Matt Taylor keeps Rotherham United up and says: 'It's not my achievement'

The Millers will be playing in next season's Championship, the first time in six years they will kick off a new campaign in the same division as they ended the previous one.

It was achieved with a game to spare by beating Middlesbrough 1-0 at the New York Stadium.

The final relegation place will be decided between Huddersfield Town and Reading. Town can book their place before the sides meet at the John Smith's Stadium next Monday if they avoid defeat at home to Sheffield United on Thursday.

Taylor took over as manager in October, replacing Paul Warne, who had been in charge for six years. As a relative newcomer, he felt he could not claim any glory, but it needed his finishing touch.

As Warne was taking Rotherham up from League One last year, Taylor was winning promotion to the division with Exeter City.

"I've not been in," he said when asked what the mood was in the dressing room. "I learnt so much last year. Players have to let themselves go a bit and I'm sure there'll be cameras in there and bits and pieces on social media.

"We'll celebrate with the fans and families but those players have been through an awful lot this season.

"They need a little bit of time together to celebrate as much as they needed a bit of time to grieve after the last two defeats.

"For the next 24 hours I don't care what they do or what they do.

"It's not my achievement, I've not played a big enough part in that. it's the players, the people behind the scenes, the chairman, the fans, the ones who've been through the pain of the last six years.

"I've just been lucky to be allowed on the journey.

"What's been before for this club makes this moment even sweeter.

"Somehow we found a way to get the points we needed to stay up."

The only goal of the game was scored by Hakeem Odoffin, a player largely sidelined by Warne but given his chance by Taylor. He beat Zack Steffen from distance at the start of the second half.

"He practices hard and low," explained Taylor. "I picked him on the back of that. Bar Jordan (Hugill) he's scored the most goals at home for us since January. He's got a goal threat in him and a set-piece contribution in both boxes.

"And my coaching staff played a part because I could have picked Domingos (Quina) or Tarique (Fosu) from the start but the influences of good people around me made the difference in relation to that. I don't think they knew he was going to smash one in from 20 yards!"

For Middlesbrough, the defeat was largely inconsequential, their play-off place already secured.

Anfernee Dijksteel was sent off at the end of the first half for a debatable professional foul on Hugill but his ban will be served in the dead rubber against Coventry City.

Of more concern will be Jonny Howson’s injury in the warm-up.

Boro dominated possession without a cutting edge.

"How am I feeling? Mixed really," said manager Michael Carrick. "I'm disappointed that we lost the game but there's things to learn

"In the second half we played a bit more like we want to. We were just missing a number at the top end."