Rotherham United’s no-excuses culture means more to Paul Warne than topping League One

For him, it has been all about witnessing other things not as quantifiable, but even more special and important from a group of players brutally knocked down several times earlier this year but who proceeded to get straight back up again.

The buzz phrase at the minute in football is ‘player welfare’ amid much talk at the top end of the game about the quick turnaround of matches. ‘Inhuman’ and ‘lunacy’ are among choice words used by top-flight managers of late.

Warne – whose side’s scheduled home game with Lincoln City today was called off on Tuesday night due to Covid-19 issues among the Red Imps playing squad – might just afford himself a wry smile at some remarks.

A year ago today, his depleted Millers side took the field against Barnsley despite their first-team squad being floored by significant Covid issues last Christmas.

They elected not to postpone due to a fear of ‘retribution’ from the English Football League, the worries being about potential sanctions in the form of a heavy fine or a possible points penalty further down the line after two previous cancelled games.

Warne’s side did what they always have done and cracked on. They lost 2-1 that night, but their spirit was magnificent.

Just as it was late last season when another Covid outbreak meant they had to play 12 games in the final 36 days of the 20-21 season.

Warne’s side were unstinting even amid tough times. A group who provide sunshine to his soul, as Warne has previously put it.

Warne told The Yorkshire Post: “You know what I am like...I take as much pride from that as I do from football results.

“Covid seems to be getting every other football club (now) and it felt like we were the only club last year at the time (with it).

“When we had to come back and play (against Barnsley) and no-one had trained; more than three-quarters of the first team who played on that night had Covid (earlier) that week.

“If I tell people that now, they say: ‘I cannot believe it.’ That is what we had to do to get that game on. If not, we could have possibly had a points deduction.

“They were really tough times and the lads’ attitude to keep going and not to moan and to try so hard in all those games (last season) was really impressive.”

Of course, that 20-21 campaign ended in the most shattering relegation imaginable in the dying moments at Cardiff.

Typically, Warne’s Rotherham were not down for long. Their defeat at Accrington on Boxing Day was their first since September 11 and ended a splendid club record run of 21 undefeated matches in all competitions.

Warne continued: “What I have liked is their character in coming back in the summer – as I and all the coaches did in fairness as we were all a bit down.

“We dusted ourselves down and went: ‘Hey ho, that’s how it is – let’s just go again and give it everything we have.’

“In fairness, you look at Wycombe and they can say the same thing as they were really unfortunate to go down as well.

“It is testament to the players we have signed, staff that we have and the culture. There are no excuses here, you get paid to play, train and fight for this club and it makes me really proud that we do that.

“Do we always play well? No. Do we always win? No.

“But it doesn’t mean that our work ethic from a group of 40 of us in a training ground isn’t up there.

“For that, I am really proud and I will always look back at this year with the utmost pride and it’s not because of league position. When we got relegated, I couldn’t have been any prouder.

“At the moment we are top and it is easy to say you are proud. The way the players look after themselves, communicate with fans on social media and talk to people, the way they are as a group is a joy. It is a real joy to spend time with them this season.”

Rotherham head into the new year on the back of a rare setback, with an uncharacteristic defensive blemish blotting their copybook at Accrington on Boxing Day.

The bigger picture should not be ignored. The Millers have not conceded a first-half league goal on their travels this term and have let in just four in the opening 45 minutes of league games in 21-22.

Warne added: “Defensively, we have been really good. I am blessed that my defenders are excellent this year and I can play either goalkeeper and take Woody (Richard Wood) out of the team and it does not make us any weaker; or REG (Rarmani Edmonds-Green) and Wes (Harding). I still bang the same drum that our defensive record is from the front.

“If the front two don’t close down and stop teams from playing out, then everyone is doing a lot of work. It is a team effort, cheesy as it is to say.”