Why Rotherham United will be hoping to banish yo-yo tag in the Championship
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They have been relegated back to the third tier in each of the last two seasons they have been in the Championship, in 2017 and 2019.
But they are better equipped to retain their status this time around and here, the Star explains the four reasons why.
Warne's learned lessons
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Hide AdThe Millers put up a brave fight against the drop in 2018/19 but they eventually came up just short.
Boss Paul Warne admitted to having regrets about how he went about things and he won't make the same mistakes again.
One of those was his reluctance to ever play two strikers, something he largely refused to do following the heavy defeat at Brentford when they did play in that style.
Warne knows more about managing in the Championship now and should be able to succeed.
Players with a point to prove
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Hide AdThe Millers’ squad is a mixture of players who are aiming to put the relegation from 2019 right, along with others stepping up to this level for the first time.
The likes of Matt Crooks, who is attracting interest from other clubs, and Michael Smith showed promise last time they were in this division and will want to prove they belong here while the likes of Freddie Ladapo, Ben Wiles and Michael Ihiekwe will wanting to make their mark in a similar way.
Weaker division
The effects of coronavirus will not be fully known, but the assumption is it could make the Championship more of a level playing field.
Usually when they are in this division the Millers have the smallest budget by far, but with Wycombe in there, along with the likes of Luton, Barnsley and Coventry, they have plenty of teams of a similar standing.
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Hide AdNot to mention Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, meaning Warne's men will find it much easier to find three teams to finish above.
End of the away day blues?
Rotherham have won only one of their last 48 away games in the Championship and that is a sobering stat.
But they are likely to enjoy the behind closed doors start to the season and then the reduced capacity crowds as it should make life easier on the road for them.
They were often blown away in the big atmospheres and Warne has gone on record as saying he thinks it is easier for referees to give decisions against his team when the officials can be swayed by a large partisan crowd.
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