# 2018–19 Rotherham United F.C. season

The 2018–19 season was Rotherham United's 94th season in their existence and the first back in the Championship following promotion via the play-offs last season. The club will also participate in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

## Key Events

On 13 March 2019, Rotherham won away at Queens Park Rangers, claiming their first away win of the season, and their first win in the EFL Championship in 44 attempts, the last being on 9 April 2016.
Relegation from the EFL Championship was confirmed on the penultimate weekend of the season, 27 April 2019, when Rotherham lost away at West Bromwich Albion after Millwall had drawn their game earlier in the day.

## Squad statistics
### Player statistics

    As of end of season.
Players with zero appearances have been unused substitutes in one or more games.
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Total | Total | League | League | Playoffs | Playoffs | FA Cup | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Cup | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | | Marek Rodák | 46 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | | Lewis Price | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | | Laurence Bilboe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | | Zak Vyner | 31+3 | 0 | 28+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | | Joe Mattock | 45 | 1 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | | Semi Ajayi | 49 | 8 | 46 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | | Richard Wood | 24+4 | 2 | 23+3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | | Clark Robertson | 28+3 | 3 | 25+3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | | Michael Ihiekwe | 15 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | | Billy Jones | 20+2 | 0 | 19+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 29 | DF | | Manny Onariase | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | | Akeem Hinds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | | Will Vaulks | 42+1 | 8 | 41 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | | Anthony Forde | 20+11 | 1 | 17+11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | | Matt Palmer | 9+4 | 0 | 8+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | | Jon Taylor | 31+13 | 4 | 30+11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | | Richie Towell | 28+6 | 4 | 28+6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | MF | | Darren Potter | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | | Matt Crooks | 7+9 | 3 | 7+9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | | Joe Newell | 19+13 | 0 | 18+13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | | Ryan Williams | 26+15 | 1 | 24+15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | | Ben Wiles | 12+11 | 0 | 9+11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | | Reece McGinley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | | Jake Southern-Cooper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | | Jamie Proctor | 4+14 | 4 | 2+14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | | David Ball | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | | Kyle Vassell | 9+16 | 0 | 9+14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | | Jerry Yates | 3+4 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | | Michael Smith | 45+1 | 8 | 44+1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | | Joshua Kayode | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | | Tyrone Lewthwaite | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players played for the club this season on loan who returned to their parent club during the season: ||||||||||||||||
| 17 | MF | | Ryan Manning | 13+5 | 4 | 13+5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | | Sean Raggett | 8+2 | 1 | 6+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Goalscorers

    As of end of season.
| Place | Position | Number | Name | Total | League | Playoffs | FA Cup | EFL Cup |
| 1 | FW | 24 | Michael Smith | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 4 | Will Vaulks | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| = | DF | 5 | Semi Ajayi | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | 11 | Jon Taylor | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 13 | Richie Towell | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 17 | Ryan Manning | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | FW | 9 | Jamie Proctor | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | DF | 15 | Clark Robertson | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 17 | Matt Crooks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | DF | 6 | Richard Wood | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | DF | 20 | Michael Ihiekwe | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | 3 | Joe Mattock | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 7 | Anthony Forde | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | MF | 23 | Ryan Williams | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = | DF | 26 | Sean Raggett | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Pre-season friendlies

The first announcement from the club regarding pre-season friendlies came on 31 May 2018, when a game against Mansfield Town was confirmed. This was followed a day later by confirmation of the usual opening friendly with Parkgate. Later on 1 June, the club announced two split-squad friendlies on the same day against Stocksbridge Park Steels and Sheffield F.C. On 5 June the club announced a friendly against Premier League opposition, with Neil Warnock's newly promoted Cardiff City being hosted at New York Stadium. On 2 July the club announced a home friendly against Grimsby Town. This was subsequently cancelled on 6 July due to insufficient police resources being available. On 4 July the opposition for two friendlies during the clubs Austrian training camp was announced.

