Paul Warne addressed his 2019/20 players and staff by video call following confirmation of Rotherham United's promotion to the Sky Bet Championship last Tuesday. Here is his speech, written out in full...
đź‘‚| A meaningful, and ultimately emotional, Warney invited his players and staff to a video call to thank them for their efforts following the news of promotion.
— Rotherham United (@OfficialRUFC) June 11, 2020
10 minutes of words from the heart which we feel sum up our season perfectly.#rufc | #ForeverTogetherForeverProud pic.twitter.com/FDlI2ttBfb
I won't hold you up long. I know this is a bit surreal, but firstly congratulations.
I know that some of you have played a massive part, some have played a smaller part - whatever the case may be - but you have all played a part. I know that is a cheesy thing to say, but you have.
Even the lads who have hardly kicked a ball for us - you have been part of the club and part of the dressing room and part of the training ground on a daily basis.
Without everybody at the club, it wouldn't have happened so I firstly want to thank you lot as the players, really.
I can't see many staff on here, are the staff on here? Are they? All of them? Wow, I can't see them!
It is easy for me to say because I have selected all of the staff to come here and they are like family to me, but, you are pretty blessed with the group of staff that you have looking after you here.
You are never going to be more prepared, you are never going to be fitter and I don't take credit for either of those things - it has nothing to do with me.
You are a really close group and I might be able to take a little bit of credit for that.
Without your team ethic this year, I don't think that you would have achieved what you have achieved.
That means more to me than anything.
Now you all know - or you might have known if you have watched my interviews recently - that is the anniversary of my father's death today. I think emotionally, and I haven't cried for ages and I'm not intending to, this season has been absolutely brutal for loads of us. I'm not going to go through everyone, but you all know who is on this screen who has been through a lot and it is frickin' tough.
So enjoy the good times for God's sake and enjoy them with your family tonight.
I wish i was at Thommo's [Adam Thompson] house - that looks the best house to be in.
Enjoy it because there are many dark days in your life, there aren't many absolutely amazing days and you have all played a part in this.
The only regrets I have as the manager sitting here looking at you, is that I can't play you all. I can't and it is an awful thing for me, that there are 22 of you sometimes fit, apart from Procs obviously because he loves having an operation - I know you're on here Procs so I can say it to you - but you all want to play and it is difficult. That is the hardest part of the job for me and I hate it. I'm sorry that i can't keep you all happy all of the time.
I would like to think that everyone listening to this knows that we always try and pick the team to win. We have to make bad decisions at times obviously, but I appreciate what you have done this year. I appreciate the way you have taken not playing, the way that you have trained so hard to keep everyone else going.
There are certain people I'm looking at on this screen now who I know have played a bigger part than other people, but you have only been allowed to do that because you have been pushed by brilliant players below you and I think you all know that.
I think you all know that if you ever drop in your appearance or your determination levels, someone will step in and take your place and that's what has enabled you to play so well.
So thanks sincerely with all of my heart for what you have done this year. You have come in as footballers and I think you will leave as family. I know that is cheesy but I think you have been brilliant.
The sad thing is for me now, when I look around this screen it is like marbles, at the end of the season some of you will go and play for other greater clubs, some of you will move sideways possibly, I don't know, but you'll never be on the screen again with all these people.
It is pretty sad how quick life goes by. I harp on at you all the time about how life goes like that, seasons go like that. These 10 weeks haven't gone like that, it's like being in treacle.
I really appreciate your patience, I know I have been speaking to Woody a lot and I know it has been frustrating for you.
I appreciate you not getting involved, or not to my knowledged, on being lardy dar with other clubs and other players and milking it. I appreciate what you have done there.
I would really like to massively single out my staff. They're ledge. They do everything they can for you.
Again, even if you don't agree with what they're telling you, they're doing it for the right reasons. They are trying to make you the best versions of yourself as you can be.
