It was as nailed on as a window board in the face of a hurricane was Rotherham’s relegation from the Sky Bet Championship, an eventuality that the Millers have essentially been fighting against for the last three seasons.
This backs-to-the-wall defence ended today when the Millers luck finally ran out as a 1-0 defeat against an improving, and dangerous looking Fulham side condemned them to the drop. For a long time, Rotherham have looked like a dead man walking as poor result after poor result saw the South Yorkshire side struggle to put together anything of substance.
Before today’s game against Fulham, Rotherham were as good as relegated. With 24 points on offer from eight games, the Millers sat 24 points behind 21st-placed Burton Albion with a goal difference of -40 when compared to the Brewers. With that in mind, Rotherham would have had to win EVERY game by at least five goals and, ideally, without conceding in the bargain.
It wasn’t to be, as it was, a single goal was all it took to consign Rotherham to third tier football, the loss to Fulham being that final nail driven into the Millers’ coffin. It was also another trough in a season of many with Rotherham only managing one draw in their last 13 games, with 12 losses – their last eight games being losses. During this period, Rotherham have scored just six goals and conceded 32.
With just 17 points in the bag from a wretched season, Rotherham still have seven games left in which to salvage some pride. It won’t be easy though, with hard games against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Reading and Derby County mixed in amongst easier games against Wigan Athletic.
However, with relegation already confirmed, and with confidence no doubt at a low ebb, it won’t be easy for the Millers to pick up points as they limp towards the season’s end.
