'˜I haven't been good enough' - Paul Warne shoulders blame for Rotherham United's drop

The Millers’ drop to League One, which has been on the cards for several months, was confirmed after Sone Aluko’s goal ensured they were beaten 1-0 by Fulham – their 30th loss of a harrowing season that saw managers Alan Stubbs and Kenny Jackett depart before Christmas.

Warne inherited a tough situation with a squad clearly lacking quality to compete in the second tier, and was unable to arrest the slide as they became the first club in the country to be relegated.

Despite the drop into the third tier, Warne remains a contender to take the job on a permanent basis and an announcement could come as soon as this week.

“There’s a little bit of embarrassment. I took the reins a few months ago and I haven’t been good enough to get the results to keep us up and that is on my head,” said Warne.

“The performances have been okay at times but we haven’t got that strength in depth. But that’s my fault, it’s not anyone else’s. I don’t think anyone thought before today that we would stay up, we weren’t going to win eight on the spin. So to have relegated next to our name isn’t too much of a shock.

“Other people have inherited similar situations and done better, I am the one who takes it home and doesn’t sleep. I take that blame. In my eyes I have done the best that I could but other people might disagree.”

For Fulham, their prospects of leaving the division at the other end were enhanced as they finally moved into the top six.

Rotherham United: Price, Vaulks, Ajayi, Belaid, Fisher (Purrington 76), Taylor, Smallwood, Frecklington (Forde 79), Newell, Ward, Morris (Yates 62). Unused substitutes: Kelly, Wood, O’Donnell, Bray.

Fulham: Button, Fredericks, Kalas, Madl, Malone (Ream 90), McDonald, Johansen, Aluko (Sessegnon 90), Cairney, Kebano (Ayite 63), Martin. Unused substitutes: Bettinelli, Cyriac, Sigurdsson, Petsos.

Referee: T Robinson (West Sussex).