PU PREVIEW 45: ROTHERHAM UNITED

Rotherham United FC was founded in 1925 as a merger between Rotherham Town (1899) and Rotherham County (1870). The club was originally called Thornhill FC (later Thornhill United). Thornhill changed their name to Rotherham County in 1905. Both clubs competed for a period in the Midland League, but in February 1925 talks began and the clubs merged in May, becoming Rotherham United. The new club joined the Football League in 1925, beginning in Division Three North. Rotherham won Division Three North in 1951 and achieved their highest placing of third in the Second Division in 1955, losing out on promotion on goal difference. In 1961, Rotherham competed in the inaugural League Cup Final, played over two legs, against Aston Villa. Having won the first leg at Millmoor 2-0, they lost the second leg at Villa Park 3-0 and finished runners-up. In the 1981-82 season, the club beat Chelsea 6-0 at home and 4-1 at Stamford Bridge, considered by many to be the club's greatest League 'double'. In 1996, Rotherham defeated Shrewsbury Town 2-1 at Wembley to win the Football League Trophy. The club entered administration twice, in 2006 and then in 2008, being forced after the second to leave Millmoor, their home since 1907, to play at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield. Rotherham returned home to the town in 2012 to play at the newly built New York Stadium.

Rotherham are nicknamed The Millers and are managed by Paul Warne, who is assisted by former Pompey boss Richie Barker. Warne's predecessor in the role was current Pompey boss Kenny Jackett. Rotherham finished 22nd in the Championship in 2018-19 and were relegated. 

Pompey and Rotherham have met on thirty-one occasions, the first coming in November 1959 when Rotherham won 2-1 at Millmoor. The clubs have won one League Cup match each, with one drawn. Of the twenty-eight League games, Pompey have won ten and Rotherham nine, with the remaining nine drawn. The last League meeting was in January 2018 at New York Stadium, when Rotherham won 1-0.

(Information via Wikipedia and www.11v11.com)