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Thread: o//t what's the most painful millers relegation you have witnessed?

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    4,429
    For me the absolute worst was our first ever relegation to the old Fourth Division in 1972/73.

    In the days of 2 points for a win and goal average instead of goal difference.

    After 43 games we were seemingly clear having accrued 41 points from 43 games and were 8 points clear of Halifax Town who had four games to play and had to win all four and we had to lose our last three.

    Game 44 was on good Friday and I remember going to Blackburn, who at the time were third in the league behind the eventual two promoted teams, Bolton and Notts County ( only 2 teams went up then but four went down)
    We lost 2-1 but no worries we had two games at home to finish the season and we only needed one point.

    Easter Monday evening we welcomed Oldham to Millmoor and had battled back from 2-0 down in the last 15 minutes to level up to 2-2. Job done...... or may be not. Deep into injury time we conceded a free kick about 35 yards out nearly on the touch line (Oldham attacking the Tivoli end) The free kick was lifted in to the goal area and Roy Tunks was up for it to make an easy catch....or so we thought. The ball slipped through his hands and into the goal to hand them a three two win so we played York City on the final day who were two points behind us with a better goal average so we needed a point and they had to win.
    They were well up for it and raced into a two goal lead by half time.
    Although we managed to pull a goal back we lost 2-1 so York were safe so at the end of the final day we sat in 20th place in a three way tie on 41 points but behind both WATFORD and York City.
    But the season hadn’t finished. Halifax had won 3 games on the bounce but still had one game left and it was away at Walsall. The game at Fellows Park was played (somewhat unbelievably) 10 days after our last game and Halifax won 1-0 against an already safe Walsall team.
    So four teams finished on 41 points but we finished 21st and relegated to League 4 for the first time by virtue of having the worst goal average.

    For a 15 year old lad that was very difficult to take. One game above any other that season stood out for all the wrong reasons.
    It was at Bolton in November and they were the league leaders and eventual Champions. We led 1-0 but they had the prolific Jones brothers up front and they equalised to make it 1-1. The game was petering out with about 4 minutes left and we were deservedly on course for a point....until Jim McDonagh put the ball down for a goal kick and was taking his time, but there was one small problem, the ball hadn’t gone out. Their striker raced in and collided with Seamus but their forward reacted first and rolled it into an empty net and we lost 2-1. That set the scene and I still look back on that season (and the season after) as the worst ever. I met Jim about 5 years ago in the hospitality area and we had a laugh about it as he remembered it well, although it was not funny at the time.
    An early 8-1win at Crewe the following season was a false dawn and we finished in our WORST EVER position in my lifetime in 1973/74.

    There are parallels with this year, remembering the ones that got away, such as the dropped points v Sheff Wed and losing yesterday was gut wrenching and was made worse with Wigan winning at Leeds.

    The big difference between the two seasons are stark. That relegation in 1972/73 was totally unexpected. This year we were favourites to not only go down, but also to finish bottom.

    I was distraught after the game yesterday but we now simply have nothing to lose in our last three games because many people think we have had it, certainly the opposing teams fans do. Although over the 54 years supporting this team I feel we have generally not had the rub of the green, this has been somewhat corrected these last few years. Leyton Orient for example arguably should have beaten us in 2014 slipped down into the conference. Fortunately they look as though they might get back into League 2 this year.

    As for us while there’s hope there’s possibility. However it’s the hope that gets you. After 20 minutes we were out of the bottom 3, Wigan were down to 10 men and were 1 down at Leeds. Unfortunately football is a funny old game as famously said by the great Jimmy Greaves.
    We have been on a roller coaster of emotions in most games, particularly recently, eg Villa, Stoke and yesterday, Swansea.

