Rotherham United: Why Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom is rooting for Paul Warne and his Millers

Paul Heckingbottom has a different word for Rotherham United playing for a League One title with Wembley in the background: “perfect”.

The Football League Trophy may be a long way from the most glamorous competition English football has to offer but its showpiece final gets the blood pumping purely for where it is played.

Wembley is the venue everyone wants to run out at, and for some lucky enough to play against Sutton United on April 3, it will be the one and only time they do so.

There is always the danger that thought could cross a few minds in a 50-50 challenge at home to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

But having pulled off the double of Football League Trophy and League One promotion himself as manager of Barnsley in 2016, current Sheffield United manager Heckingbottom has no such fears for his counterpart Paul Warne.

“Not only are Rotherham playing for points to get promoted and the players are desperate to get into the Championship, the players will also be desperate to earn their starting place in the cup final at Wembley so it should be perfect for Warney,” argues Heckingbottom, who took his hometown club up via the play-offs.

“You’ll probably find he’s got a fully-fit squad that week. Cup competitions are always a help – form, wins, you can’t beat it.

“Not many people get to play at Wembley and that’s why I love the play-offs and the EFL Trophy for Leagues One and Two because it’s a great opportunity to get to Wembley. The FA Cup and League Cup may be out of reach for most.”

For once, the football calendar might have worked in Rotherham’s favour as they chase the League One title.

Although there will be 25 days between the penalty shoot-out victory at Hartlepool United and the final it set up, Rotherham are only likely to play three games, condensed into eight days, in that time. The trip to Sunderland a week on Saturday is likely to be postponed due to international call-ups, giving the squad a clear fortnight to focus on Wembley after pushing on with the day job of winning promotion.

“I don’t think our lads’ heads will get turned,” says Warne. “It’s not a Champions League final.

“They know it’s an honour to play there but they also know the way we are as a staff. If they don’t perform between now and then they won’t play a part in it.

“It definitely wasn’t ideal playing on a Wednesday night at Hartlepool, then a league game at Wycombe on the Saturday. I didn’t think it was right.

“But the lads’ attitude was spot on and if on Wednesday morning you’d have said to me you can beat Hartlepool and get a draw at Wycombe, I would have taken that. There was fatigue, obviously – and in the staff, in fairness – but I don’t believe anyone’s looking at Wembley yet.

“Once we get this week’s games out of the way and we start having a bit of coaching time with them, they’re entitled to think about it during the training sessions then but I honestly don’t think they are thinking about it now. But what do I know?

“Their main focus, as it has been since we came back at the end of June, has been trying to get back into the Championship and I don’t think even a Wembley cup final will distract the lads’ concentration on that.”