[themaclad]

Preston North End v Rotherham United

Deepdale 29/3/2024 15.00 hrs

https://www.themillers.co.uk/

https://boards.footymad.net/forumdisplay.php?f=2602

LAST TIME OUT





FORM GUIDE

PNE 12 ROTHERHAM 1

Millers destined for the drop have not won away for 31 games and have lost the last two 5 - 0 well we know what's coming

MANAGER

Leam Nathan Richardson (born 19 November 1979) is an English professional football manager and former player who is currently the head coach of Rotherham United.

As a player, Richardson played for Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Notts County, Blackpool and Accrington Stanley, whilst he has held coaching roles previously at Accrington Stanley, and Chesterfield.

Accrington Stanley and assistant manager roles
In January 2012, Richardson became the caretaker manager of Accrington Stanley, after John Coleman departed to join Rochdale.[7] Richardson's first match as manager was at home to Gillingham, which Accrington Stanley won 4–3.[8] Accrington appointed Paul Cook as their new permanent manager the following month,[9] before Richardson was re-appointed as manager after Cook left to become manager of Chesterfield in October.[10] Originally employed as caretaker manager for a second spell, he was appointed as the manager of the club on a permanent basis from 1 November, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.[11]

On 30 April 2013, it was announced that Richardson had left Accrington in order to re-unite with Paul Cook, becoming his new assistant manager at Chesterfield.[12] The two later moved to manage Portsmouth in 2015, winning promotion to League One in 2017.[13][14]

Wigan Athletic
On 31 May 2017, Richardson once again followed Cook to Wigan Athletic, once again acting as his assistant manager.[15] He and Cook oversaw Wigan's promotion to the Championship in their first season in charge, and kept them there for two seasons.[16]

Following a takeover in mid-2020, Wigan collapsed into administration and were relegated after being punished with a 12 point deduction. Cook resigned as manager on 4 August 2020 and Richardson was appointed to take charge of training duties until further notice.[17] John Sheridan was appointed as the club's new permanent manager, but he left after just 15 games to join Swindon Town, and Richardson was named caretaker manager.[18] Following Wigan's takeover in March 2021, the new owners stated that Richardson would continue in his caretaker manager role until the end of the season.[19]

Despite this, Richardson was appointed as the permanent manager of the club on 21 April 2021 with three games still remaining. Richardson confirmed that Cook, who had recently been appointed manager of Ipswich Town, had asked him to join him in Suffolk as his assistant again, but he declined so he could remain at Wigan. He insisted however that there was no ill-will on either side and that they remain on good terms.[20][21] He was able to keep Wigan up, avoiding relegation to League Two.[22]

In November 2021 Wigan striker Charlie Wyke collapsed during training after suffering a cardiac arrest. Following his discharge from hospital Wyke praised Richardson's swift initiation of CPR saying: "...my life has been saved by the actions of the gaffer [Leam Richardson] and the club doctor Jonathan Tobin..." [23]

On 24 April 2022, Richardson was named the 2021–22 EFL League One Manager of the Season at the league's annual award ceremony.[24] Later that month Richardson led Wigan to promotion into the Championship as they finished the season as League One champions.[25]

On 10 November 2022, Richardson was sacked as Wigan manager after a run of six losses in seven matches that saw the club fall into the Championship relegation zone.[26] The sacking came just sixteen days after Richardson had signed a new three-year contract with the club.[27]

Rotherham United
On 11 December 2023, Richardson was appointed head coach of Championship bottom club Rotherham United on a three-and-a-half year deal.[28]



IN FORM

[themaclad]

Who’s Available?

Ryan Lowe will provide a team news update in his pre-match press conference.

Opposition Focus

Following a positive first season back in the Sky Bet Championship last term, they've got a job on their hands this time around, as they sit 19 points away from safety with just eight matches still to play.

The Millers have won once in their previous 27 matches – a 1-0 victory at home to Middlesbrough on Boxing Day – and they’ll be looking to extend their recent unbeaten record at Deepdale to five matches.

