Before the Shots went bust in 1992 Rotherham United visited the Recreation Ground on only two occasions, in 1976 and 1987……the isolation leading to a Football League rivalry with an intensity no greater than that concealed in our feelings towards Wolves, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Hull City, Nottingham Forest, and Sheffield United.
But I should say it is with some regret that I have only ever seen Rotherham play the Shots in Yorkshire, following our return to the League in 2008, at the soulless Don Valley Stadium (a temporary home until the ‘New York Stadium’ is opened later this year) and not the Millers spiritual home, Millmoor…..a ground made famous by its towering 124 feet high floodlights.
Looking back through the history of Rotherham the list of former managers certainly makes interesting reading. Indeed between 1967 and 1996 the dugout was warmed by – Tommy Docherty, Ian Porterfield, Emlyn Hughes, George Kerr, Norman Hunter, Archie Gemmill/John McGovern and from 1968 to 1973 by Jim McAnearney.
McAnearney was born in Dundee and played for Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle, Watford and Bradford City. But perhaps more significantly Jim played at Hillsborough alongside his brother Tom, who went on to play for, and then manage, the Shots with such distinction (Tom’s obituary was posted on 22 February 2012 by ‘A Shot from Wales’).
The Millers visit the Recreation Ground on Saturday for what will probably prove to be no more than an end of season encounter….a game when the result simply won't matter…..so why do I look forward to the fixture with a sense of simmering expectation?
Stephen (Steve) Evans wasn’t a great footballer and a knee ligament injury ended his playing career at the age of just 24 after 168 appearances for Clyde, Albion Rovers, Ayr United, Hamilton Academicals and St Johnstone.
His managerial career started at Stamford in 1994 where he led the club to the United Counties Premier Division title and promotion to the Southern League.
At this point and to avoid any accusations of bias, I must record that Evans would appear to have the ability to ‘get the best’ out of his players.
But after my momentary lapse into idolatry, back to reality and his confrontational style of management. His uncontrollable touchline antics eventually saw the FA ban the feisty Glaswegian for 12 games (reduced from 20) at the start of the 2008-09 season.
Indeed one ref who knew him from his Stamford days said: "We dreaded his matches. He would barge into the ref's room and dish out abuse. He was a nightmare."
And Evans certainly has plenty of ‘form’, being the man who took Boston United into the Football League but was subsequently suspended for 20 months for impeding an investigation into player’s contract irregularities.
Then he was just a tad unlucky when a conviction for Tax fraud led to a 12 month suspended jail sentence…..
Yes, a convicted criminal and part of a scam that took a club from ‘nowhere’ to the Football League.
Boston’s winning of the Conference in 2002 followed a neck and neck race with Dagenham & Redbridge – after a hard fought campaign Evans took his club into the Football League on the slim margin of goal difference.
But not everything was as it seemed and the FA launched an investigation into the financial affairs at Boston United. In July of that year, the club were found guilty by an FA disciplinary committee of systematically lodging false contracts for players. The ploy was a simple one. Players signed contracts that were worth a fraction of the value of what they were being paid.
The club was fined £100,000 and docked four points for the following season, a decision that quite rightly enraged Dagenham & Redbridge, who had missed out so narrowly on promotion, to Evans’ club.
And then poor old Steve was found guilty by the FA of having ”facilitated a payment of £8,000 to a witness to attempt to mislead, impede and frustrate” - the FA’s enquiry into the scam.
Evans was fined £8,000 and suspended from football for twenty months…….
But the FA ban was the least of Evans’ concerns as a criminal investigation was launched into the goings-on at Boston…..
Boston United were relegated from the Football League in 2007 after a last day of the season defeat at Wrexham.....and then demoted straight into the Blue Square North in June of that year. Relegation to the Northern Premier League followed a year later……
Evans resigned his position as Boston’s manager in May 2007, shortly before the inevitable relegation from the Football League. But surprise surprise, Evans landed on his feet and two days after his resignation, he took up the managerial position at Crawley Town.
And for some reason he has now been ‘washed up on the beach’ at Rotherham…..
I know, I should support the rehabilitation of offenders……but I just don’t like the man.
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