25 March 2021

Rotherham face four games in eight days to fit in their fixtures

25 March 2021

Rotherham will be forced to play four times in eight days as they play catch-up following their recent coronavirus outbreak.

The Millers saw three Championship games called off after the virus hit their camp for the second time this season, with close to 20 players and staff struck down.

Matches with Brentford and Luton were quickly rearranged, but the third fixture against Coventry caused problems as there were no free midweek slots available.

That means Paul Warne’s men are now faced with the prospect of playing two games in the same midweek in order to fit all their fixtures in before the end of the season.

After a trip to Huddersfield on Saturday, April 10 they will host QPR on the Tuesday before welcoming the Sky Blues for what is a crunch match in the relegation scrap just 48 hours later.

Another possible season-defining match comes three days later on Sunday, April 18 as they host Birmingham.

The scheduling is likely to leave Warne unhappy, given such a huge game against Coventry comes with little preparation time but he knows he has little choice but to accept it.

He said before the decision was made: “If that is going to be the game where we have 24 hours’ recovery and they have four then that could play a part come the end of the season and that would be a massive blow to us.

“Certain things are out of our control and if the EFL are going to impose certain things on us I can’t see me ringing Robbo (Mark Robins, Coventry boss) up and asking him to play down the park three days later.

“We have to do as the EFL tell us. I just like to think it will be a little bit fairer than one day. But it is a situation we are in and we will have to address whatever we are told.”

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