The last two games have felt like the start of a new area for various reasons, and there is another milestone tomorrow as Bolton travel to Rotherham United.
It’s the first league game in charge for Keith Hill and David Flitcroft, and could see a number of the deadline day signings make their debuts for the club. Joe Bunney won’t be one, due to his traffic accident last weekend, but it will still be a vastly different team to the one that lined up at Gillingham a fortnight ago.
Wanderers will be looking to end a dismal run at Rotherham, having won none of their visits to the New York Stadium, and the last win at Millmoor coming back in 1966. In last season’s game, Christian Doidge scored an equaliser as we got a 1-1 draw in October.
Interestingly, Adam Thompson could line up for the opposition tomorrow. Thompson was at Bury, and was training with us over the summer, but he eventually made the switch to South Yorkshire hours before the Shakers were expelled from the EFL.
Their manager Paul Warne has been moaning this week, after he was complaining about Christian Doidge signing for us ahead of them (and all the stuff that went on the wake of that). Warne has also switched the dugouts around, somehow hoping being on the other side will make it easier to shout instructions during the second half. Hopefully, we’ll win the coin toss and turn them around.
It could be a tough day tomorrow, despite the feel good factor and sell out away end (and the overzealous statement Rotherham have put out in response. The gist being ‘welcome to Rotherham, there’ll be police everywhere and you probably won’t be allowed in any pubs. Enjoy!) – despite the genuine quality we’re going to one of the better teams in the league, while our squad will still be gelling. I’d take a point now.