Millers boss awaiting 'fantastic' game...
Rotherham United boss Steve Evans is eagerly anticipating Saturday’s clash against Sheffield United, claiming that the Millers are ready to do a steel city double following their cup win over Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season.
“This is the kind of game the New York Stadium was built for,” Evans told Millers Player. “We’re playing Sheffield United in a league match, it’s fantastic. They’re a massive club with great traditions but one we want to beat. We’ve beaten Wednesday already this season, and Steve Evans, the management team and the players want to make it a Sheffield double.”
Tickets for the fixture sold out on Monday, and the Blades sold their final allocation the following day, meaning that New York will be packed to the rafters for the second South Yorkshire derby of the season.
“A lot of people asked why Paul Raynor and myself left Crawley Town, and we’ve spoken about the stadium and the chance to take this club to the Championship and maybe even scary heights of the Premier League but ultimately it was to work with the incredible fans here. I remember saying to the media that I thought we’d be getting 9,000 in the first season and people looked at me like I had a scrambled head, but I think that we will average five figures this year and that’s genuine. If we go about our business in the correct manner this Saturday and get the points on offer, I’d expect we’ll have a big crowd the following week when Oldham are in town.
“The Blades fans will be singing all through the game and the Millers will have to sing even louder. One thing I know for certain is that we will win the battle off the pitch and the atmosphere will be electric.”
Meanwhile, New York will host royalty for the second time in its short history, as Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the new Co-Chairman of Sheffield United makes his first public appearance watching his new club.
“It’s magnificent, the atmosphere will be incredible and the Prince is coming to meet the King. We genuinely welcome that, and that’s not because he’s Prince Abdullah or part of the royal family in Saudi Arabia, but because this is part of an investment into football in South Yorkshire. It’s good for football locally.”