Rotherham Chairman Talks About The Drop

Last updated : 15 April 2007 By Thetashkentterror
Millers Chairman Denis Coleman spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after the club's 1-0 defeat against Carlisle at Millmoor this afternoon that put the final nail in Rotherham's relegation coffin, Coleman talking about the need for the Millers fans to stick with the club :


" We've been expecting it since probably the Bournemouth game. I suppose it's like watching a dying relative, you know it's happening but you just want to hold on as long as possible. It's a killer but we'll bounce back, we'll support Mark (Robins), we think we've got the right man and we'll support Mark fully next season and we believe he is the man to bring us back.

" He has got to do some wheeling and dealing, everybody knows that there is not lots of money at this club. We've been up against it all season and I think some people have forgotten that last March the club was 48 hours from going under. We've come in, we've said that we'd give it our all but we're up against it. The place, it's just unbelievable, people don't realise the job that we have got on our hands here, right from the stadium and every day it's one thing after another.

" We've all got to pull together though and hopefully next season bounce back, get back up as soon as possible. I think we're playing catch up from the last 20 years or so, there is just nothing been done here. We're in a stadium, it's like a museum, it's absolutely a disgrace, we're working all we can to do it and all we can do is just keep plugging away at it but it's hard work.

" We'll have to sit down with Mark, which we have done over the last few weeks, we've talked about who he wants and who he wants to keep. There are contracts to be sorted now, we've been dealing with all the young lads' contracts over the last few weeks. Get them sorted and see who he wants to keep for next season and who he wants to bring in. He's got a good idea of who he wants and just like last year we'll give him as much support as we possibly can. "



" There are one or two players with relegation clauses in their contracts, that's up to them if they take that or it's also up to Mark if he wants them. We'll look at who we want, and then when we know who we want then we'll do our best to persuade them to stay. First things first, Alan Knill went because results spoke for themselves, one win in nineteen games is just not acceptable. We couldn't carry on like that, we'd have been down weeks ago if that had carried on.

" We've put a little fight up against it but, Alan realised it at the time, that's football - that's what happens. As far as Lee Williamson and Will Hoskins goes we had no choice, they wanted to go and we can't force them to stay here, also the club needed the money as well. It's cost the club a lot of money this season, you're talking about the best part of £500,000 with going down. We've been up against it though with minus ten points.

" The Football League, I think it's time that they really looked at what they have done. It's nothing to do with the current board, or the supporters or this team why the club was in trouble. They've punished someone for what has gone on before, it's a disgrace. There are supposedly there to help clubs and there is no way they are helping clubs this way is there? Everybody we speak to at every football club has got sympathy and everybody thinks they have got it wrong.

" Now I know it was the clubs who voted that in but it wasn't meant to be for clubs like us, it was meant for bigger clubs who were taking the Michael in what they were doing. Just getting rid of all their debts and carrying on with the same board, same ground and everything. That's not what happened here and believe me it's going to happen at a lot of other clubs so I think it needs looking at before more clubs get in trouble. Because new people aren't going to come in and take it over if they are already punished.

" It's more than likely that season ticket sales for next season will be hit, but all I can say is that we need the supporters to come in more than ever now. Without them coming through the gates, and without them buying season tickets then we'll be doomed. They've got to get behind the club, if they want a club then they have got to get behind it. "