I think there are a few of you on this screen who are over 30 and appreciate the staff you've got. A lot of you in your young 20s are thinking 'good staff come and go'. They don't. You don't have loads of good staff when you play. When I get off this screen, if you get the opportunity to thank any of them, please do so, because without them you're nothing, and I don't mean that the way it sounds, so I apologise but you know that I mean.
They do everything they can to make you the best version of yourselves and that is from everybody by the way.
I'd really like to thank the loans. I've been in clubs before where loan players come in and think if I'm not playing, who gives a. They don't really embrace the culture at a club and I think the loan players have here, massively.
I think the loan players, especially in January who came in, did that. I appreciate a couple of you didn't play as much as you'd like, that's my fault but the team were doing so well.
Your injection into the place had a massive effect, so don't underestimate what you've done. I really, sincerely, thank the loans.
I'm not going to go through them all individually but I hope you go on to have great careers and always think fondly of us - if I can keep you, I will, but according to all of your agents I can't!
The other thing is, next year we go into a season where a few of you on the screen have played before, like your Shauny Mac's and the Woody's of this world, who are crucial because they get the league and understand what it takes.
A few of you are obviously younger and have definitely improved from the experience.
In fairness, I've got you right beside my eyeline here Crooksy unfortunately. You finished the season as a Championship player, you were unbelievable mate. You've had a great season this year, but you should kick on next year, be it with me or somewhere else, whatever you choose to do.
What I mean is, we go into the league with the Wilesy's and that of this world with Championship experience behind you and you should not fear the Championship next year.
I will hammer home to you all the time about how hard we will train, and play and how hard it will be against the teams we'll be against but we have to address the season with a massive smile on our face.
I apologise I don't look like I've got a smile on my face because I haven't slept very long and I haven't eaten one thing today, so I am a bit on edge.
We have to attack it with a real positivity that we're going to have a right go at it.
In fairness, you were that close away from it last time and it was probably my fault for that. I have to get better. My staff have to get better - although they are absolutely bang on- and you lot as individuals have to get better. Be it that you train a little bit harder, or you are a little bit more responsive to feedback, or a little bit better on being dropped, or a little bit better on being a team player. Whatever it takes we all have to get better because it won't be a massive change of players. For you who have been here a few years, it won't be that. We'll bring a few in quite obviously but it will be virtually everyone you see give or take the loans.
It will be the same group and a group that I am hugely proud to be the manager of. You're an amazing group, you've been a joy to be with every day and for that I sincerely thank you.
I'll let you put the music back on and have fun because I know I'm the Fun Police and I have been told before I have no 'promotion emotion' but I am beyond exhausted. Before I pass on to anyone else, I sincerely want to thank Woody and you lot should as well. A better captain you won't play for. He is a brilliant conduit between me and the staff and I reckon during this period if I didn't have him, then I would have had to have phoned you all up individually on a daily basis, which would have finished me off. Sincerely, you're a very good captain and you have kept the lads sane. Worryingly, I understood that you were on the alcohol at 4pm, so I won't ask you to speak any time soon! On behalf of all of the staff and the owner in fairness, Woody, thank you very much, you've been a great captain and you will continue to do so.
For the lads who have been injured off-season well done for how hard you are training and thanks to Mark [Hoy] for dedicating his life to getting you fit.
All of that aside, have a frickin' great night.
I will try and reach out to all of you over the next two or three days. I appreciate some of you have kindly text me, I have got 184 texts that I have got to reply to, which I am not intended on doing in the next 10 minutes.
If you've reached out to me thank you, I appreciate it, and I will get back to you. I will phone you or text you over the next couple of days.
Sincerely, I love all of you and thanks for...thanks for...Jesus...thanks for all of your efforts this year...you've been an absolute joy and I got to 8:30pm without crying...so...on behalf of my family, thanks for keeping me sane, thanks for keeping me alive and thanks for keeping me happy. I will speak to you all soon. I'm done, thank you.