## Competitions
### Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 53 | 71 | −18 | 51 | |
| 20 | Reading | 46 | 10 | 17 | 19 | 49 | 66 | −17 | 47 | |
| 21 | Millwall | 46 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 48 | 64 | −16 | 44 | |
| 22 | Rotherham United (R) | 46 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 52 | 83 | −31 | 40 | Relegation to EFL League One |
| 23 | Bolton Wanderers (R) | 46 | 8 | 8 | 30 | 29 | 78 | −49 | 32 | Relegation to EFL League One |
| 24 | Ipswich Town (R) | 46 | 5 | 16 | 25 | 36 | 77 | −41 | 31 | Relegation to EFL League One |
* ↑ Brentford were awarded a 1–0 win over Bolton due to Bolton's inability to hold the fixture.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 5 May 2019. Source: BBC

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | W | L | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | D | L | D | D | D | W | D | D | D | L | D | D | L | L | L | W | L | L | L | D | D | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | L | W | L | D | L | L | L | L |
| Position | 24 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |

#### Matches
### FA Cup

The third round draw was made live on BBC by Ruud Gullit and Paul Ince from Stamford Bridge on 3 December 2018.

### EFL Cup

On 15 June 2018, the draw for the first round was made in Vietnam. The second round draw was made from the Stadium of Light on 16 August.

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2018 | Clark Robertson | Blackpool | Free |
| 1 July 2018 | Kyle Vassell | Blackpool | Free |
| 20 July 2018 | Billy Jones | Sunderland | Free |
| 11 January 2019 | Matt Crooks | Northampton Town | Undisclosed |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2018 | Darnelle Bailey-King | Free agent | Released |
| 1 July 2018 | Jonson Clarke-Harris | Coventry City | Released |
| 1 July 2018 | Shaun Cummings | Free agent | Released |
| 1 July 2018 | Kuda Muskwe | Free agent | Released |
| 1 July 2018 | Mason Warren | Free agent | Released |
| 1 August 2018 | Thomas Maguire | Cliftonville | Free |
| 14 August 2018 | George McMahon | Burnley | Free |

### Loans in

| Start date | Name | From | End date |
| 2 July 2018 | Zak Vyner | Bristol City | 31 May 2019 |
| 25 July 2018 | Sean Raggett | Norwich City | 8 March 2019 |
| 25 July 2018 | Marek Rodák | Fulham | 31 May 2019 |
| 16 August 2018 | Ryan Manning | Queens Park Rangers | 1 January 2019 |
| 31 August 2018 | Richie Towell | Brighton & Hove Albion | 31 May 2019 |

### Loans out

| Start date | Name | To | End date |
| 18 July 2018 | Dominic Ball | Aberdeen | 31 May 2019 |
| 20 July 2018 | Jerry Yates | Carlisle United | 1 January 2019 |
| 1 August 2018 | Ben Purrington | AFC Wimbledon | 10 January 2019 |
| 24 August 2018 | Michael Ihiekwe | Accrington Stanley | 2 January 2019 |
| 3 September 2018 | David Ball | Bradford City | 31 May 2019 |
| 18 September 2018 | Akeem Hinds | Frickley Athletic | 18 October 2018 |
| 19 September 2018 | Joshua Kayode | Chesterfield | 17 October 2018 |
| 25 October 2018 | Manny Onariase | Dagenham & Redbridge | 31 May 2019 |
| 9 November 2018 | Alex Bray | York City | 12 January 2019 |
| 2 January 2019 | Reece McGinley | Crusaders | 31 May 2019 |
| 10 January 2019 | Ben Purrington | Charlton Athletic | 31 May 2019 |
| 12 February 2019 | Alex Bray | Weston-super-Mare | 27 April 2019 |
| 22 February 2019 | Laurence Bilboe | Stratford Town | March 2019 |
| 8 March 2019 | Akeem Hinds | Hyde United | April 2019 |
| 3 April 2019 | Laurence Bilboe | Havant & Waterlooville | 31 May 2019 |