Richard Wood column: That Rotherham United comeback is why I will always love football

Last weekend proves why football is watched and loved by millions of people all over the world. The unpredictability and drama is what makes the game so special. Rotherham's comeback against Derby County from 3-0 down to salvage a point was unbelievable, and that's why my passion for football will never disappear.
Richard WoodRichard Wood
Richard Wood

I was gutted to miss out on the game against Derby County due to a hamstring problem but, sitting as a fan in the stadium, it was incredible to watch. The last 10 minutes anyway!

With Rotherham 3-0 down, I - like every other Miller most likely - thought the game was over. Derby were in complete control.

Danny Ward starts the comeback against DerbyDanny Ward starts the comeback against Derby
Danny Ward starts the comeback against Derby
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I then witnessed something I’ll probably never see happen again. The fightback came from nowhere and, to our credit, we seized on Derby’s frailties. Danny Ward, who worked tirelessly all game, scored what I thought would be a consolation goal.

I could never have predicted what happened from then on, though. Derby capitulated and we took advantage. The buzz around the stadium was brilliant as Leon Best headed in the equaliser.

What a moment.

It felt like a win, and that point could prove to be vital come the end of the season. It maintains our good run of form. 10 points from the last four games is a tremendous effort considering the teams we’ve played.

Comeback complete!Comeback complete!
Comeback complete!

It’s not just one specific game that’s unpredictable. Football conjures up some extraordinary scenarios and results. The Premier League is proof of this as Leicester City have so far defied all odds to be top of the table with nine games to go.

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Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have been outstanding and have taken a lot of the plaudits so far, but N’Golo Kante has been the standout player for me this season. The 24-year-old, signed for a bargain £5.6 million, seems to cover every blade of grass and makes countless interceptions.

It has been a truly magical season for the Foxes and I really do hope they go on to win it.

Meanwhile, this weekend lots of people will be fund-raising for Sport Relief.

Danny Ward starts the comeback against DerbyDanny Ward starts the comeback against Derby
Danny Ward starts the comeback against Derby

Luke Walker, the Millers’ masseur, is swimming 5k on Sunday. It’s a continuous swim which equates to 200 lengths at his local swimming pool. I’m not a bad swimmer myself but would definitely struggle to do that many lengths, so fair play to him for attempting it. He tells me he did it a few years ago and trained for it. This time, however, there’s been no training!

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All the lads are right behind him and we’ve all donated to the cause. He’s put together a sweepstake too, and we’ve all put down a time in which we think he’ll complete the distance. I don’t think anybody has put down ‘DNF’ thankfully!

We all wish Luke well for Sunday and if he can complete it in two hours and five minutes (my guess!) that would be great. Good luck, Luke!

If you want to make a donation, go to https://www.justgiving.com/luke-walker12