Rotherham United waved goodbye to home ground Millmoor 15 years ago, yet it remains rooted to its place in South Yorkshire - quite literally.
After the Millers recorded a 1-0 victory over Barnet in League Two on May 3, 2008, now Premier League referee Michael Oliver blew for full-time and marked the end of more than a century of football at the beloved stadium. A crowd of 4,834 witnessed Millmoor's farewell, an outcome brought on by a dispute over ownership between the club and then-owner Ken Booth.
Firstly home to Rotherham County in 1907, a merger with Rotherham Town saw newly-formed United become the ground's tenants in 1925. Over the next 83 years, Millmoor hosted second, third and fourth tier football, as well as the first ever League Cup final between Rotherham and Aston Villa in 1961.
Used as far back as the 19th century, Rotherham Church Institute played their matches at the ground in the Sheffield Association League. And it wasn't just football on show for punters, as greyhound racing also took place there over a two-year stint during the 1930s.
Now the only things it plays host to are the echoes of sporting memories and untamed wildlife, encompassing a dried-out pitch. Overgrown plants along the sidelines and on the terraces encrust the disused stadium, as does the graffiti across the walls which are still adorned with original signs for supporters - hardly like Highbury's renovation into swanky apartments.
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25,170 fans once cramped into Millmoor when Rotherham faced local rivals Sheffield United in 1952, although adjustments to the stadium and improved safety restrictions meant that the final official capacity was only 8,300. Among other lifelong memories, Millers fans will forever associate the ground with Alan Lee's late winner against Brentford to secure the promotion to the second tier in 2001 after an 18-year absence.
There is one particularly tragic memory from Millmoor's days, though. A year prior to their promotion triumph, during a heated clash between Rotherham and Swansea City, away fan Terry Coles was killed in an incident involving a police horse on a single-lane track located just behind the Millmoor Lane stand.
Held dear by Millers fans, plans had been put in place for the main stand to be redeveloped in the early noughties. The proposed increase would've seen Millmoor's capacity surpass the 10k mark, but it was left uncompleted and can be seen half-built by those who pass the stadium while walking along Coronation Bridge or looking over the railway track on Holmes Lane.
When Rotherham moved out in 2008, they wouldn't be given the keys to their new home - the New York Stadium - until 2012. For the four years between, the Millers used the Don Valley athletics stadium in Sheffield before moving into their current ground. Rotherham's squeaky-clean stadium may only be half a mile away from Millmoor, but the two grounds look worlds apart.
After yo-yoing between League One and the Championship for the past six years, the Yorkshire club were able to consolidate their second-tier status this term by finishing 19th. However, a run of just one win from their final seven games puts manager Matt Taylor under pressure to begin next season on some steadier form.
If Rotherham can keep themselves in the Championship again next year, then who knows what the future holds at the New York Stadium? Perhaps it'll become an even more beloved home than old Millmoor...
