Wigan and Millwall today received a massive boost in their quest to avoid relegation from the Championship with the news that Rotherham have received a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.
A Football Disciplinary Commission decided that the points deduction and a £30,000 fine was sufficient punishment for the Millers who named 18-year-old defender Farrend Rawson in their starting XI for a home game against Brighton earlier this month.
Rotherham won the match 1-0 but it later emerged that Rawson’s lone deal from Derby had actually expired on April 5th, a day before the Brighton clash.
The points deduction leaves Steve Evans‘ men 21st in the table, just one point above Millwall and two above Wigan, however Rotherham do have a game in hand on the clubs below them.
How It Stands
21. Rotherham – played 43 – 41 pts
22. Millwall – played 44 – 40 pts
23. Wigan – played 44 – 39 pts
In a club statement Rotherham said they were “very disappointed” with the outcome but do plan to appeal.
“We await the reasoned judgement of the FDC and once we have received it we will issue our appeal after discussion with Jim Sturman QC,” the statement read.
“In the meantime we are confident that our team possesses the will and spirit to ensure that the points deduction is academic by securing our Championship status on the pitch.”
Rotherham’s final three games start with a home match against promotion-chasing Norwich on Saturday, before a midweek fixture at home to Reading and an away trip to Leeds to end their campaign
The Millers have been matched at a high of [12.0] in the Relegation market but following today’s news they are now available to back at [4.0] to be playing League One football next season.
The layers still believe it will be Wigan and Millwall who will be relegated however, with odds of just [1.11] and [1.14] respectively being available on the Exchange. The Latics have games against Wolves (H) and Brentford (A) to come, while The Lions must face Derby (H) and Wolves (A).
