New look Rotherham end our week at home

But a change of ownership, as a fans group took over, saw a change of management as well with youth coach Alan Knill being given the job.

There’s been little in the way of transfer activity until the last few days although Moore brought in Jamal Campbell-Ryce from Charlton in November and the midfielder has been a regular in the side since. He was brought in following the £400,000 sale of Chris Sedgwick who signed for Preston.

This week though Knill has brought in two players on loan. Firstly former Preston midfielder has signed after being told he had no future with his current club Hull whilst the 20 year-old Frenchman Leandre Griffit has arrived from Southampton.

Griffit had a loan spell with Leeds at the beginning of the year but made just one substitute appearance in their 2-0 defeat at Derby.

A 1-1 draw at Plymouth was their last point and they have suffered four defeats since, the latest of them last week at home against relegation threatened Gillingham.

Click HERE to see all Rotherham’s results this season.

Team News

Manager Knill has said that Griffit will start but Keane will have to settle for a place on the bench as he arrived too late to get involved in the team planning ahead of the game.

Darren Garner is definitely out, he’s on his way to Torquay on loan next week, whilst Andy Monkhouse is ruled out with a knee injury that requires surgery.

There is some good news though, Martin Butler has been ill this week but has shaken it off and will play whilst three other players are fit again after being out recently with injury. They are Martin McIntosh, Rob Scott and former Claret John Mullin.

Rotherham will select from: Mike Pollitt, Paul Hurst, Shaun Barker, Phil Gilchrist, Scott Minto, Paul McLaren, Paolo Vernazza, Jamal Ryce-Campbell, Paul Warne, Will Hoskins, Martin Butler, Gary Montgomery, Rob Scott, John Mullin, Martin McIntosh, Leandre Griffit, Michael Keane.

Click HERE to see Rotherham’s full squad.

Steve Cotterill could have the luxury of a few more players to choose from with Lee Roche and Mo Camara back from suspension and Dean Bowditch in the squad following his signing on loan from Ipswich.

There could even be a return for Tony Grant although the bad news is that Gary Cahill could be out after suffering an injury in the draw with Leicester over the weekend.

It’s difficult to work out just what the starting line up might be but if Grant does come back and Cahill does miss out it could look something like:

Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, John Oster, Tony Grant, Micah Hyde, Pete Whittingham, Ian Moore, Dean Bowditch. Subs: Danny Coyne, Lee Roche, Joel Pilkington, Jean-Louis Valois, Graham Branch.

Last Time

It was the day England’s egg chasers won the World Cup, it was the day Clarets Mad gave Central Lancs Clarets a stuffing in a six-a-side match but it was also a day of one of the most inept performances for years at the Turf.

Brian Jensen had a poor game in goal, Branch was dreadful as a lone striker and there was not much to enthuse about in between either as the Clarets played second fiddle to a Rotherham team ravaged by injury.

With Ian Moore, Robbie Blake and Delroy Facey in the squad it was difficult to understand just how Branch won the role but at least it gave the boo boys another opportunity to have a go at him.

Incredibly, after Rotherham had missed a number of chances, we took the lead with a Blake shot from just outside the box ten minutes before half time. Fans got up expecting Tom Hark but thankfully no, then worse Dave Edmundson’s 500 miles.

Maybe that’s why we didn’t bother scoring again but Rotherham did, just six minutes into the second half and needless to say it was John Mullin. He doesn’t score many goals but does save most of them for the Turf.

It just went worse after that and the introduction of Facey made no difference and it was no surprise when the players left to a chorus of boos.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West, David May, Arthur Gnohere, Mo Camara, Glen Little, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Ian Moore (Delroy Facey 55), Robbie Blake, Graham Branch. Subs not used: Lee Roche, Mark McGregor, Paul Weller, Matt O’Neill.

Rotherham: Gary Montgomery, Shaun Barker, Chris Swailes, Martin McIntosh, Paul Hurst, Chris Sedgwick, Carl Robinson, John Mullin, Paul Warne, Darren Byfield, Richie Barker. Subs: Scott Minto, Mark Robins, Andy Monkhouse, Will Hoskins, Craig Mudd.