    The one thing we know is our lads will not give up and they will fight to the last.
    For me though I have calmed down. I have not resigned myself to relegation but am at peace with it, knowing that we are still in a good place and if the R word does happen, for me it won’t be deserved. As in life though you don’t always get what you deserve.
    I just wonder if at 5pm on Monday I am still as philosophical should we win and Millwall lose at Villa. Maybe I might need to board the rollercoaster again.
    As shown recently though, we can’t control other teams results, only our own. Nobody does anyone any favours and at the end of the day you have to give credit to the other teams for pulling out some terrific results.
    Villa have now won 9 on the bounce. Without wishing anyone ill luck, I hope that by the time we kick off on Monday that Villa will have won 10.

    Sorry for going on a bit but passion for this club burns brightly and will do so whatever league we are in.
    You can take the boy out of Rotherham but you can’t take Rotherham out of the boy.

    Up the Millers.
    Last edited by Nardendee; 20-04-2019 at 02:04 AM.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    4,366
    Great post Nardendee, enjoyed reading it and it brought back memories of the ' dark days ' in Division 4.

    Atm the wheels have come off the rollercoaster, it can be fixed, no pain....no gain.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    5,967
    I'm with CT on this about 1968. It camne at a time when RUFC didn't seem out of place in the second tier and it was a season when I saw one of the great Millers' performances in the FA Cup win over Wolves when dave Watson was simply majestic. But the season also saw one of those odd RUFC decisions which began my long process of disillusionment - the bizarre sale of John Galley to relegation rivals Bristol City for whom he scored a hatful of goals.
    Certainly not this season because we don't deserve to stay up. Other clubs deserve it more. If we survived it would mark a triumph for parsimony, mediocrity, lack of ambition, negative tactics and poor game management.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    4,924
    Did you have to tie your horses up back then?

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    5,967
    Quote Originally Posted by Silly-miller View Post
    Did you have to tie your horses up back then?
    No but I did have to tie the squire's horse up.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    4,924
    Quote Originally Posted by wendun View Post
    No but I did have to tie the squire's horse up.
    Lol 😂

  7. #27
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    8,180
    This year, if it does happen - it will hurt because the lads have given it everything - frustratingly we are so close to being a reasonable Championship team. Proud of them for the way they fight to the end - can’t fault the effort

  8. #28
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    8,180
    Quote Originally Posted by Nardendee View Post
    For me the absolute worst was our first ever relegation to the old Fourth Division in 1972/73.

    In the days of 2 points for a win and goal average instead of goal difference.

    After 43 games we were seemingly clear having accrued 41 points from 43 games and were 8 points clear of Halifax Town who had four games to play and had to win all four and we had to lose our last three.

    Game 44 was on good Friday and I remember going to Blackburn, who at the time were third in the league behind the eventual two promoted teams, Bolton and Notts County ( only 2 teams went up then but four went down)
    We lost 2-1 but no worries we had two games at home to finish the season and we only needed one point.

    Easter Monday evening we welcomed Oldham to Millmoor and had battled back from 2-0 down in the last 15 minutes to level up to 2-2. Job done...... or may be not. Deep into injury time we conceded a free kick about 35 yards out nearly on the touch line (Oldham attacking the Tivoli end) The free kick was lifted in to the goal area and Roy Tunks was up for it to make an easy catch....or so we thought. The ball slipped through his hands and into the goal to hand them a three two win so we played York City on the final day who were two points behind us with a better goal average so we needed a point and they had to win.
    They were well up for it and raced into a two goal lead by half time.
    Although we managed to pull a goal back we lost 2-1 so York were safe so at the end of the final day we sat in 20th place in a three way tie on 41 points but behind both WATFORD and York City.
    But the season hadn’t finished. Halifax had won 3 games on the bounce but still had one game left and it was away at Walsall. The game at Fellows Park was played (somewhat unbelievably) 10 days after our last game and Halifax won 1-0 against an already safe Walsall team.
    So four teams finished on 41 points but we finished 21st and relegated to League 4 for the first time by virtue of having the worst goal average.

