Rotherham United v Charlton Athletic: Why underdog status can work to Millers’ advantage

At the end of a week which has seen his team drop from first to third in League One, Rotherham United manager Paul Warne senses the doubters are growing at the New York Stadium.

He thinks it can help his players, though.

The Millers are used to being underdogs, which added to the awkwardness League Two Sutton United caused in Sunday’s Football League Trophy final, before Rotherham won in extra time.

They will be expected to beat Charlton Athletic at home today but having – for various reasons – only won one league match since February and after dropping out of the automatic promotion spots on Tuesday, the doom-mongers are surfacing. First-choice goalkeeper Josh Vickers being ruled out until pre-season with a broken hand hardly helped.

Rotherham United manager Paul Warne (Picture: PA)Rotherham United manager Paul Warne (Picture: PA)
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne (Picture: PA)
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“I appreciate there’s loads of people doubting us, including people at our own club, possibly,” says Warne. “I think the lads like that sort of adversity a little bit.

“No one had us down as one of the favourites to go up at the start of the season and they probably enjoy that.

“We could do with a really good performance this weekend.”

Two games in hand on in-form Milton Keynes Dons, two points ahead, mean automatic promotion, just not the cherry on the top which is the title, is still firmly in Rotherham’s hands.

Josh Vickers: Has been ruled out for the season in a fresh blow to Rotherham’s hopes. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Josh Vickers: Has been ruled out for the season in a fresh blow to Rotherham’s hopes. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Josh Vickers: Has been ruled out for the season in a fresh blow to Rotherham’s hopes. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

They had grown used to being top of the pile but now the equation has changed. Warne is unsure how going from chased to chasers will affect them.

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“I don’t know, that’s the honest answer,” he admitted. “We set up every game to try and win.

“The only difference now is before if you did lose and you saw on the big screen and MK and (fourth-placed) Plymouth and that are winning, you think, ‘That’s all right, there’s still a bit of a gap.’ Now it isn’t all right. If you’re in third place you have to outperform the teams above you.

“As staff we were aware we could well play our next league game in third place and that’s absolutely fine. It’s still in our hands.

“I think the little break’s helped us, winning at Wembley can only be a good thing and hopefully we’ll finish the season really well.

“It’s been a good incentive and a good eye-opener to the happiness you can give people, really.”

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