Millmoor - The Community Stadium?

With the new stand coming on well the club have announced that they are wanting to have Millmoor as the towns Community Stadium, and are in talks with the council about opportunities including health, educational and leisure benefits for the town.

The club have also been in talks with the Rotherham Rugby club to guage support with them and see how they see their future standing.

Talking to the clubs official website, themillers.co.uk Millers Chairman Peter Ruchniewicz said, "The new stand development has really focussed minds on how the development of Millmoor could assist the regeneration of Masborough, benefitting all who live, work and have businesses in the area.

"In the long term, we want to cement an already excellent partnership with the Council, by assisting in delivering a wide range of community benefits." he added.

Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Council said "The Council now recognises the extensive work the football club is already doing in the community and we look forward to a constructive dialogue with them over their plans for a community stadium. We are keen to explore ways in which the links between the club, the council and the local community can be developed for the benefit of Rotherham as a whole."

Speaking to Radio Sheffield tonight, Millers Director Chris Dobbs told, "This has been going on for years, but it has really accelerated since the stand started to take shape. We've always been talking to the council about how the club might fit in with things with Rotherham, today is the latest in the terms of the council really wanting to look at our ideas of a community stadium."

"If it becomes something that the council want to persue, then it all depends on funding, so its not going to happen overnight but we want to try to establish the site and then move on from there."

"We want to draw everybody in that would want to use the stadium, there's a lot of activity there its not just football or sport. The Council could use it for thier activities and services, there will be rooms and functions that can happen at anytime."

Dobbs was asked who would own the stadium if it were to come a reality, "That's to be decided, we'll see down the line what happens with that, there are all sorts of deals to be done with ownership and management. It's too early to say, these are just initial talks."

Interviewer Paul Walker asked wether the club should be looking at the stadium plans while the results are going so bad. Dobbs replied with, "The current results don't help as the more good results we get the bigger 'feel good factor' is there and the more people will want to contribute to what your doing."

"The Bottom line is however things are going, we have to concentrate on the long-term future of the club, this is about the day after tomorrow and the years beyond that. We've needed that stand, its someting that the fans want and the club needs. It is something that will generate revenue for the club when its up and running and put money back into the team so we can do better."