Season 2008/09’s opening fixture.
Rotherham Utd. V Lincoln City.
Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield.
09/08/2008, K.O. 3pm.
City start season 2008/09 with the relatively short journey to Rotherham.
Well they would if the Millers were still playing at Millmoor but, circumstances have decreed they move home and we now play them in what most millers see as foreign climbs, Sheffield, at the Don Valley Stadium.
It will be the first time Professional football has been hosted there and of course, the first competitive match United , as well as The Imps , have ever taken part in at the venue.
City and Rotherham have a long history of competition against each other, indeed The Imps have also played against both United’s previous incarnations, being Rotherham Town’s first ever League opposition also.
In this fixtures early years, the spoils were generally evenly shared but over the last half century, The Millers have had somewhat of an evil eye over the boys from the Bank.
The history of fixtures at Rotherham reads (City first). W 8 D 10 L 26 F 47 A 86.
Overall the club fairs little better W 24 D 21 L 41 F 117 A 138.
However, when you see City have not won away to the Millers since 1957, the reason of the imbalance becomes obvious.
City team news :: Frank ‘the tank’ Sinclair, looks likely to miss his debut for the Imps with a calf injury.
Ben ‘the swan’ Wright also looks doubtful, having had a foot injury, but resumed training on Thursday and may feature , if only on the bench to start. No other selection problems seem to be present, apart from the ‘good’ headache for LOTI, of picking any 11 from 20 justifiable players.
Nice !
Rotherham team news :: Stephen Brogan (leg), Birchill (groin) and Newsham (heel) will not start.
Much has been made by many of the psychological effect of the Millers troubles, but I see it making no difference one way or another tomorrow.
Manager Robins will not have let it impinge on his preparation one iota and, obversely, this means any sign of a siege mentality will not have had time to form as yet, given a possible poor start, it would then become part of their make-up.
City on the other hand have the upmost beat this writer has seen since the heady days of season 1975/76, and expectations are high with good reason.
A manager who oozes good public relations, confidence and success in equal amounts.
Quality players, a board with ambition and fans as bouyant as can be remembered.
In short, everything in place for a season never to forget.
I think if City play to the potential they displayed against Aston Villa, They can expect to see that 51 year old hoodoo disappear.
A clean sheet and three point for me, a draw being the very worst we can achieve.
The signs are in the sky, Impdom awakes, the followers of LOTI arise !!!
