A Champion Day - 25th May 2014

Although I've followed the Millers (Rotherham United for those that don't know) for around 45 years, I must admit that for the last 10 or so years I've only been to a few games each season as my priority is the sport with the oval ball; my wife Donna and I go to the Rotherham Titans games. Donna really doesn't like football, in fact I would go as far as saying that she can't stand the game. Surprising really when her family have been mad Rotherham United fans all their lives, with her mum and dad being season ticket holders for as long as I can remember.

Starting the journey up Wembley Way

After last season's success in gaining promotion from League 2 to League 1, we were one of the favourites to go back down. However, Steve Evans again waved his magic wand with the backing of chairman Tony Stewart, and we battled through the play-offs and make it to the final at Wembley stadium and a game against London club Leyton Orient.

There had been much trepidation in the town in the run up to the game, and the Millers would be followed all the way down to London by 20,000 supporters. Orient's section of the ground would be a little more full even though Rotherham's average attendance is significantly more; but then again it's much easier to jump on the tube than make a 350 mile round-trip.

View from inside the corporate box

I wasn't that bothered about a drink so decided to drive, and I would be accompanied to the game by my son Jake. We detoured at the start of the journey to take Donna to work, and by around 9:45am we were leaving Sheffield to head south. It was great to see supporters in the services, passing you and being passed on the motorway. Just a pity that there were so many hold-ups, that said we were at Stanmore tube station for around 1:15pm.

Millers fans during the game

After getting off at Wembley Park station we headed straight down Wembley Way to the stadium, no drinks on route, we would save our refreshment intake until we got into the ground. As with our visit to the England world cup qualifier in October, we would again enter the stadium via the Club Wembley entrance; did I not mention that we were in a corporate box?

So to the game itself. Well what a disappointing first-half; we played well but found ourselves 0-2 down at half-time so had our fingers crossed that the manager had given them a motivating team talk. And he had; an Alex Revell 'wonder goal' got the game back to 2-2 with a nail-biting 30 minutes extra-time unable to separate the teams - so a penalty shoot-out.

Fans and players celebrate promotion

Butterflies in the stomach, legs shaking, fingers crossed. We missed an early penalty which put us behind, however our super goalkeeper Adam Collin saved two penalties and promotion was ours. What a party all the supporters and players were having in the stadium. There was nothing between the teams on the day, but in the end we sneaked home by the skin of our teeth and after a long wait were back in the Championship. Good luck to Orient and their great fans for next season.

The long wait in the queue at Wembley Park

A long journey back home, long queues for the tube station, a long wait to get to the M1 and a busy motorway; but we didn't care a hoot.