    For a 15 year old lad that was very difficult to take. One game above any other that season stood out for all the wrong reasons.
    It was at Bolton in November and they were the league leaders and eventual Champions. We led 1-0 but they had the prolific Jones brothers up front and they equalised to make it 1-1. The game was petering out with about 4 minutes left and we were deservedly on course for a point....until Jim McDonagh put the ball down for a goal kick and was taking his time, but there was one small problem, the ball hadn’t gone out. Their striker raced in and collided with Seamus but their forward reacted first and rolled it into an empty net and we lost 2-1. That set the scene and I still look back on that season (and the season after) as the worst ever. I met Jim about 5 years ago in the hospitality area and we had a laugh about it as he remembered it well, although it was not funny at the time.
    An early 8-1win at Crewe the following season was a false dawn and we finished in our WORST EVER position in my lifetime in 1973/74.

    There are parallels with this year, remembering the ones that got away, such as the dropped points v Sheff Wed and losing yesterday was gut wrenching and was made worse with Wigan winning at Leeds.

    The big difference between the two seasons are stark. That relegation in 1972/73 was totally unexpected. This year we were favourites to not only go down, but also to finish bottom.

    I was distraught after the game yesterday but we now simply have nothing to lose in our last three games because many people think we have had it, certainly the opposing teams fans do. Although over the 54 years supporting this team I feel we have generally not had the rub of the green, this has been somewhat corrected these last few years. Leyton Orient for example arguably should have beaten us in 2014 slipped down into the conference. Fortunately they look as though they might get back into League 2 this year.

    As for us while there’s hope there’s possibility. However it’s the hope that gets you. After 20 minutes we were out of the bottom 3, Wigan were down to 10 men and were 1 down at Leeds. Unfortunately football is a funny old game as famously said by the great Jimmy Greaves.
    We have been on a roller coaster of emotions in most games, particularly recently, eg Villa, Stoke and yesterday, Swansea.

    The one thing we know is our lads will not give up and they will fight to the last.
    For me though I have calmed down. I have not resigned myself to relegation but am at peace with it, knowing that we are still in a good place and if the R word does happen, for me it won’t be deserved. As in life though you don’t always get what you deserve.
    I just wonder if at 5pm on Monday I am still as philosophical should we win and Millwall lose at Villa. Maybe I might need to board the rollercoaster again.
    As shown recently though, we can’t control other teams results, only our own. Nobody does anyone any favours and at the end of the day you have to give credit to the other teams for pulling out some terrific results.
    Villa have now won 9 on the bounce. Without wishing anyone ill luck, I hope that by the time we kick off on Monday that Villa will have won 10.

    Sorry for going on a bit but passion for this club burns brightly and will do so whatever league we are in.
    You can take the boy out of Rotherham but you can’t take Rotherham out of the boy.

    Up the Millers.

    Superb post - remember those moments you describe so clearly very well - thank you 🙏

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    4,429
    No worries. Got loads more from our first taste of Division 4 and our promotion season the season after.
    73/74 the year Darlington won at Millmoor and lost at Oakwell in the space of 24 hours. Who remembers that ? I was at both games.

  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Nardendee View Post
    For me the absolute worst was our first ever relegation to the old Fourth Division in 1972/73.

    In the days of 2 points for a win and goal average instead of goal difference.

    After 43 games we were seemingly clear having accrued 41 points from 43 games and were 8 points clear of Halifax Town who had four games to play and had to win all four and we had to lose our last three.

    Game 44 was on good Friday and I remember going to Blackburn, who at the time were third in the league behind the eventual two promoted teams, Bolton and Notts County ( only 2 teams went up then but four went down)
    We lost 2-1 but no worries we had two games at home to finish the season and we only needed one point.

