Rotherham’s relegation was confirmed in early April and it had looked a certainty for months beforehand: with several games left they had already set club records for the fewest points in a season and the most defeats.
Some fans even identified the 4-0 capitulation away to Barnsley at the end of August as a sure sign of what was to come.
Back-to-back promotions starting in 2012-13 had taken the club by surprise. While New York Stadium is a lovely ground in which to watch Championship football, off the field the set-up remained resolutely in League Two. The scouting network, such as it was, was highly questionable – Gee Evans remained as chief scout well after his bother Steve had left as manager in October 2015 and the club struggled to adapt from Evans’ scattergun approach to a more targeted identification of players.
Criticism has also been made by a number of managers of the standard of the training facilities. The club’s current training ground is on land leased from Tata Steel, one of the main local employers. However, the club also own land elsewhere and it has never been satisfactorily explained why that could not be developed. Recently, there have been announcements that negotiations have gone well with Tata and that a “single structure” will be built on the land, in theory by the start of 2017-18. How it will improve matters remains to be seen.
Denne historien er fra June 2017-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
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Denne historien er fra June 2017-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pirate Transmission
Broadcasters around the world are paying huge sums to screen football, but they will not be willing to invest if they cannot be protected.
Scandi Drama
Years before it was screened live in the UK, England’s Football League was building a cult following abroad thanks to a visionary broadcaster.
Pot Of Gold
A rare meeting between two local rivals brought FA Cup fever – and a useful financial boost – to one corner of Hertfordshire
Digital Divide
From earnest post-match punditry to being used in actual players’ matchday preparations, the virtual game is becoming increasingly blurred with reality.
Haringey Ladder
The decision to walk off in the face of abuse has shone a national spotlight on a community club with a progressive approach
Bournemouth 0 Norwich City 0
Dean Court may have received a Premier League facelift but against today’s visitors the home team fail to live up to their status, although the low-quality draw they play out is still somehow reassuring.
Room With A View
Hampden Park
Not In The Script
ARSENAL FILM
Out Of Place...
After another unsuccessful qualifying attempt Martin O’Neill is under pressure, while a poor Republic of Ireland squad is only getting weaker
Uncomfortable Truth
At the end of April Sheffield United surprised many people by re-signing Ched Evans, who, following a retrial, has now been found not guilty of the rape charge for which he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
