Rotherham United: Why Ryan Williams says the Millers are heading to Wembley

Ryan Williams believes Rotherham United will book their place at Wembley at the expense of play-off opponents Scunthorpe United, declaring: 'I think we are the better team.'
Ryan WilliamsRyan Williams
Ryan Williams

The Millers embark on their push for promotion to the Championship this weekend after finishing manager Paul Warne’s first full season in charge in fourth spot.

Warne’s men beat Scunthorpe home and away in the regular League One campaign and summer signing Williams is confident he and and his teammates can repeat that success over their two-legged clash for the right to contest the play-off final at the national stadium.

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“With the boys we have got, I can’t see us losing,” the 24-year-old winger said. “Everyone will go that little bit extra. We have that little bit of extra juice in the tank.

Rotherham travel to the Iron on Saturday, with the return tie at AESSEAL New York Stadium the following Wednesday.

“We need to go there, win, then come home and run all over them in the second game and get to Wembley,” Williams said.

“We’ve beaten them twice. We need to forget that, put that to bed. They have been in good form, but that doesn’t scare us. I think we are the better team.”

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Rotherham have been given 1,601 tickets for the short trip to Glanford Park and they will be quickly snapped up when they go on sale tomorrow morning. Tickets are also going fast for the home tie for which Scunthorpe have been allocated 1,210 seats.

“I am excited,” Williams added. “A plus is we don’t have to have an overnight stay or have far to travel. It’s good for us because it’s just down the road. The fans deserved that because they have stuck with us for the whole season.

“The play-offs are a chance to play at Wembley and get back to the Championship. It’s a place where this club belongs, with the stadium, fans, staff and players. It’s where we need to be.”

Williams arrived at New York last June from Barnsley, where a misdiagnosed injury kept him on the sidelines, and has proved his fitness over the last year.

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“It’s been a good season, considering my past injuries,” he said. “I have been available for every single game. I’ve played 42 league games and missed out on only four.

“For me, it’s been a success. I feel fresh and hopefully there are another three games to come.

“When I signed here, I felt this was the best platform to get to the Championship. My goal was to play as many games as I could. The other goal to be available for as many games as I could.

“I managed to start 33 games, which for me is big. I don’t think I’ve missed a training session, which is awesome, and the injury is way behind me. I am really happy with the season.

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“When I was at Barnsley and we got promoted through the play-offs, I was injured at the time, so, unfortunately I missed out on that.

“I felt on the outside at Barnsley, 100 per cent. But it was good for my career, in a way. It was bad I missed a lot of football, but I learned a lot.”

New York tonight stages its first game of the European Under-17s Championships as Bosnia and Herzegovina take on Belgium (kick-off 7pm).