Rotherham United v Huddersfield Town: Steve Evans on a contrasting tale of two relegations at Yorkshire rivals

Whereas Town were relegated with a small to medium-sized ‘r’ in fairness, with their fate basically not sealed until a draw in their final home game of last season with Birmingham City, the ‘r’ next to the name of the Millers was a whacking great big one.

While Huddersfield’s demotion was bad and left a nasty taste among supporters, Rotherham’s was brutal and stank the place out following a campaign which was up there with the worst ever experienced by any EFL club in recent times.

The net effect of that was that circumstances dictated that Rotherham’s summer squad makeover had to be a colossal one in order to change the whole vibe of a football club following a year in which the club’s confidence-sapped players forgot what it was like to win.

For sure, Huddersfield experienced depths of pain in the final third of last season, with the attitude of some unnamed players called out publicly by former head coach Andre Breitenreiter.

But you always sensed that Town still had elements to work with for his successor and weren’t starting over. Even accounting for the fact that some senior players would leave, a natural by-product of any relegation.

In the event - ahead of Friday night’s deadline - Town had lost just two of their leading players from last season in Jack Rudoni and Sorba Thomas.

Rotherham, by contrast, have pretty much had to rip it up to start again.

That context might help to explain the differing starts made to the season by the Yorkshire duo.

Millers chief Steve Evans - whose number of summer signings stretches well into double figures and is roughly double the tally at Huddersfield - said: “I think there’s a difference in how the clubs went down.

"If you go down and only win four games and are effectively relegated at the end of January/ beginning of February, that’s a lot different to me coming here with three games to go and Huddersfield still having to play Birmingham in a massive game to stay in the Championship.

"It takes time (to rebuild). If you come in here and have got relegated in the manner Huddersfield have, you probably think ‘this needs four or five signings and doesn’t need 20.’

"From that point of view, that’s what Michael (Duff) has done at Huddersfield. He’s added very selectively.

"If you are going to come into a club who have come down, that’s what you’d prefer. But you don’t pick your preferences do you.

"The opportunity for me was to come back to Rotherham and it was an easy decision.”

Easy is not the word to describe the Millers’ start to 2024-25, certainly in terms of results.

Evans’ side are still awaiting their first league goal of the campaign, with August almost out, let alone their maiden league win.

In this particular case, there’s a considerable backstory.

Rotherham top League One for expected goals (xG), yet haven’t scored a goal. Freakish? You bet, with the Millers mustering 19 goal attempts in their opener at Exeter, 20 in their first home league game versus Bristol Rovers and 19 in last weekend’s reverse at Wycombe.

Evans continued: "This is a first for me where we have been absolutely dominant for spells and having the shots at goal and missing the chances we are missing.

"Our analyst, who does a good job, was asked to come in and bring me the xG chart, which backs your eyes up.

"We sit there and go ‘in League One, we’re streets ahead.’ It’s not even close. Then you look at the EFL total and we’re slightly behind Middlesbrough...”

Equally, Evans has been in the game long enough to know that things, all things being equal, will turn. He had a bit of sympathy as well this week.

The Scot said: “In among some glorious things, I was pleased to see Darrell Clarke and Barnsley get a great (EFL Cup) draw at Old Trafford, but Darrell also took the chance to message me and say: ‘how didn’t you score more?’ (in cup loss at Fleetwood).

"You will always get messages and endorsements, but your focus has to be on the training ground and continuing to be positive and work hard.

"What do you do? You get in the trenches and fight and don’t lay down with your hands up. That’s never going to be our style.”