MillersMad Match Thread...Millers V Exeter City

[pipppy]

Home game for me only 80 miles away. Nombe to score against his old club.

[ScjR]

Rotherham United's first ever match against Exeter City came in the FA Cup Third Round in January 1928. Exeter at the time were playing their football in the Third Division South and Rotherham, likewise, but in the Northern section. Rotherham opened the scoring after 13 minutes at Millmoor through Joe Scott, scoring from the penalty spot after Cyril Hemingway had been brought down in the penalty area. Eight minutes later Hemingway added a second from a cross by Billy Sellars. It seemed as if Exeter were going to 'crack' badly, the backs miskicked, the halves were over-run, and the forwards could not get going, but they managed to make a brilliant recovery when Ditchburn sent across a high centre which Jackson attempted to head away, but the ball glanced of his head and into the top right hand corner of the net. Within three minutes of the second half Exeter equalised, Vaughan heading into an empty net after Atter had rushed out to try and intercept a high cross. Seventeen minutes later Rotherham regained the lead, Scott meeting a high centre from Snee first-time. Ten minutes later the scores were level again, Mason shooting through a crowd of players and the ball just glancing off Jackson's leg and into the net (goal credited to Sam Mason). 3-3. Rotherham lost the replay at St James Park and missed out on a home-tie with the team that would go on to win the FA Cup that season, Blackburn Rovers. Joe Scott for Rotherham, Billy Vaughan with two goals and George Purcell for Exeter ending in a 3-1 defeat.

In the 18 matches that have took place at St James Park, Rotherham have won 22% (4 matches), drawing 28% (5), and losing 50% (9). Rotherham have recorded an average of 0.83 goals per game, compared with Exeter’s 1.28.

The highest attendance at St James Park was in the FA Cup replay in 1928, 11,805.
The lowest attendance for this fixture at Exeter was 1,929 in April 1999. Chris Curran on 20', a Phil Whelan own goal on 56 minutes and a Barry McConnell penalty on 90 gave Exeter a 3-0 win in the Nationwide Third Division.
In all away fixtures at Exeter City attendances have averaged 3,984. In the League this season attendances at St James Park have averaged 6,702

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell's record opposing Rotherham Utd: Pld 3, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 1
Matt Hamshaw's record against Exeter City: Pld 1, Won 1

Rotherham Utd players sent off at St James Park:
Mitch Rose 2012/13

Players that made their Rotherham United debut at St James Park:
Ian Banks (1992), Jack Holmes (2024), Joseph Hungbo (2024), Jack O'Connell (2012), Esapa Osong (2024), Joe Powell (2024), Joe Rafferty (2024), Liam Ridehalgh (2012), Chris Wilder (1992)
Players that played their last match for Rotherham United at St James Park:
Roy Tunks (1974)

[ScjR]

Most appearances for Rotherham Utd against Exeter City [current team]:
Gerry Forrest 12
John Breckin 12
Mark Rhodes 9
Trevor Phillips 8
Richard Finney 7
Shaun Goodwin 7
Alan Crawford 7
Paul Stancliffe 7
Nigel Johnson 7

[Joe Rafferty 3]
[Joe Powell 3]
Most appearances for Exeter City against Rotherham Utd [current team]:
Steve Neville 11
Jimmy Giles 10
Peter Hatch 9
Keith Bowker 6
John Templeman 6
Steve Flack 6
John Hore 6
Tony Kellow 6
Peter Rogers 6
Scott Hiley 6

[Joe Whitworth 3]
[Jack McMillan 3]
[Ilmari Niskanen 3]
[Jack Aitchison 3]
[Josh Magennis 3]

Top Goalscorers for Rotherham Utd against Exeter City [current team]:
Shaun Goater 3
Trevor Phillips 3
Joe Scott 3

[Denzel Hall 1]
[Reece James 1]
Top Goalscorers for Exeter City against Rotherham Utd:
Billy Vaughan 3
Barry McConnell 2

Rotherham United's on this day record : Pld 16, Won 9, Drawn 3, Lost 4
31-Jan-31 Rotherham United 3 Southport 3, Millmoor 5,446
31-Jan-46 Rotherham United 2 Barnsley 1, Millmoor 19,563
31-Jan-48 Carlisle United 0 Rotherham United 3, Brunton Park 14,344
31-Jan-53 Newcastle United 1 Rotherham United 3, St James Park 54,356
31-Jan-59 Barnsley 1 Rotherham United 1, Oakwell 13,475
31-Jan-67 Rotherham United 1 Nuneaton Borough 0, Millmoor 22,930
31-Jan-70 Bradford City 0 Rotherham United 1, Valley Parade 15,880
31-Jan-76 Rotherham United 2 Colchester United 0, Millmoor 3,943
31-Jan-81 Rotherham United 3 Portsmouth 0, Millmoor 7,588
31-Jan-87 Rotherham United 2 Bury 1, Millmoor 2,814
31-Jan-90 Bolton Wanderers 1 Rotherham United 0, Burnden Park 6,838
31-Jan-98 Peterborough United 1 Rotherham United 0, London Road 7,165
31-Jan-04 West Ham United 2 Rotherham United 1, Upton Park 34,483
31-Jan-09 Rotherham United 2 Macclesfield Town 0, Don Valley Stadium 2,945
31-Jan-15 Charlton Athletic 1 Rotherham United 1, The Valley 14,447
31-Jan-17 Nottingham Forest 2 Rotherham United 0, City Ground 15,770
Former players born on this day
Brian Jordan (1932)
Former players Born in Exeter
Ben Purrington

