Stadium Address: The AESSEAL New York Stadium, New York Way, Rotherham, S60 1AH
Ground Capacity: 12,021Telephone: 01709 827768Website: www.themillers.co.uk
When Rotherham vacated their historic Millmoor stadium in May 2008, the outlook for the club looked grim. Not only were the Millers cash-strapped, but they were in administration and unable to agree terms on a lease with the Booth family, who owned their home of 101 years.
The Millers struck an agreement to play at the Don Valley Stadium in nearby Sheffield; a move that was deemed ‘temporary’ by the administration at the time, in order to save the club’s future. Plans were already afoot to construct a new ‘community stadium’ around this time and in 2010, the club were granted planning permission for this.
The £20 million construction work started at the site – just a 10-minute walk to the east side of the A630 – in June 2011 and was completed by the following March, with Prince Edward having the honour of officially opening the stadium. Subsequently, the club began life at the stadium with a 3-0 win over Burton, while the Don Valley Stadium was closed a year later, before demolition was completed in May 2014.
Known as the AESSEAL New York Stadium due to sponsorship from a local business which is “one of the world's leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems”, the fully-enclosed stadium has a current capacity of 12,021, though the building work considered the possibility of future expansions and foundations are already in place to expand to a capacity of 20,000.
Did you know?
The primary factor in the naming of the ground was the fact the plot of land used was called ‘New York;’. However, the historic Guest & Chrimes brassworks nearby had also been known to produce fire hydrants for New York City, while the link was thought to be an attractive prospect for any future American businesses who might wish to invest in the club.
How to get there
The quickest route from Brentford to Rotherham typically takes little more than three hours to complete. Drivers should follow the North Circular to Edgware and join the M1 at junction one, before following the road for 152 miles and exiting for Rotherham at junction 33. From there, take the A630 and, after crossing three roundabouts, the stadium will be on the right-hand side. Parking at the stadium is not permitted without a permit, though the club recommend supporters park at the Forge Island car park - which offers free parking on Saturdays and Sundays – while there are a handful of pay-and-display car parks around the city centre. There is also street parking near the site of the club’s former home, Millmoor, though this is around 15 minutes’ walk from the New York Stadium.
In terms of travelling north by train, the cheapest ticket fans can buy from London to Rotherham is a Super Off-Peak Return, costing £80 for adults and £40 for children – at the time of writing – and, as with the journey by road, it’s a straightforward route. Board the train from either King’s Cross or St Pancras, change at Doncaster and take the Northern service to Rotherham Central. This takes roughly two-and-a-half hours, depending on the service, and once fans have arrived at their destination, the stadium is half-a-mile from the train station.
This Saturday, and every Saturday in January, there is Industrial Action on the Northern network. There will be a severely reduced service between Sheffield and Rotherham, especially post-match, with the last service back to London leaving Rotherham at 5.58pm.
Further details are available here
By coach
Coaches depart from Layton Road Car Park at 9.30am. Book by phone on 0203 665 7371, Monday to Friday, 12pm-8pm.
Join the Bees Travel Club and save on coach fares. Membership is just £25 for the season, free for those 12 and under, and affords members a number of benefits. For further information please email [email protected].
Where to eat/drink
With the stadium just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Rotherham, there are plenty of places to eat and drink without wandering too far from the ground. The club website’s first recommendation is The Trades Club, just five minutes away on Greasbrough Road, while they also suggest two Wetherspoons pubs - The Rhinoceros and The Bluecoat – both of which are located in the town centre. In addition to this, the Cutler’s Arms and the New York Tavern are situated along Westgate, but the Bridge Inn, close to Rotherham Central, is no longer an away fans’ pub.
Advanced Ticket Sales end at 2pm on Friday 18 January.
We have been allocated 807 tickets for Saturday's match
To join us on Saturday, click here