Rotherham braced for survival quest after points deduction

Rotherham manager Steve Evans has challenged his side to ensure their Sky Bet Championship survival chances are unaffected by a three-point deduction imposed on them by the Football League.

Rotherham braced for survival quest after points deduction

Rotherham manager Steve Evans has challenged his side to ensure their Sky Bet Championship survival chances are unaffected by a three-point deduction imposed on them by the Football League.

The Millers were sanctioned after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player – Farrend Rawson – in Easter Monday’s 1-0 win over Brighton and the docking plunges them back into the relegation mire.

Rotherham manager Steve Evans.

They are now only a point above Millwall, who occupy the final berth in the drop zone, and two above Wigan, though they do have a game in hand over those two sides.

All three are playing sides chasing promotion this weekend, with the Millers hosting Norwich, and Evans believes their fate will be decided by what they do on the pitch.

“Every team would prefer to have their destiny at their own feet wouldn’t they?” said the Scot.

“If we get some positive results over the next eight days then it doesn’t matter what the Football League have done and it doesn’t matter what other teams do on the field.

“If we can beat Norwich it would go a long way to us being part of the Championship next season.

“If we get the three points, we all know we would be a gnat’s whisker away, regardless of the Football League’s decision.

“It may take more than one win, all I know is that we have to go and get points. I think we may need a touch more than three.

“I have said to the players for some weeks now to just forget about these circumstances and focus on your football. Our deduction will make no difference against Norwich.”

Indeed, the Millers could book their place in the second tier next season regardless of their points deduction if they win on Saturday, and Millwall and Wigan lose to Derby and Wigan respectively.

Evans, whose run of four successive promotions as a manager will end this campaign, knows his side cannot be consumed by what is happening elsewhere.

“As a manager when you have had the success I have in terms of promotions you never take the approach of what might be, that would drive you to the clinic,” he added.

“You have to keep your focus on how you can affect it.

“Of course we will be aware of what is going on elsewhere, but we have got to be focused. If we lose concentration by just one per cent against Norwich we will get beaten.”

The Millers, who hired top QC Jim Sturman to defend them, have hinted they will appeal against the decision but will wait to see the “reasoned judgement” of the three-man football disciplinary commission’s decision.

A club statement read: “Rotherham United FC are very disappointed by the decision to deduct three points for fielding a player who was ineligible purely because of an administrative error.

“It is our view that true sports fans want to see competitions settled on the pitch and not to have them affected by what happens in disciplinary proceedings.

“We await the reasoned judgement of the Football Disciplinary Commission and once we have received it we will issue our appeal after discussion with Jim Sturman QC.

“In the meantime we are confident that our team possesses the will and spirit to ensure that the points deduction is academic by securing our Championship status on the pitch.”

The date for the South Yorkshire club to lodge an appeal is the day before campaign comes to an end, meaning that if they do challenge the Football League’s decision, the final standings might not be settled until after the season has concluded.

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