Played for both
Goalkeepers
Jamal Blackman, Cameron Dawson, Allen McKnight
Defenders
Troy Brown, Lewis Buxton, Bob Chambers, Brian Gayle, Zak Jules, Angus MacDonald, Ben Purrington, Ronnie Robinson, Neil Whitworth
Midfielders
Jimmy Blain, John Fantham (1930s), Nicky Law (2010s), Fred Liddle, David Noble, Chiedozie Ogbene, Gordon Owen, Graham Parker, Andy Roscoe
Forwards
Ronnie Burke, Dennis Churms, Alan Crawford, Jonathan Forte, Cyril Hemingway, Billy Hick, Will Hoskins, Fred Lievesley, Craig McAllister, Andy Morris, Danny Nardiello, Sam Nombe, Reuben Reid, Les Roberts, Tom Smelt, Ryan Taylor
Without an appearance
Chris Holloway, Geoff Hudson, Jacob Parsons, Billy Whiteside
County/Town:
Jack Ackroyd

Player Spotlight - Ronnie Burke
I think it's fair to say that statistically, Ronnie Burke ranks as Rotherham United's 2nd most prolific goalscorer of all time. In all competitions for Rotherham United he managed 81 appearances and scored 61 goals giving him an average goal per game of 0.75 thats a goal every 1.33 matches or excluding the SHFACC an average goal per game of 0.73 and 1.38 games per goal. Of course a few other players will boast a higher AGPG than 0.75, but they will have made a lot less appearances, Nouha Dicko for example.
Born in Marske, North Yorkshire he started playing amateur football for St Albans City. His first professional contract came relatively late, signing for Manchester United at the age of 25 and scoring 16 goals in 28 league appearances before moving to Huddersfield Town in 1949. He was signed from Huddersfield Town by Andy Smailes in March 1953 and scored in his debut in a 4-3 defeat at the City Ground, a match that saw Rotherham's most prolific goalscorer Wally Ardron score two of the four goals for Forest. Burke was no stranger to his teamates on his debut as he played alongside the two Williams, Selkirk, Shaw and Ardron as a guest of Rotherham in 1946. He added further goals in the final two months of the season against Everton, Brentford, Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City and scored 4 goals against Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final of the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA County Cup in a 7-0 win at Millmoor.
At the age of 33, he signed for Exeter City in June 1955 for ?1,300 (around ?45,000 in today's money) and finished Exeter's top goalscorer that season with ten goals. After a couple of seasons with the Grecians he played amateur football for Tunbridge Wells and Biggleswade Town. After retiring from football he lived out the remainder of his life in Watford.
He stands in joint 4th position as scoring the most hat-tricks for Rotherham Utd (3 in total) and joint 12th in 16th position alongside Michael Smith (15th) in all-time top goalscorers. His appearances of 81 ranks him at 238.
Football League 73 appearances - 56 goals, FA Cup 4 appearances, SHFACC 4 appearances - 5 goals
P 81- W 38 D 14 L 29
Win Rate: 46.9%
Unbeaten %: 64.2%
Adjusted PPG (3-pt basis): 1.58

Prediction: A tough match and if Rotherham can turn up and play to their full strength a draw or a win is more than achievable, that said Im going with my gut and with a 2-0 home win. I wish I was as optimistic to say a 3-1 win, I'd be delighted with a draw.

[RU66]

James fit to start. Martha McWilliams can't be relied upon to be in the game enough to risk starting.

Should have said Martha McWilliams both don't impact the game enough.

[Brin]

James fit to start. Martha McWilliams can't be relied upon to be in the game enough to risk starting.

That's better. Thank you and I totally agree with you about both those players. How some folk rate Martha is beyond me. McWilliams needs to be released at the end of the season.

[MILLERSTALE]

That's better. Thank you and I totally agree with you about both those players. How some folk rate Martha is beyond me. McWilliams needs to be released at the end of the season.

It?s odds on that Martha will be used as a striker at some stage in the match ! Considering we have two in the entire club ! For a relegation threatened club this must rate as the worst transfer window ever ? it?s as if we are asking to be relegated, strikers have been changing clubs on a regular basis bout once again we are sitting back until the last minute trying to steal a player from somewhere ! We really need two strikers a winger, and a left wing back just to put us on a level playing field .

[Derbymiller]

The madness of it is appears the owners and management are banking on the injury issues being behind us, that is a very high risk strategy. However posts on other threads imply that the lack of activity is more about the lack of money at the club and we might be in a worse financial position than some of us think. I don't know I am only reading the comments of others and speculating. I personally do not think this squad will keep us up because injuries are likely to weaken it.

[frogmiller]

Here?s hoping that parent clubs give permission for their players to play a full game

[Heliosphan78]

Looks like a back 4 unless he's playing McWilliams at RWB.

[frogmiller]

The madness of it is appears the owners and management are banking on the injury issues being behind us, that is a very high risk strategy. However posts on other threads imply that the lack of activity is more about the lack of money at the club and we might be in a worse financial position than some of us think. I don't know I am only reading the comments of others and speculating. I personally do not think this squad will keep us up because injuries are likely to weaken it.

There is speculation that TS has agreed an invester to join the club. An announcement will be made soon if so.