Moore speaks with Radio Sheffield about Rotherham

Last updated : 03 March 2006 By The Chairman
Latics boss Ronnie Moore spoke with Radio Sheffield ahead of Saturdays game against his old club Rotherham. His affections for the Millers are well documented as he both played for and managed the team.

When asked about his feelings at going back to Millmoor for the first time he said, "Mixed really. At the start of the season when you look at the fixtures it was the first one I was looking for but now with the state that the club's in at this present time you don't know what sort of reception you are going to get. You want Rotherham to do so well and stay up, yet we need to take three points off them."

He was asked if he'd been quoted as having a smile at the clubs current plight and responded, "Do you honestly think I'd say something like that about Rotherham United? I was asked a question and a little bird at the time said I might be happy....well I'm not happy about what's happening at Rotherham United. No way in this world. It's a massive massive part of my life and always has been. My son goes and watches them and I just hope there'll be a club there for him to go and watch. I got on really well with the Rotherham United supporters and they were magnificent to me, through the bad times as well as the good times and I wish them all the best. But, it's going to be so difficult. Where are they going to find someone who's going to put a million pound in now and then another million to get to the end of next season? That's the difficult question, but they can have ten pounds off me!"

"They have always pulled together. I always knew the supporters would do it. They've been asked so much to put their hand in their pocket and there's so many good supporters out there but I just can't see where the rest of the money is going to come from, I mean the other local clubs and their supporters have been brilliant but where do you find that million pounds from? I think sooner or later though someone's going to go there's no doubt about that. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That's the problem. The club wasn't in a brilliant state when they (Millers 05) took over, and I don't know who's guided them but someone's guided them and they've gone down the wrong line that's for sure to be in as much debt as they are at the moment."

When asked about his sacking from Rotherham Ronnie said, "I just thought maybe the people that took over, considering 84% of the supporters wanted me to stay, could have maybe given an extra 12 months as I might have changed things, I don't know. It bugs me so much it's untrue. It was like a knife in the heart when it happened. I didn't see it coming even though we weren't pulling any trees up and were struggling like mad at that Championship level. But sooner or later you will struggle down at that level you just can't live for eight or nine years there. Crewe - it's been magnificent for them when you look at their wage bill to be at that level for eight years is a magnificent achievement. It hurt then and it still hurts now."

"At one stage in the Championship we were lying 8th. in the league which was an incredible achievement, not just for me, John Breckin and the coaching staff but the players and we really did need to kick on. I think had Mr. Booth been 61 not 81 maybe something would have been done with that, but at the time his sons were involved in the business and I think they were getting upset with how much money Mr. Booth was putting in to keep the club going. Supporters only probably now realise that the 100 grand a month he was throwing into that big black hole, people were shouting 'Boothy Out!' for a long time, maybe now looking back they should have left him in charge of the club."

Moore realises that his team will have a battle on Saturday. He said, "They have some good players, there's no doubt about that, Alan Knill's probably looked at it and thought Chesterfield, Oldham at home then Blackpool. There'll be seven points there. Reports said Rotherham played really well and the scoreline flattered Chesterfield and we know we're in for a tough game there's no doubt about that. We need a win to try and catch Barnsley or Swansea in those play off spots. I just hope I don't go into the wrong box and sit next to Denis Circuit and ask him what's going on! I doubt Alan Knill will be too happy about that one! It will be interesting to see what sort of reception I get but it's the football game and football club that matters but it would be nice to get a good reception. Someone said I'd have one at our place, but I never heard a thing! At the end of the day though, it's about Rotherham United - not Ronnie Moore - and long may they continue."