Ronnie Moore on why Rotherham United's 'Game of the Century' will be extra-special for Millers' legend

The final-day action of the regular EFL season may have taken place on the previous day, but for Moore, his long-time assistant and lifelong ‘Miller’ John Breckin and a host of others whose connections with the club run deep, Sunday will be special.

A ‘Game of the Century’ will be staged at the AESSEAL New York Stadium. It marks the centrepiece to the club’s centenary year celebrations.

A line-up of former Millers favourites, managed by Moore and Breckin, will face another team of ex-Rotherham ‘all-stars’ who will be led out by Neil Warnock, who masterminded the club’s miraculous ‘Great Escape’ in 2016.

The match will also serve as a charity fundraiser, supporting Rotherham Hospice and the Rotherham United Community Trust.

For Moore, who had two stints in charge of the Millers – including a golden spell from 1997 to 2005 – the day will be particularly emotional.

Last summer, the Liverpudlian announced that he had myeloma, a form of blood cancer that is not curable, but manageable.

Moore, who turned 73 in January, has been undergoing treatment since. He is doing well, ably supported by his wife Angela.

The hair he lost during chemotherapy is growing back and he has kept his eye in on the football front by covering Millers’ games as a pundit.

It’s been a welcome slice of normality for Ronnie. Sunday will be like old times.

Posting an update on his health, Moore told The Yorkshire Post: “Honestly, I'm really good.

“I'm seeing a specialist and I'm on a maintenance tablet now. I take those for three weeks of the month and then I have seven days off.

“That's for the rest of my life or until it comes back. Because we know it'll come back because it's not a cancer they can cure, but they can control it.

“It might be one year, two years, it might be 10... I know as long as I've got that fighting spirit, which I've had all my life, I'm mentally tough.

“Look, if it's going to take me, it's going to have a right battle to do it…”

Looking ahead to Sunday, he continued: “I've only been in the dug-out once in league football (at the NYS), when I was at Tranmere and we drew 1-1. Lowey (Ryan Lowe) scored a penalty late on for us.

“We haven't come here just to say: 'oh, it's a little party time'. I want to win it. You know Neil will be trying, won't he?

“It'll be more fun in the dugout than probably what's going on, on the pitch.”

Nicknamed ‘The King’ in homage to his playing days at Millmoor—when he was the darling of the Tivoli End during the Millers’ halcyon era in the early 80s – Moore was similarly feted during his first spell in charge, across the dual carriageway from Rotherham’s current abode.

Several former Millmoor favourites from that time, including Chris Swailes, Martin McIntosh, Chris Sedgwick, Kevin Watson, Leo Fortune-West and Andy Monkhouse will don their boots once more.

Some older names such as Shaun Goodwin, Mark Todd and Andy Hayward will also feature, alongside others who have made a big impact at the NYS – Richard Wood, Lee Frecklington, Alex Revell and Joe Mattock are among that particular gathering.

For Millers followers who have endured such a fraught centenary season culminating in relegation, it will serve as a reminder of happier times.

Moore continued: “It's for two great charities as well. Look, it doesn't matter what's happened to Rotherham (this season). It's about ex-players who've given their all for the club.

“I can't wait to see them again. I'm like a little schoolboy here. I haven't seen a lot of them for ages. I'm looking forward to it. It'll be interesting managing them because we want to win.

“I see Breck quite a lot. We still get on really well and we're out together. It's just nice to actually see some of the lads you haven't seen for a while like Cressa (Ryan Cresswell) and Sedgy.

“They're the younger ones who are hopefully going to be a little bit longer on the pitch. We're going to have one or two older ones where they might only last 15 minutes.

“The problem is when they come off, it’s, ‘Yeah, I'll come off and I'll just have a rest’. But once they come off and sit down, they're stiffening up. They forget.”

The alumni present will testify to how Rotherham United, a proper community club, has captured the hearts of many who represented it over the years, but aren’t from the area.

The likes of Watson and Fortune-West are Londoners. McIntosh is a Scot, while his central defensive partner Swailes hails from the north east.

Mattock and Guy Branston come from Leicester and then there’s obviously Moore himself, a Merseysider.

Rotherham have always been a club where the connection, historically at least, between players and fans has been a strong and enduring one.

Sunday’s game will be played in honour of young supporter Owen Jenkinson, one of the Millers’ own who passed away last November following a courageous battle with cancer.

Moore continued: “It's a proper club; a family club. That's what I like about it.

“I've had some great years here. It was like I'm from Rotherham. But I'm not, I'm a Scouser. The supporters have been absolutely unbelievable to me.

“I think in a roundabout way, we’ve all paid them back. And that's why I'd like people to come if they can on Sunday, because you see the older generation mixed with the younger ones.

“There's a few of Warnie's (Paul Warne’s) team here. The younger fans at Rotherham United have a lot of success. When Warnie was in charge and Steve Evans.”

Come kick-off, Moore will be back to his old self, pitting his wits against someone who has been in the opposite dug-out on several occasions against his teams in Warnock.

On his record against him, Moore added: “I don't think it's particularly good, to be honest. He beat us (Rotherham) 5-0 one year.

“I remember him saying after the game: 'why don't you just resign?' (I said) 'If I had your money, I would do'!

“I don't know whether to bring my crown as well just to get Neil going.

“I think it's a little plastic one, so I might just stick it in my pocket and put it on at the kick-off. Just as I shake Neil's hand.”