Rotherham United boss proud but cautious after superb start to season

Not since Jack Mansell’s side in 1965/66 have the Millers accrued 13 points from their opening eight games at this level but they matched that with a 3-0 victory over Blackpool on Wednesday.

Goals from Chiedozie Ogbene, Wes Harding and Georgie Kelly ensured the three points and offered further evidence that the Millers will finally snap their yo-yo status which has seen them swap between the Championship and League One every season since 2016.

However, Warne has been burned by the Championship too many times to know his side have cracked it and accepts that tougher challenges lay ahead.

Asked whether he was excited about how this season could go, he said: “Not really. When I looked at the fixtures at the start of the season, these games in comparison to some looked not easy, but we haven’t played Norwich, Burnley or Sheffield United yet.

“So I can’t say I am getting excited but I am really proud watching the team. It is a good group, they look after themselves and they are a tight group. They are all in it together, it is good to see.

“We have rode our luck in many games, Preston smoked us, QPR smoked us, so we could have come away from those games with nothing.

“I am optimistic for this group but you are only ever one game or one collection of injuries away from trouble.

“I am not overly optimistic, I am happy that we are ticking along. You have to pick up points when you are playing well because there is going to be a period where we don’t play well and we are in trouble.

“I do know before the World Cup there is a Norwich, Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton week which sounds amazing.”

Warne’s side overran Blackpool and finished the game strongly with two goals in the final 10 minutes.

The boss reserved special praise for Tolaji Bola, who made his first appearance of the season and made a telling contribution.

“The thing that pleased me most was T Bola,” he said. “Hasn't been in the squad all season, trained so hard, no problem, best version of himself, just unlucky he has got two very good players in front of him.

“He had clubs come in for him in the transfer window and we didn’t let him go. He came on tonight and had a real positive effect.

“That sums up the club for me, that will give me the biggest smile when I go to bed tonight, attitudes like that. All the subs had a positive impact, we could have been better in the first half but overall pleased.”