Opposition Lowdown: Lee Clarke’s Relegated Rotherham United

Form

Rotherham United finished 13th in League One last season in their first year back in the third tier, following relegation from the Championship in 2023/24. The Millers regularly yo-yo between the second and third tiers and have spent five years in each division in the last decade. However, they will start next season in the fourth tier for the first time since 2013, after relegation was confirmed in mid-April. They currently sit 23rd in the league, five points above bottom side Northampton Town. Their recent form has been poor, seeing four losses and one win in their last five games. They come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 0-2 home defeat to Luton Town during the week, after two goals from Kasey Palmer. The two sides faced each other back in November, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, where Charlie Savage scored a second-half equaliser after Josh Benson gave the Millers the lead in the first half.

The boss

**Lee Clark:**Clark was appointed Rotherham manager in mid-March, signing a deal until the end of the season, following Matt Hamshaw’s sacking after almost a year in charge. The former midfielder had a 16-year career as a player, representing the likes of Newcastle United, Sunderland and Fulham. Post-retirement, Clark started his managerial career at Huddersfield Town in 2008, where he spent just over three years. He then went on to manage Birmingham City and Blackpool before a spell north of the border at Kilmarnock. Clarke then had spells managing Bury and non-league Blyth Spartans before moving overseas to manage Sudanese club Al-Merrikh. He had a spell in Oman managing Al-Ittihad before rturning to Al-Merrikh in 2022. After just over four years out of the game, Clark was appointed Rotherham manager in March with the task of keeping them in the division. Unfortunately, the 53-year-old has been unable to avoid the drop, winning only one of his seven games in charge of the Millers.