Ahead of tomorrow's match at the New York Stadium, we spoke to Stuart Rayner from the Yorkshire Post to discuss Rotherham's season so far...
Rotherham won resoundingly in the John's Trophy. Was your 5-0 win a fair reflection on the match?
I wasn't there and first-team coach Matt Hamshaw said it was a tight first half, but it smacked of a team that had been around the block against some Manchester City kids who had very little experience of senior football. In League One terms too, that is what Rotherham are.
Will Grigg even got on the scoresheet! How's he been for you?
He's scored four goals in his last seven matches and five overall, so he's up and running quickly. Not being able to do that was a big part of the problem at Sunderland, I'd say. Paul Warne has loved having him as physically he's been able to bring something extra to the team, and the club are just hoping Sunderland don't recall him mid-season.
Kieran Sadlier scored a hat trick. Will he start on Saturday?
It's far from guaranteed. Wing-back is a real strength of Rotherham's - they basically just play specialist wingers there most of the time - and Sadlier has some stiff competition there. He's only started three league games all season.
Over the summer, did you sign or sell any big names? Other than Will Grigg, of course.
Well, they also signed Shane Ferguson who you should know from his time at Newcastle, but has since carved out a good reputation as a Championship player with Millwall and a 50-capped international with Northern Ireland. Ollie Rathbone, the former Rochdale midfielder, has been an important addition too - not quite a like-for-like, but making up a bit for the loss of Matt Crooks, who joined Middlesbrough.
As Rotherham are always an impressive League One team, are you confident of promotion once again this season?
No League One team can be confident of promotion this season. There are stacks of teams who 'should' go up - including Sunderland, of course - but only three will. But Rotherham have made a better start than to their previous two promotion seasons under Warne. They have stability, they know what they are doing and how to do it, and I think for the likes of Rotherham, Plymouth and Wycombe, not having all the focus on a 'big club' will help.
Which player could cause Sunderland the most damage?
Michael Smith is already into double figures for the season and as a Newcastle fan, he will be extra pumped-up, as will be their deep-lying playmaker Dan Barlaser, who came through the academy there. Wing-back Cheo Ogbene has a good case to be Rotherham's best player.
Do any Sunderland players worry you?
I'm hearing a lot of good things about Ross Stewart and of course Aiden McGeady would worry any League One team - the last time I saw him was when he made four Charlie Wyke goals against Doncaster in February - whilst Luke O'Nien and Lynden Gooch are not to be under-estimated at this level.
What's your score prediction for the match?
I'm rubbish at predictions but I'll go for 2-2.
Who will get the goals?
Smith (2), maybe a couple for Stewart.
And finally, where do you predict both sides to finish this season?
I think Rotherham will get promoted, probably automatically, because of the pedigree you mentioned before and the pressure on Sunderland and co I referred to. The yo-yo nature of League One is starting to get a bit predictable, and worrying for Sunderland. As for them - you know as well as I do, they will put you through absolute hell and keeping you guessing to the last minute. At least it doesn't look like Charlton will be making the play-offs. I hope for Sunderland's fans they can get you back into the Championship at last.
