Championship but under Steve Bruce got back to the top tier of English football. They were relegated again at the end of the 2014/15 season getting promoted straight back lasting just one year before relegation again. The 2020/1 season saw the Tigers fall into League One but promotion came at the end of and they went up as Champions. January 2022 saw Grant McCann sacked as manager with former Georgian International Shota Arveladze taking over days later. When Arveladze was sacked in September 2022 Andy Dawson was in interim charge for eight games with Liam Rosenior being appointed manager in November. The Tigers finished last season with fifty-eight points and in fifteenth place in the Championship.
The Millers and Tigers have met seventy-two times in the league, the last time being on April Fool’s day in 2023 which was a goalless draw despite the Millers going down to ten men on seventy-nine minutes when Domingos Quina was sent-off.
January 2022 saw Grant McCann sacked as manager with former Georgian International Shota Arveladze taking over days later. Carlos With fifty-one points City finished the season in nineteenth spot with a minus thirteen goal difference, top scorer being Keane Lewis-Potter on thirteen.
Ground – MKM Stadium
Nickname – The Tigers
Manager – Liam Rosenior
Ipswich Town
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 with 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. Since then various men at the helm including former Miller Paul Hurst, Paul Lambert, Paul Cook and John McGreal before Kieran McKenna took over in December 2021. Last season saw Ipswich promoted from League One as runners-up.
The Millers and Tractor Boys have met thirty-six times in the league the last one being at the New York Stadium in April 2022 when a Michael Smith second-half goal gave the hosts a one-nil win. They did meet last season in the FA Cup at Portman Road which was a four-one win for Ipswich.
Ground – Portman Road
Nickname – The Tractor Boys
Manager – Kieran McKenna
Leeds United
Leeds City FC was formed in 1904 and elected as League members a year later but, in 1919 disbanded but reformed as Leeds United and were voted into the Midland League. A year later Leeds were elected to the Football League and found themselves fluctuating between League One and League Two. Manager Jack Taylor resigned in 1961 and Don Revie took over in March saving the club from relegation to the Third Division and the rest, as they say, is history!
Many Managers have been through the spinning door at Elland Road in recent years with June 2017 saw them welcome Spanish striker Thomas Christiansen to the hot seat. After a poor run in form Christiansen was dismissed and former Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom took over. He lasted four months. Leeds finished the season in thirteenth place and started the new season with new Head Coach Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa in charge. American Jesse Marsch signed in in February 2022 last a year with Michael Skubala becoming caretaker manager for three games before much travelled Spaniard Javi Gracia became boss. He won three games in twelve before being replaced by Sam Allardyce for the last few games of the 2022/3 season. Daniel Farke was appointed manager on 4 July 2023.
The Millers and Leeds last met at the New York Stadium in January 2019 which saw Semi Ajayi give the hosts the lead on twenty-eight minutes but a second half double from Mateusz Klich gave Leeds the three points.
Ground – Elland Road
Nickname – The Whites. The Peacocks
Manager – Daniel Farke
Leicester City
Founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse they were elected to the Football League in 1894 changing the Fosse for City twenty-five years later. They have been champions eight times in the old Third Division/League One and Second Division/Championship, twice won the Championship play-off final and in 2015/16 won the Premier League title. They started their football playing in various grounds before moving to Filbert Street in 1891 and then onto the then Walker Stadium in 2002 before it was renamed the King Power Stadium nine years later.
Amongst their most famous managers are Frank O’Farrell, Jimmy Bloomfield, Martin O’Neil, Peter Taylor, Dave Bassett, Nigel Pearson, Sven Goran Eriksson, Claudio Ranieri who helped them win the Premier League title, with most recently Brendan Rodgers who left in April 2023 with Mike Stowell and Adam Sadlier stepping in for a couple of games before Dean Smith was appointed on the tenth of the month until the end of the season. The close season saw the Foxes give a three year deal to former Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca.
The Millers and Foxes last met in August 2011 at Rotherham’s temporary home the Don Valley Stadium in a Carling Cup game. An own goal from Matt Mills gave Rotherham the lead on thirteen minutes but Paul Gallagher equalised twenty-three minutes later with a second-half hat-trick from Jeffrey Schulpp giving the visitors the win. The last time the pair met in the league was a League Two game at Millmoor when Alan Lee opened the scoring for the hosts but a Trevor Benjamin goal fifteen minutes from the end saw Leicester get a point.
Ground – King Power Stadium
Nickname – The Foxes
Manager – Enzo Maresca
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