    Easter Monday evening we welcomed Oldham to Millmoor and had battled back from 2-0 down in the last 15 minutes to level up to 2-2. Job done...... or may be not. Deep into injury time we conceded a free kick about 35 yards out nearly on the touch line (Oldham attacking the Tivoli end) The free kick was lifted in to the goal area and Roy Tunks was up for it to make an easy catch....or so we thought. The ball slipped through his hands and into the goal to hand them a three two win so we played York City on the final day who were two points behind us with a better goal average so we needed a point and they had to win.
    They were well up for it and raced into a two goal lead by half time.
    Although we managed to pull a goal back we lost 2-1 so York were safe so at the end of the final day we sat in 20th place in a three way tie on 41 points but behind both WATFORD and York City.
    But the season hadn’t finished. Halifax had won 3 games on the bounce but still had one game left and it was away at Walsall. The game at Fellows Park was played (somewhat unbelievably) 10 days after our last game and Halifax won 1-0 against an already safe Walsall team.
    So four teams finished on 41 points but we finished 21st and relegated to League 4 for the first time by virtue of having the worst goal average.

    For a 15 year old lad that was very difficult to take. One game above any other that season stood out for all the wrong reasons.
    It was at Bolton in November and they were the league leaders and eventual Champions. We led 1-0 but they had the prolific Jones brothers up front and they equalised to make it 1-1. The game was petering out with about 4 minutes left and we were deservedly on course for a point....until Jim McDonagh put the ball down for a goal kick and was taking his time, but there was one small problem, the ball hadn’t gone out. Their striker raced in and collided with Seamus but their forward reacted first and rolled it into an empty net and we lost 2-1. That set the scene and I still look back on that season (and the season after) as the worst ever. I met Jim about 5 years ago in the hospitality area and we had a laugh about it as he remembered it well, although it was not funny at the time.
    An early 8-1win at Crewe the following season was a false dawn and we finished in our WORST EVER position in my lifetime in 1973/74.

    There are parallels with this year, remembering the ones that got away, such as the dropped points v Sheff Wed and losing yesterday was gut wrenching and was made worse with Wigan winning at Leeds.

    The big difference between the two seasons are stark. That relegation in 1972/73 was totally unexpected. This year we were favourites to not only go down, but also to finish bottom.

    I was distraught after the game yesterday but we now simply have nothing to lose in our last three games because many people think we have had it, certainly the opposing teams fans do. Although over the 54 years supporting this team I feel we have generally not had the rub of the green, this has been somewhat corrected these last few years. Leyton Orient for example arguably should have beaten us in 2014 slipped down into the conference. Fortunately they look as though they might get back into League 2 this year.

    As for us while there’s hope there’s possibility. However it’s the hope that gets you. After 20 minutes we were out of the bottom 3, Wigan were down to 10 men and were 1 down at Leeds. Unfortunately football is a funny old game as famously said by the great Jimmy Greaves.
    We have been on a roller coaster of emotions in most games, particularly recently, eg Villa, Stoke and yesterday, Swansea.

    The one thing we know is our lads will not give up and they will fight to the last.
    For me though I have calmed down. I have not resigned myself to relegation but am at peace with it, knowing that we are still in a good place and if the R word does happen, for me it won’t be deserved. As in life though you don’t always get what you deserve.
    I just wonder if at 5pm on Monday I am still as philosophical should we win and Millwall lose at Villa. Maybe I might need to board the rollercoaster again.
    As shown recently though, we can’t control other teams results, only our own. Nobody does anyone any favours and at the end of the day you have to give credit to the other teams for pulling out some terrific results.
    Villa have now won 9 on the bounce. Without wishing anyone ill luck, I hope that by the time we kick off on Monday that Villa will have won 10.

    Sorry for going on a bit but passion for this club burns brightly and will do so whatever league we are in.
    You can take the boy out of Rotherham but you can’t take Rotherham out of the boy.

    Up the Millers.
    Great post

    I remember the seasons you mentioned but missed a lot of games at that time because I was away at Uni.

    Still painful though even at a distance

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