Season Review 05/06 - February/March
Last updated : 07 June 2006 By Deano
The shat certainly hit the fan after the month opened up with a dour 0-0 afair at home to Hartlepool, as the club's board announced we needed to raise one million squid or face liquidation within a month.
Trekking our way down to Southend on the Friday night was the first step of the fundraising process, with the support truly magnificent down there it must be said. Muggins here got his picture in the paper but on the field Shaun Goater haunted his old club with the opener and the Millers were finished off by half time by Freddy Eastwood in a 2-0 defeat. However we took heart from a spirited second half display. Jonathon Forte was looking promising and he extended his loan spell from Sheffield United.
Prior to the home game with Bournemouth, the Save The Millers campaign was up and running with CD Sales, organising of different social events and people dipping deep into their pockets as the collection buckets appeared for the first time at Millmoor. The team responded with a sound 2-0 win over the Cherries, Lee Williamson and Martin Butler on target with a man of the match display from Stephen Quinn who ran the midfield.
With the JCR transfer case still rumbling on, Southend chairman Ron Martin adjurned the case further, whilst there was talk on the site and in the papers of potential new investment in the Millers. This seemed like great news to cap a super 3-2 win at Swindon, who had been on a good run themselves. Another brilliant following saw an entertaining encounter, as the balance tipped on more than one occasion.
The Millers twice came from behind as they won their second game of the week. In addition to conceding three goals Swindon owed a big debt to goalkeeper Rhys Evans who twice came off best in confrontations with Paul Shaw and Butler when the strikers were played clear. The Robins went ahead in the 20th minute when Gary Montgomery fumbled a centre from the left by Andy Nicholas under pressure from Lee Peacock. Jamie Cureton was the first to respond as he headed into an empty net from six yards out. But Swindon never looked likely to hold on to their lead and a minute later Butler was picked out at the far post to score with a ten-yard left-foot shot. However Swindon regained the lead when O'Hanlon prodded home after a mix up at the back, only for Shaun Barker to head home Lee Williamson's pin point free-kick. Butler then bagged the winner just after the break, heading in as Barker's long throw eluded everyone.
Typical Rotherham fashion saw them give me a miserable 23rd birthday as we were thrashed the following week 4-0 at home to Chesterfield, I must say though the afterparty wasn't too bad at all!
Ahead of Ronnie Moore's return to Millmoor for the first time, the club made a statement about having to cut its cloth accordingly with the dire financial position. Fundraising continued with a planned walk to Huddersfield on the horizon and also other local walks to Millmoor for the end of the month. A comprehensive 2-0 win against Oldham left Ronnie leaving with his tail between his legs as the Millers dominated, this was followed by a scrappy goalless draw at Bloomfield Road Blackpool, I think the majority who went for the weekend would have taken a point to go with their sore heads though. The game saw Martin Butler red carded and awaiting suspension from the FA.
The day of the Huddersfield walk arrived, with the party setting off in the early hours from Millmoor and doing their club and themselves proud with such an effort. On the field, Jonathon Forte gave the team the lead with a neat finish as he ran clear of the Town back four, but the difference was that old thorn Andy Booth, who ran Murdock and Barker all day, bagging himself a hat-trick. Gary Taylor-Flethcer netted a fourth to leave a touch of harshness to the scoreline, but the Millers were well beaten.
Despite supporters best efforts, D-Day had arrived and the deadline of the Bristol City home game. The club announced, just 24 hours from closure and liquidation, that two new owners, local builder and contractor Denis Coleman and Italian Restaurant chain owner Dino Maccio had taken charge and given them a lifeline.
D and D started to ring the changes immediately as Phil Henson left the club. Meanwhile Alan knill was up for manager of the month as he breathed a huge sigh of relief at the takeover news.
The club ended March with a 3-1 win over City, believing they had a real chance of avoiding the drop. Forte and Shaw stole the show with Forte bagging a brace as the side started April out of the bottom four for the first time since November......
