Rotherham United's former home Millmoor has a new £9.5m vision
£9.5 million vision will create a national centre for women’s football
A £9.5 million vision for the old Millmoor stadium site in Rotherham has been unveiled.
An ambitious plan for a national women’s football centre of excellence, 2,000-seater stadium and community sports village is envisaged for Rotherham United’s old ground.
The site is undergoing demolition after the men’s team left the site in 2008 and the new plan is expected to transform the site.
Rotherham United Women FC has revealed its initial vision for the famous site following discussions with owners the Ron Hull Group and meetings with Rotherham Borough Council.
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But the club wants to find out what local people want and is set to start a consultation soon.
At the heart of the plans is a national centre of excellence dedicated to girls’ and women’s football, with facilities designed to attract players, coaches and sporting organisations from across the UK and further afield.
The club wants the site to become a major destination for women’s football development, offering opportunities from grassroots participation through to elite performance, alongside facilities that the entire community can enjoy.
It will feature a 3G playing surface, spectator facilities, hospitality and potential for future expansion.
The proposal would offer people the chance to enjoy padel courts and there could be a health and fitness hub, including a potential low-cost gym and facilities supporting physical activity and wellbeing.
Community and multi-sport facilities could be offered, including to schools, grassroots football, rugby, netball, basketball, disability sport and other activities.
Phil Smith, co-owner of Rotherham United Women FC, said: “We see an opportunity to create something genuinely significant here, not just for Rotherham but for women’s football nationally.
“The ambition isn’t simply to build a new stadium. It’s to explore a dedicated centre of excellence that could attract players, coaches and sporting organisations from across the country, while creating facilities that schools, families and the wider community can benefit from.
“Millmoor has an incredible history, and there’s an opportunity to give it a new purpose for generations to come.
“We’ve had constructive initial discussions with the Ron Hull Group and representatives of the council. There’s a considerable amount of work ahead, but we believe the potential deserves to be explored properly.”
Those behind the project hope it will be a tribute to Millmoor’s heritage and will include proposals to recognise the famous Derek Dalton Clock within the new stadium.
The club hopes the development could become a catalyst for wider regeneration in Masbrough, attracting visitors, supporting local businesses and bringing renewed activity.
Rotherham United Women will launch a two-week public consultation on Monday October 26 asking residents, supporters, schools, sporting organisations, charities and businesses what they want from the site.
The club said that the consultation will explore demand for the proposed facilities, identify what the community feels is missing and invite ideas that have not yet been considered.
Scott Thorpe, co-owner of Rotherham United Women FC, said: “For nearly 20 years we’ve talked about what Rotherham lost when football left Millmoor. Maybe it’s time we started talking about what Rotherham could gain.
“Imagine a new stadium, kids training on the pitches, families playing padel and young footballers travelling from all over the country because Rotherham has become somewhere they aspire to play.
“Why shouldn’t we have something like that here?
“But this can’t just be about what Phil and I think. We’ve got our ideas, and now we want to hear everyone else’s.
“If you’re a parent, a teacher, a local business, a sports club or someone who simply wants to see Rotherham thrive, we want you involved.
“We’re not pretending this is a done deal. There are plenty of hurdles to overcome, but you’ve got to have ambition.
“Millmoor gave generations of Rotherham people their football memories. Let's see if we can give the next generation something even bigger.”