Form
Rotherham United finished 13th in League One last season in their first campaign back in the third tier, following relegation from the Championship in 2023/24. The Millers regularly yo-yo between the second
and third flights and have spent five years in each league in the last 10 seasons.
They currently sit 11th in the league, having picked up 22 points so far, the same number of points as Mansfield Town, Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion. Their recent form has been strong and the Millers are unbeaten in their last seven league games, with their last defeat coming against Mansfield at the end of September.
They come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 0-0 draw away to Luton Town.
The two sides shared the spoils last season with Rotherham beating Reading 2-1 at home last October, before the Royals returned the favour with a 2-1 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in February.
The boss
Matt Hamshaw: Hamshaw was appointed Rotherham manager on a full-time basis in April this year, following a spell as caretaker manager after the departure of Steve Evans.
He had a 15-year career as a player, representing the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Mansfield, Notts County and Macclesfield Town, as a midfielder. Hamshaw retired from playing in 2013 and took on a coaching role at Rotherham in their youth setup before joining Paul Warne’s coaching team.
Hamshaw followed Warne to Derby County in 2022 and had a spell as caretaker manager when Warne was sacked. He then took up the caretaker role at Rotherham in March this year before being appointed full-time manager on a three-year contract.
The 43-year-old has won 13 of his 30 matches in charge of the Millers, giving him a win percentage of 43%. Hamshaw usually favours a 3-5-2 formation and likes his sides to play aggressive, front-footed football.
Squad
13 players joined Rotherham during the summer transfer window, with eight signing on permanent deals and five coming in on loan.
The Millers completed the free transfers of goalkeeper Ted Cann, defender Lenny Agbaire and midfielders Kian Spence, Dru Yearwood and Josh Benson. Defenders Marvin Kaleta and Denzel Hall were bought for undisclosed fees from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Heerenveen respectively, while utility man Ar’Jany Martha signed from Beerschot, also for an undisclosed fee.
Loans included former Reading defender Tom Holmes (Luton), Jamal Baptiste (Sheffield United), midfielder Dan Gore (Manchester United) and forwards Kian Etete (Cardiff City) and Martin Sherif (Everton).
Rotherham are likely to be without defender Agbaire and forwards Sam Nombe, Martin Sherif, Etete and Josh Kayode. Former Royal Holmes could return from a knee injury that he suffered on his debut back in September.
Predicted lineup
Dawson, Rafferty, Douglas, James, Hall, Spence, Gore, Powell, McWilliams, Sherif, Hugill
Key player
7. Joe Powell: Midfielder Powell joined Rotherham in May 2024 on a free transfer, following the end of his contract at Burton Albion.
He’s a product of the West Ham United academy, starting his journey with the Hammers at the age of eight. Powell signed his first pro deal with the club in 2015 and made his debut in 2018 in an EFL Cup tie with Macclesfield Town, which West Ham won 8-0.
Powell had a loan spell with Northampton Town in 2019 before joining Burton on a permanent deal the following year. He spent just over four years with the Brewers, making close to 186 appearances for the club, scoring 26 goals.
The 27-year-old has made 75 appearances for Rotherham since joining and has two goals to his name. Powell is a central midfielder who has an eye for goal, and is a strong set-piece taker.
One to watch
44. Tom Holmes: Reading academy graduate Holmes should return from injury this weekend, which could see him mark his first appearance against his former club.
Holmes was Reading’s 47th academy graduate to make a first-team appearance for the club when he made his debut in 2018 at the age of 17. He went on to make 133 appearances for Reading, while also spending time on loan at Belgian side KSV Roeselare.
In January 2024, Holmes signed for Luton before rejoining the Royals on loan for the remainder of the season. However, since signing for the Hatters he has only made 22 appearances for the club and spent some time back on loan in Belgium last season with FCV Dender EH.
The 25-year-old had an impressive debut for Rotherham at the start of September, but he suffered a knee injury during that game, ruling him out for two and a half months. Holmes is a strong, committed centre-back who is strong in the air.
