Fulham v Rotherham: Evans determined not to let threat of points deduction affect Millers

The Millers chief also stressed he had no involvement in the club’s failure to register youth loanee Farrend Rawson for the Easter Monday fixture with Brighton and Hove Albion, which has resulted in a Football League charge.

The fact the Millers won that game could result in the League’s three-man disciplinary panel issuing the club with a three-point penalty before the end of the season, as per precedent.

With four games left, starting tonight at Fulham, Rotherham have afour-point cushion to the bottom three.

Evans believes that gap will be preserved regardless of what decision the disciplinary panel reach.

“We don’t know yet if it’s going to be anything to do with points, we have to let that process play out,” said Evans, who came across yesterday as respectful to the whole procedure.

“All I know is we have 43 points on the board until someone tells me otherwise.

“There’s a lot of football to be played, which I would say will have more to do with whether we’re a Championship club at the end of the season than the Football League process.

“We’ve got 12 points to play for – not three.”

Evans did maintain his innocence in the proceedings, describing the failure to re-register Rawson after the completion of his first month of a youth loan contract as an “administrative” issue.

“We can’t do anything about it, it’s administration and we don’t get involved in that,” said the manager. “We’re involved purely in trying to win football matches.

“I’m not privy to the details and as a football manager, you wouldn’t be.

“Probably like a lot of our supporters I was surprised when I heard the news. I was 100 per cent gobsmacked and I think the players were.

“My reaction wasn’t anger, nor was it disappointment.

“We’re not involved in things like forms and contracts, we’re here to pick the players, nominate the players and let other people do the administrative side of it.

“That’s all I know. We have to get on with it and we have to let that process take its course behind the scenes.

“We are together as a football club from our chairman down, we can only best affect the results on the pitch as we can.”

Evans also expressed his confidence in the League’s disciplinary panel to give the Millers a fair hearing.

The 52-year-old Scot has been outspoken about referees on a number of occasions this season but does not feel that will have any bearing on proceedings.

“What I do believe is that when it gets to a hearing at the Football League, I know a lot of people there and it will be a full and fair hearing for Rotherham United, I genuinely 100 per cent believe that,” he said.

“We have to really keep our focus on Fulham and the four matches we have left, and let the process take place behind the scenes.

“You have to put that (disciplinary panel) in a different drawer and think solely about Fulham.

“In this game, it’s easy to get distracted, but we just have to keep our focus.”

A win tonight at Fulham would certainly ease any concerns.

The return of captain Craig Morgan from a two-match ban is a boost, as is the news that striker Matt Derbyshire should be fit after being replaced in the defeat at Middlesbrough.

Last six games: Fulham DLWLDD; Rotherham LLLLWL.

Referee: A Davies (Hampshire).

Last time: Fulham 1 Rotherham 0; April 30, 1994; Division Two.