The former home of Rotherham United, Millmoor, is being demolished after standing for almost 120 years. Demolition teams moved in this week to begin dismantling the stadium, which hosted the Millers from 1907 through to 2008.
After departing Millmoor, Rotherham made the New York Stadium their home in 2012, with the club occupying a brief residency at the Don Valley Stadium while work was being completed. The 12,000-capacity New York Stadium is a modern improvement on the previously rugged 8,000-capacity Millmoor.
Despite its modest capacity, Millmoor once saw a record crowd of 25,170 for a game against local rivals Sheffield United in 1952. The stadium also had the distinction of hosting the first leg of the inaugural Football League Cup Final in 1962, when Rotherham United faced Aston Villa. The Millers emerged victorious, beating Villa 2-0, only for the Villains to stage a comeback in the second meeting, securing the trophy with a 3-2 aggregate scoreline.
Since its closure, the site of the stadium has been a notorious location for urban explorers, with videos surfacing on social media of content creators breaching the gates of the stadium. Once inside, the explorers were met with a surprising scene, as the stadium remained largely just as it had been left, even down to the goalposts.
Millmoor looked as though it would return to full use as a football stadium in 2024, as a clear-up operation allowed local sides to use the pitch. Women’s side Doncaster Rovers Belles were also looking to secure a residency at the stadium last season, but unfortunately, the owners, CF Booth, ran into financial difficulties and Millmoor changed ownership once again.
Speculation as to what Millmoor will become post-demolition is ongoing, with nothing officially confirmed at the time of writing. BBC drone footage was released showing the beginning of the dismantling, featuring the Main Stand, which contained the club’s executive boxes, being reduced to rubble.
The ground has a rich history within the television and film industry over the years, with Rotherham’s two most famous sons, Barry and Paul Chuckle, filming the episode “Football Heroes” on the pitch for ChuckleVision in the 1990s. The Chuckle Brothers are famed for their love and support of Rotherham United. The notorious 1995 hooligan film I.D. also used Millmoor as the fictional home of Shadwell Town F.C., starring Yorkshire-born Reece Dinsdale.
Rotherham supporters presented a mix of emotions, with some taking to internet forums to share their reactions to the news. On Footymad.net, user Brin said: “A truly sad occasion and upsetting. So many memories of the old place, the ups, the downs, the euphoric games running through my mind.”
Other views leaned more towards the future, with Townerslovechild stating: “Obviously great memories of the place, but it’s long in the past, and this should have happened years ago. Flatten it, build some cheap housing, and move on.”
“We’ve an amazing new stadium, which I don’t think anybody in their wildest dreams could have hoped for, and the NYS (New York Stadium) has been, overall, a great period, loads of happy memories already. Let’s hope we make some more this season.”
Image Credit: Martijin Mureau