It must be really, really difficult to be a Warne hater at the moment. In a perverse way I almost admire their determination. But for anyone who professes to be an RUFC supporter to say after a dominant away win to the team in fourth with the best home record in the league to say 'I'm glad I wasn't there to see it' is a real head shaking moment.
Gwru doesn't want to watch it for fear that he might have to admit that we - and the long list of players he has rubbished for so long - were actually very good. Not only won't he watch it, he won't read or hear anything about it. If he ignores the result completely perhaps he can pretend it never happened at all.
All of our supporters who thought we were very good are wrong. All of the sports writers are wrong. All of the Oxford supporters who say that we are the best team Oxford have played this season are wrong. They all **** in the same pot and none of them know as much as him. He wants to cover his eyes and ears and assume that Oxford must have been dreadful, just like Ipswich, Peterborough, Blackpool and the rest. His only take on a game he hasn't seen and refuses to hear about is that he was disappointed with the team selection.
A couple of other gems. He criticised the Adelakun signing because the player wasn't ready to play. He actually plays straight away and has now been labelled one of 'Warneys Boys', like Morris who ironically has left because he needed to play more. I also had to laugh earlier when I read that apparently if JCH doesn't score against us it will be because he isn't playing in a good side. It obviously wouldn't be because we have some good defenders and might play well. He must be absolutely desperate for JCH to score and Rovers to win. How sad is that?
I think the guy's head might explode if we keep the current run going much longer.
Reference the comparison between the Evan's League One side and this one. I was not and still am not a fan of Evans the man but he assembled a good side and got us promoted. It would be churlish to pretend otherwise. In general terms, the feel good factor was enormous at that time. We had emerged from the dark days at Don Valley and had come up from League Two. I doubt that many of us expected us to go straight up through League One. We hadn't been there for a while and there was something exciting about mixing it again after years in the doldrums. The supporters were in dreamland at the prospect of Championship football. We were on the up. Compare that to now. Being in League One at all is disappointing. It is perceived as a step backwards. We expect to be in and around the top of this league. If we weren't many would be calling for the managers head. We are top and even now you get the odd supporter still unhappy. We think of ourselves as a big club in the division. Some people moan regularly that the league is crap and it feels like a chore to them to have to play against clubs like Burton, Rochdale etc at all. A Wembley play-off visit would be a bit of an anti-climax. They are getting a bit old hat. In a nutshell, I think it's a matter of context and expectation, with a bit of nostalgia thrown in. I think the current side is every bit as good as the Evans league one side and probably better, but for the reasons outlined those days somehow felt more exciting for many. I think it does say something about how far we have come as a club. Thats my take on it. The challenge, as it has been for the last three or four seasons, is whether or not and how we can take the next step and compete against clubs with vastly more resources than we have if we can get back up.
Fair post and a good comparison. I certainly had the memory of the feel-good factor and how that must taint the evidence somewhat. Its also very true to say that the evidence seems to strongly suggest this is a better team when one looks at the stats. It may be that there is a difference in style as well as the emotional state of things back then.
The point the other poster made (sorry forgot who) about the loan market is a good one too, not only in terms of how it works now but also I think we must have spent a lot more money back then too.
I must admit I cant quite shake the feeling that Evans team was a little stronger despite the weight of comparative evidence. Im doing a roll call in my mind player Vs player and Im still coming up with an unfavourable comparison.
Oxford at our place reminded me of Leyton orient. When I had that impression I looked at our team and thought in comparison we were just not quite a team and decided we had the makings of a good unit but would need one more year to see them at there best.
I will stick with the evidence though as Im getting myself confused.
Top of the league is a heady state and its going to be very interesting to see how we handle it
only 44 games this season but wish it were only 25.
This Rotherham side remind of the Watford team of 2014-15 which beat us 0-2 at NYS and 3-0 at Vicarage Road. Strong, mobile and free scoring. They never gave the opposition time to draw breadth. It would be nice to think we could go on the same trajectory as them!
On the Evans debate, I'm sure our contracted players today are better and more numerous and that we're far less dependent on loanees than under SE. That has to be a plus point if we're looking to achieve promotion and to survive and progress in the Championship.
I have been critical this season but when you are wrong you just have to admit it. We are playing well we have some exciting players and when we work hard to get the ball we are a decent team. The Scott influence is huge and I trust Rob Scott over GWRU anyday of the week. I am saddened about Morris but I wish him well for me he is the type of player I like to watch. As I stated earlier in the season PE deserves the whole season and judge then and at the moment that will be an easy decision for TS. I am still not 100% convinced about the coaching staff but I am delighted to be proven wrong. I would like the board to visibly come out and back the manager to push on to try for automatic promotion any squad can be improved.
Even though it was a very good result and we are top of the league I can't see why some of you on this site are getting a bit giddy. We have won nowt yet we should stop up that's about it. As for players one player got in the football league team of the week for div1good old Woody no surprise we have started winning with him back in the side. Got to hope when Coventry play Bristol Rovers play each other tonight in the cup hope it's extra time and penalties. One thing I noticed from the weekend's game no mention of the officials I wonder why.
I dont think anybody is getting giddy. Warne made it clear that it's good to be top but counts for nothing yet. The majority of posters have said the same. We all know that things have changed quickly in this league and may well change again. We are in the middle of a tough run of fixtures. I for one expect we might still have one or two dips in form in the remaining games. I dont think anybody is counting any chickens. The fact is though we have moved right into the mix for the top spots at a crucial stage of the season, which is a good thing and which is a much better situation than some of the naysayers on here had predicted. Any team currently in the top few that can maintain any sort of consistently will finish in the top two, because the rest seem to be taking points off each other every week. Oxford play Ipswich tonight, so one or both of them will drop points. A draw looks like the best outcome for us.
This blind bloke hears about this genie who'll grant one wish. Goes to see him says my guide dog it's lost is sight can you grant a wish for it to regain it's sight. Genie says that's abit more than a wish have you got another wish. He says Paul Warne to keep Rotherham united in the championship next season. Genie says let me have another look at that dog!
Got your wish Smiler, a draw it is, so both teams have lost ground. Hope we get a great win on Saturday, it'll put a bit of distance between us and the rest.
Perfect result Unifier. In other news, Burton moved into sixth and are going quite well. Bristol Rovers played a full strength side at Coventry in the cup and got thumped 3-0. Hopefully they got the run around and our fresher legs will count for something on Saturday.
Lets get our home tickets out for this season. I've got mine a full house incl' all friendly's, cup games. I'm a life long Rotherham United fan kept most of my season tickets as well. Don Valley every game. I'm just not one of Warney's boys.
