Tony Stewart interview: Rotherham United owner still driven to make Millers history as Wembley beckons once more

That said, there was one previous occasion at Wembley when the million-watt smile of Stewart, also the managing director of Rotherham-based ASD Lighting, drew a few puzzled and even angry looks.

Stewart told The Yorkshire Post: “I went once to the old stadium and it was Sheffield Wednesday versus Sheffield United. I was in the Sheffield United stand.

“Chris Waddle scored and I jumped up and I was surrounded by United supporters. I remember that game.”

Brought up in the northern Sheffield suburb of High Green, Stewart’s family were Wednesdayites. His company once sponsored the Hillsborough Kop and he had a yearning for them, without ever being a regular.

But Rotherham – Stewart’s late wife Joan was a local girl and he moved to the town after marrying in his twenties – would become his footballing passion when he came to the Millers’ rescue in 2008 at a time when the club could have gone to the wall.

It is days like Sunday which are a reminder of how far the Millers have come under his watch. These are days to savour as he and his adopted townsfolk get their glad rags on for the increasingly familiar trip south.

Stewart added: “It is always a big occasion. It is our fourth visit, so we know how to get there. It is good for the football club, but for the town as well.

“I remember the last time we went down that it was all red and white down the motorway and you could see them all in the service stations. It will be another good crowd going down.

“Hopefully, we will get up to 15,000 there. We are a rowdy lot! But of course, you will get the families – aunties and uncles – and it will be a Rotherham day in London. But Sutton are no mugs.

“If we win, you can’t shut me up. It (Rotherham United) washes into your family. I have three brothers and two sisters and there’s their kids and they will all be down on Sunday and it will be a family occasion.

“This has been a good competition for us so far. The greatest conquest was Man City (under-21s – Rotherham won 5-0 in a group game). I know the coach kept them back for half an hour as he wasn’t very happy with such a big defeat.

“The money has also been nice on the journey. We have got 50 grand now – win or lose. If we win, it’s another 50. It all helps.”

Stewart can still recall the Millers’ first visit of his tenure to Wembley in the League Two play-off final loss to Dagenham and Redbridge in 2010, vividly. Although in truth, it was more to do with events in its aftermath.

“Three or four main players came into my office and said: ‘We want to leave’. I replied: ‘Why’ and they said: ‘Well, we didn’t get promotion.’ I replied: ‘Well, I wasn’t on the pitch!’

Victories in dramatic League One showpieces against Leyton Orient and Shrewsbury in 2014 and 2018 respectively are remembered more fondly.

Stewart said: “I remember when we played Leyton Orient and we were 2-0 down at half-time. I looked at Barry Hearn and said: ‘Ooofff, you’ll be happy won’t you!’ He said: ‘Well, it’s a game of two halves, isn’t it.’

“Sky came into the lounge and said: ‘Look, would you like to say a few words at half-time.’ And I said: ‘No. I will talk to you at the end of the match and not half-way through.’

“The person replied: ‘Just bear this in mind, no-one in history has come back from 2-0 down at Wembley at half-time (in a League One play-off final). We made history. I am hoping we make history again.

“If we get promotion and have had a Wembley win, then I think in any one season, it will be as good as it has got for Rotherham United in their history.”

Rotherham’s consistent levels of success in his epic time in charge help explain why Stewart is as committed, driven and enthusiastic about stewarding the club as ever at a time when he could be forgiven for maybe taking it easier. He is comfortably into his seventies.

In his time in the game, football has changed and not all for the better in his view. But he still dares to dream. As for the Premier League, well you never say never.

Stewart, awarded an OBE in 2019 – having been given the freedom of the borough of Rotherham for his contribution to the town in 2014 – said: “You look back at the journey. From a tumbledown ‘shack’ at Millmoor, although it has got the nostalgia. I’d never take that away from it.

“We’ve now gone modern with the stadium and gone from the carousel of manager after manager and looked inside and recruited from within.

“We took the punt on an intelligent, enthusiastic lad (Paul Warne) and five years on, we’ve had two promotions.

“I am still ambitious and want to get into the Premier League. Hopefully, we can go up and retain our Championship place and then the big wallet and investment will have to come in.

“It can be done, look at Huddersfield, Barnsley and Hull and I don’t think it is impossible that Rotherham might have that opportunity one day.

“I have been in charge for 14 years this April. I am a lot wiser. Like if you play regular golf, you tend to be a better golfer. It is the same in business.

“The longer you are in and see it grow, it drives your enthusiasm. Rotherham has a load of jewels, everyone is a gem. The only thing is I have to wear the crown!”

On his one pang of regret at the changing landscape of football, Stewart continued: “I have seen changes (in football) and all sorts of nationalities owning clubs.

“I am not against anybody taking over clubs, but you don’t get the same rapport when you visit some.

“Some are so impersonalised. In the old days, you’d meet the chairman many times before and the rivalry was there, but there was also friendship.

“You don’t get that as much now. The atmosphere is not the same now.”

Stewart will extend the hand of friendship to Sutton’s contingent tomorrow on a special day for the London club. It is their first appearance at Wembley since 1981.

There is, of course, a chance that Rotherham may yet return to the play-offs at the end of May and even emulate Barnsley’s feats in 2015-16 of dual Football League Trophy and League One play-off glory on the hallowed turf.

For his part, Stewart would happily settle for this one visit this season.

He commented: “We could have two Wembley appearances in a season, but one is enough for us.

“After Covid and coming down from the Championship, it would be nice to get back to where we belong, but we have got to prove that rather than say it, haven’t we?”