'He's come a long way, hasn’t he': Matt Hamshaw's Rotherham United story - from Bobby Williamson to Stewart Evans - as he pens the next chapter

Indeed he has, Mr Hamshaw. Your boy has done good.

Matt Hamshaw, the Rawmarsh lad who ‘lived and breathed Rotherham United’ as a kid according to his dad Phil, will step out in the spring sunshine in front of his people today, in sole charge of his boyhood club on Rotherham soil for the first time. It has been quite the journey.

Back in the day, young Matt used to be smuggled in by his old man under the turnstiles at Millmoor, omnipresent across the dual carriageway from the Millers’ present-day abode.

He remembers being a mascot, as an eight-year-old at the start of the 1990s; his proud father mentioned it in an interview earlier this week. The picture has done the rounds.

A happy time to be a Miller in the days of his hero Bobby Williamson and co.

Now, it’s about creating new memories and hopefully a new era.

Ahead of his big day, Hamshaw said: "That picture came out and did me no favours, did it..

"I was talking to Breck (John Breckin) about it. It was the game Stewart Evans scored a diving header and he was a Rawmarsh lad (like me), which was nice.

"From the cross, John Buckley broke his leg. Stewart scored an unbelievably good diving header and everyone was talking about John Buckley. It’s amazing what you remember. Des Hazel, Tony Grealish, Chris Wilder, Billy Russell, Billy Mercer, Nigel Johnson, Nigel Pepper…

"When you’d ‘been’ Bobby Williamson in your back garden, all of a sudden, you are running out…

"I always say it - and I am a bit soft like this - I can’t believe the New York Stadium is there, being a Rotherham lad. It’s a bit surreal. It will be really special (on Saturday).”

Approaching his mid-40s and with coaching miles on the clock - and promotions on his CV - following his time alongside Paul Warne and Richie Barker at the Millers and Derby County, now is the time for Hamshaw to fly solo.

His old man was a miner, while mum Bev worked as a cleaner. Elbow grease comes naturally to the Millers’ new leader.

Crucially, he feels he has the tools to make a difference at Rotherham - fortified by his latter experiences at a huge football club in Derby.

He led them for a short spell following the sacking of Warne earlier this year.

Hamshaw, who passed up the chance of succeeding Warne at Rotherham in the autumn of 2022 and went down the M1 with him instead, continued: "When you go on courses, everyone asks you: ‘do you want to be a manager?

"I’ve always said: ‘if the opportunity arose, would I be fearful of it? No’.

"I think I have been quite clever in the fact that I didn’t think I was quite ready when it happened last time. I felt like I was in a no-win situation replacing Warney.

"Not because I didn’t back myself, but because we were eighth in the Championship. I just felt the timing was key.

"You learn a lot. Warney makes me see a different side. Rich (Barker) does.

"I think of some of the managers I’ve played for - Chris Turner, Paul Sturrock, Steve Cotterill, Stuart Pearce, with the England youth set-up.

"Different managers and you kind of get the best and worst. Even John Eustace, even though it was only for three days (at Derby). You see different things and think: ‘I like that or don’t like that’.”

Hamshaw is acutely aware that a big reconstruction job is required at the Millers, who find themselves in a bit of a hole, just as they were when Warne stepped up in late 2016.

A look back over the years shows that many of the successful previous Millers eras began from a similarly low ebb. Not just Warne, but Billy McEwan in the late 80s, Ronnie Moore a decade on. Steve Evans, first time around, in the early 2010s.

The Hamshaw tenure began on an encouraging note at Northampton. The sun is out and the mood around the Roundwood training ground has been lifted.

It will not be all sunshine and roses going forward, but at least Millers fans have learnt how to smile again after a joyless 2024-25.

Hamshaw added: "It was only a 2-0 away win at Northampton, but it’s like a ray of light.

“It’s dead weird, everyone has been moaning and groaning and with one game, everything seems amazing.

"It’s really hard for me not to go with that crest of a wave because I don’t want to dampen it, but at the same time, it needs dampening because I know further down the line what is coming with the group of players. But you have to got to ride with it, haven’t you.”

As his old man also said, the hope is it will be a long ride.