Rotherham United v Huddersfield Town - Circle is finally completed at New York Stadium

It seems like a lifetime ago since Tommy Smith struck a stoppage-time winner for Huddersfield Town against Rotherham United in the February of 2017.

The Terriers had come from behind to beat the Millers 3-2 at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, on their way to the Premier League in a season which also saw Paul Warne’s side relegated to League One.

Three-and-a-half years on and the sides are preparing to do battle in the Championship again.

Huddersfield have spent two seasons in the top flight since that late evening contest in South Yorkshire, while Rotherham have been relegated twice but immediately bounced back with promotion on both occasions.

“Life goes quick, the older you get the quicker it goes which is even more disappointing. Seasons go in a heartbeat,” reflected manager Warne on how much has changed since the side’s last met in league action.

“I moan at my players all the time to not waste a day in training or a passing drill because before you know it, it is the end of the season again.

“Football has got a real habit of making sure you are only as good as your next game.

“We have had a good start performance-wise, I would have preferred more points, but performance-wise we have been really good. Then we start to look at October and November and there are some tough games in there.

“In football, as soon as you think you have got it sussed – you haven’t.

“Huddersfield went up and then came down but we went down and have bounced back up.

“It is weird how three years ago we were in the same league but have taken different paths and come back again. It doesn’t amaze me this happened because every team bar the top six in the Premier League take paths that go up, down and round the corner.

“It is amazing how quickly things can change, for the good and the bad, in football. That is for sure.”

Warne could give his players some extra rest next week during the international break, although that will depend on the outcome of this afternoon’s game.

Huddersfield have started life under new manager Carlos Corberan with one win from three league fixtures.

They have played Norwich City, Brentford and Nottingham Forest, beating the latter 1-0 last week to record their first win of the season.

“There are not many harder starts than that,” said Warne of the Terriers’ opening fixtures.

“They have picked up three points and they work really hard, they want to run forward.

“Under a new management team, they are really trying to impose themselves and I think they will have a really good season.

“It will be a tough game for us, that is for sure.”

Rotherham have not beaten Huddersfield in five competitive meetings but Warne insisted: “It has absolutely no bearing on anyone here.

“It is more about looking at their weaknesses, what they are good at and how they are going to play. We need to win a game to go into the international break with seven points.”

Rotherham will walk out of the tunnel today to the song The Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann as a tribute to former captain Johnny Quinn.

Quinn made over 100 appearances for the Millers but passed away last week and a club statement read: “It has been agreed throughout the club that walking out to The Mighty Quinn at this Saturday’s home fixture with Huddersfield Town is a fantastic way to publicly pay our respects to one of Rotherham United’s finest ever players and we are honoured to be facilitating having ‘his song’ ringing out in Rotherham prior to kick off in his memory.”

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James Mitchinson