A laudable act of unwavering loyalty, or the definition of insanity? Following any football club on away trips up and down the country can be a test of perseverance at the best of times, but spare a thought for the Rotherham fans who did not see their team win on the road at all in 2023.
The last time Rotherham, rock bottom of the Championship, won an away game in any competition was 8 November 2022 – a hard-fought 1-0 derby victory at Sheffield United. Since then it has been 28 consecutive away matches and 14 miserable months without success.
Staging post No 29 for the hardy horde of Millers diehards is Fulham on Friday night in an FA Cup third-round tie that offers some light relief from the Championship grind. Rotherham have sold about 700 tickets for a trip that means most will have to take a day off work, spend close to £100 all-in and will not get home until the early hours of Saturday morning.
“My wife thinks I’m crazy but it’s what you live for, it’s your hobby, it’s your passion,” says Kev Johnson, who will be among those making the trip to London, taking his place in Craven Cottage’s away section praying for a miracle.
“It’s in your blood. I’ve been a Rotherham fan for 44 years and it’s instilled in me. It’s the hope that keeps you going, but it’s also the hope that kills you.”
Rotherham fans are no fools. They accept their club is a small fish in the Championship’s vast ocean, operating on a shoestring budget compared with the behemoths of Leicester, Leeds, Southampton and other sides who have recently mixed it in the Premier League. A point at St Mary’s in October was celebrated like a win and the appointment of Leam Richardson in mid-December has triggered an upturn in away performances. The new manager has his team well-organised and defensively robust, albeit that victory on the road remains elusive.
“Taking 700 to Fulham doesn’t sound a lot,” says Johnson. “But it’s a Friday night, it’s a late train home after Christmas and New Year and January is a long wait for payday as well. I think it’s quite impressive.”
If the win does not come at Fulham, supporters believe it is just around the corner, although daunting league visits to Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Leeds await them. The prospect of seeing the streak broken, that shared joy of a win against the odds, entices them back for more. A late Tom Eaves goal to snatch a deserved 2-2 draw at Blackburn on New Year’s Day was further fuel for the optimists.
Danny Ogden-Glaves, from the New York Talk podcast, says: “Part of me thinks it’s blind loyalty. It’s your team and you’ll support them through thick and thin. For some fans, it’s clinging to the hope of seeing that first away win. A few fans have followed us since we were at the bottom end of League Two, so it’s not the end of the world being bottom of the second tier.”
Regular away fan Matthew agrees. “A lot of people have seen us in much worse states so it’s nothing new,” he says. “Those that still go do so through pure enjoyment and loyalty. It’s essentially a good way to spend time with friends, drinking and having a day trip.
“I think [the winless run] has damaged morale. We’ve had a noticeable dip in away attendances, especially compared with League One where we won the majority of away games. But, do you know what, I do fancy us getting something at Fulham. Historically, we’ve been really poor in cup competitions but given our away record over the last two years, it would be a very ‘Rotherham’ thing to go and win it 1-0.”
The Millers are emboldened by the prospect of Fulham fielding a weakened team with a two-leg Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on their horizon. But they recently won back-to-back home games by a 5-0 margin against West Ham and Nottingham Forest. They beat title-challenging Arsenal last time out at Craven Cottage.
“It’s not like we’ve not played well away,” says Ogden-Glaves, who will also be at Fulham. “At Plymouth for example, we played well, but Plymouth just played better – they’re unreal at home. But after the Blackburn game, the signs are more encouraging now under Richardson.
“Rotherham don’t normally progress past the third round, so getting to the fourth round would be an achievement in itself. Craven Cottage is a new ground for a number of fans and it’s a chance for a day out, pressure’s off so let’s see what happens. I’m a complete optimist … you just never know.”