Former North End striker Jordan Hugill will be back in familiar territory on Friday, having netted against PNE in the reverse fixture, while fellow ex-Lilywhite Andre Green is also on the Millers’ books, but he suffered a serious Achilles injury in October which will leave him sidelined for around a year.

Match Officials


Referee: Steve Martin
Assistant Referees: Mark Dwyer and Robert Merchant
Fourth Official: Martin Coy

Steve Martin will referee a PNE match for the first time this campaign on Friday, with the experienced official having last done so in the defeat at Bramall Lane in April 2023.

So far this campaign, Martin has officiated 18 matches, showing 91 yellow cards and two reds within that period.

MACS VIEW

The end of season run in begins after yet another break for dull International stuff, sadly for some teams they would have been on good run of form which with the two week break means starting again, this does not concern the Millers who have had a miserable season. Luckily they have not won for 31 away games lost the last two 5-0 and will no doubt beat us under the law of Sod.
Should win this but at this time of the season strange results happen

[themaclad]

Preston North End 3 Holmes, Riis 2 Rotherham United 0

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey (Whatmough, 61), Lindsay, Hughes; Holmes (Seary, 85), McCann (N.Mawene, 77), Browne, Brady (Best, 61); Frøkjær; Keane (Stewart, 77), Riis. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Woodburn, Osmajić

Rotherham United line-up: Johansson; Peltier (Ferguson, 79), Odoffin, Humphreys, Revan (Seriki, 86); Lindsay, Clucas, Rathbone (Rinomhota, 69); Nombe, Wyke (Eaves, 69), Cafú (Bramall, 45). Subs not used: Phillips, Appiah, Hatton.

Attendance: 15,470 (434 Rotherham United fans).

Referee: Mr S Martin.

Easy as you like against a poor Rotherham side, job done by half time, took the foot off the gas in the second half but points were never in doubt.
Riis returned to the side after his bout of sikness and promptly picked up the man of the match award, terrorised the Millers defence in the first half . Early stages played in a hailstorm of epic proportions, on the pitch the first ten minutes were quiet although it looked as if the Millers were an accident waiting to happen.
Took us 23 minutes but once the first went in it was downhill for Rotherham, defensively the visitors looked poor, unsurprising since they had shipped ten in the last two away games, neat passage of play now have to ive Brady the benefit of the doubt think it actually was a pass across the face of the goal which found Holmes who netted at the back stick.
14 minutes later it was two McCann winning a tackle in midfield ball to Mads FJ into the box the Dane went found Riis who picked his spot.
Holmes and Mads FJ were involved in the third Riis did well to turn and get his shot away and that was basically game over.

To be fair to the black shirted visitors they didn't give uo in the second period Odoffin was probably unlucky not to get one back, but the rarely troubled Woodman, although were eased up a period of play when we kept the ball for the best part of two minutes nearly brought a goal for Keane, Stewart probably should have done better when he had a chance to get a shot away but hard to find fault with them today.
Seary and Noah Mawene got time on the pitch and Best got some game time as well, the youth system starting to pay dividends.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe:

"A clean sheet and three points, nobody can ask for anything more than that I don't think. Overall I thought the performance was fantastic.

"At this time it's just about winning games of football, and we did that comfortably.

"It could have been a potential banana skin but, to be fair to the group, it definitely didn't turn out like that.

"We were on the front foot pretty much throughout the game, we produced some good passages of play and we scored some good goals.

"I'm pleased with the result and the performance. It's all about staying positive, given the position we're in."

Rotherham boss Leam Richardson:

"We know what moment we're in here, and this club is massively in transition, I think we can all see that.

"I feel for all of our fans right now. We've all got to represent ourselves and this club much better than we have been doing.

"It's about me trying to get some confidence into the players and trying my best to give the team some kind of identity. Maybe then we can get better results.

"We certainly don't want to be going out of this division with a whimper. I want everyone to stick together and show a bit more belief and confidence in these final few remaining games of the season."

[themaclad]