Sheffield Wednesday v Rotherham United derby hopefully produces the right kind of headlines - Stuart Rayner

On Sunday I will be lucky enough to be at Hillsborough, and already I cannot wait.

With the form both teams are in, Sheffield Wednesday versus Rotherham United has all the makings of a cracking League One game. It is good to have the added bonus of not being a supporter of either.

I genuinely do not care which team wins, I just hope it passes off without any crowd trouble.

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There has been a fair amount of chatter this week about supporter misbehaviour – possibly too much.

A Leicester City invades the pitch as Nottingham Forest celebrate scoring their side's third goal at the City Ground. Picture: Tim Goode/PAA Leicester City invades the pitch as Nottingham Forest celebrate scoring their side's third goal at the City Ground. Picture: Tim Goode/PA
A Leicester City invades the pitch as Nottingham Forest celebrate scoring their side's third goal at the City Ground. Picture: Tim Goode/PA

For the media it is a difficult balancing act.

On the one hand, you cannot turn a blind eye when an idiot runs from the New York Stadium stands and kicks the ball off the penalty spot as Accrington Stanley’s Harry Pell is preparing for the decisive moment of a game, then barges into him. He can just count himself lucky it was Rotherham’s Michael Smith, not an Accrington player who caught him or he might have spent the night in casualty, rather than the cells.

If we pretend there is not a problem, we only end up with a bigger one.

In the summer I was extremely fortunate to not just report on but simply attend England matches at a major tournament for the first time but what should have been the joy of seeing the Three Lions in only their second major final was genuinely spoiled even before kick-off by the behaviour of an extremely large and incredibly stupid group of people.

Rotherham United manager Paul Warne Picture: Bruce RollinsonRotherham United manager Paul Warne Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne Picture: Bruce Rollinson
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It would have been wrong not to make sure others knew what had gone on.

On the other hand, there does seem to be a pattern of copycat incidents when something like this happens, as when there are outbreaks of racial abuse, usually but not always by cowards behind keyboards.

It was the third strike against Rotherham in a matter of weeks after a minute’s silence was disrespected at Fleetwood Town and an object was thrown at a linesman from the away end at Crewe Alexandra. On Saturday a few Wednesday fans did that too at Burton Albion, and the next day a Leicester City fan whose shoe size was also bigger than his IQ ran on to the pitch at Nottingham Forest and started throwing punches at Keinan Davis.

It might not be the case, but what is happening now feels like a snowball that has been rolling since the European Championship semi-final.

Sheffield Wednesday manager, Darren Moore Picture: Zac Goodwin/PASheffield Wednesday manager, Darren Moore Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA
Sheffield Wednesday manager, Darren Moore Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA
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The problem with reporting these incidents is it puts ideas into heads with plenty of room in them.

As a journalist you did not want to draw the connection between the invader’s antics and the poor Pell penalty Josh Vickers saved to keep the score at 1-0 with stoppage time fast approaching.

With the day Accrington had – not to mention Vickers – it would probably have turned out that way anyway. Mitch Clark hit the post in the 97th minute.

And those two extra points could yet be scrubbed off if Rotherham get a points deduction for their unwanted hat-trick.

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To do so would punish a wonderful squad and the vast majority of Rotherham fans who are decent football lovers, just like most Wednesdayites and Leicester fans. But it is a quandary for the authorities too, because to not punish the club sends out a far worse message.

Perhaps it came too late, but it could have cost Rotherham March’s England Under-19 international, which quite apart from dragging international sport north and bringing revenue in itself, should help attract sponsors to a club which will need all the cash it can get if it is to finally put right its recent record of Championship relegations next season.

With four games in this summer’s Women’s European Championships, Rotherham does not want to ruin its reputation as a good place to take lower-profile international football.

Rotherham have lost two of their last 32 games but are catching their local rivals at a bad time.

The Owls have won four on the bounce without conceding.

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As Barry Bannan tells today’s The Yorkshire Post, they will be making teams nervous. The Millers won both derbies last season, the Owls can do it on Sunday.

“What Warney’s doing with them is exceptional, he knows his way around the league,” said Paul Warne’s opposite number Darren Moore.

“They’re top of the league for a reason, they’re a good team with a wonderful cohesion and understanding and he’s beat a wonderful mentality at the club.”

Expect Warne to reciprocate that respect in the coming days.

It should be a really good game.

Hopefully, there is no need to write about anything else.

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