Rotherham have experienced great joy and great heartbreak in recent years.

They were in the Championship for five seasons between 2000 and 2005, at one time challenging for a play-off place to compete for promotion to the Premier League.

However after financial difficulties and a ten point deduction in the 2006/07 season led to their relegation to League Two.

Another points deduction meant they remained there despite a promising start the following season.

At the start of this season, the Football League threatened to refuse the Millers permission to compete in League Two because they were still in administration.

In the end Rotherham were allowed to enter but they had to begin the season with a 17 point deduction.

They have also temporarily moved to Don Valley Stadium, rather than playing their home matches at Millmoor.

A great start to the season has seen the club successfully bring themselves into positive points and if it were not for the points deduction they would be currently in contention for a promotion spot.

Rotherham come into tonight's fixture having dispatched of three Championship sides on their route to the fourth round.

They needed penalties to make it past Sheffield Wednesday after a 2-2 draw, and Wolverhampton Wanderers following a 0-0 stalemate.

They convincingly beat Southampton 3-1 in the third round, and the cup run has helped lift the doom and gloom around the club following its' financial struggles.

An away draw against Premier League opposition will give the Millers a chance to show what they are really made of.

The Millers also made easy work of Leicester City in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy last week and tonight's match is their third consecutive cup match, all in different competitions.

Top goalscorer Reuben Reid could return to the starting eleven in place of Saturday's Spanish debutant Omar Garcia.

Richie Barker, on loan from Hartlepool United, is cup tied for the game while former Liverpool trainee Andy Nicholas is making a name for himself with a Rory Delap style long throw.

TRANSFERSIN

Mark Burchill (Dunfermline, free)
Alex Rhodes (York City, free)
Reuben Reid (Brenford, free)
Mark Lynch (Yeovil Town)
Micky Cummins (Darlington, free)
Nick Fenton (Grimsby Town)
Drewe Broughton (Wrexham)
Andy Nicholas (Swindon Town, free)
Richie Barker (Hartlepool United, loan)
Jamie Annerson (Sheffield United, loan)

TRANSFERSOUT

Chris O'Grady (Oldham Athletic, free)
Derek Holms (St Johnstone, free)
Graham Coughlan (Shrewsbury Town)
Mark Oxley (Hull City, £150,000)
Nat Kerr (Barrow, free)
Peter Holmes (York CIty, loan)

League - Played 40, Won 17, Drew 11, Lost 12
League Cup - Played 3, Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 1

LASTTIMEWEMET

Stoke City 1 Rotherham United 2
Coca-Cola Championship
Saturday 2nd April 2005
Attendance: 16,552

Martin Butler put the Millers ahead after 23 minutes and it stayed like that for the majority of the game.

Gifton Noel-Williams then played the hero and the villain, equalising after 83 minutes before scoring a 95th minute own goal to give Rotherham all three points.

Michael Duberry was also shown a late red card.

City (4-4-2): Simonsen; Thomas, Duberry, Taggart, Hill; Harper, Brammer (Henry 89), Russell, Clarke (Neal 45); Noel-Williams, Ricketts (Asaba 57). Subs (Not Used): de Goey (gk), Buxton.

Rotherham: Pollitt, McLaren, Scott, Swailes, Mullin, Keane (Barker 67), Butler, Hurst, McIntosh, Thorpe (Hoskins 88), Campbell-Ryce. Subs (Not Used): Montgomery, Warne, Vernazza.

OTHERMEETINGS

- The Potters' last win over Rotherham at the Britannia Stadium can in April 2003 when City were battling for survival. First half goals from Paul Warhurst and Andy Cooke gave the home side a valuable three points, with John Mullin receiving a red card for the visitors.

- Stoke met the Millers en-route to the League Cup final in 1963/64. A 3-2 win in the Quarter Final led to a Semi-Final victory over Manchester City before succumbing to Leicester City in the final.

- The club's first meeting came in 1919 with the Potters beating Rotherham County 3-0 at the Victoria Ground. A brace from George Jarvis and another from Joey Jones gave the Potters the victory.

FORMGUIDE

Stoke City - WLWWD

Tottenham Hotspur (h) - won 3-1
Man City (a) - lost 3-0
Sunderand (h) - won 1-0
Arsenal (h) - won 2-0
Wigan Athletic (a) - drew 0-0

Rotherham United - WLDWD

Macclesfield Town (a) - won 2-1
Darlington (h) - lost 1-0
Wycombe Wanderers (a) - drew 0-0
Leicester City (h, Johnstones Paint Trophy) - won 2-0
Aldershot (a, FA Cup First Round) - drew 1-1

LASTTIMEOUT

Aldershot Town 1 Rotherham United 1

Former Port Vale midfielder Micky Cummins put Rotherham 1-0 up nine minutes into the second half at the Reaction Ground.

John Grant earned the home side a replay, however, with a last minute penalty.

Rotherham (4-4-2): Warrington; Mills, Sharps, Fenton, Nicholas; Tonge, Harrison, Cummins, Rhodes (Reid 63); Broughton (Barker 55), Garcia (Joseph 78). Subs (Not Used): Cann, Yates, Taylor, Hudson.

TEAMNEWSSTOKE

Should Play - Simonsen, Wilkinson, Cort, Sonko, Dickinson, Whelan, Pugh, Cresswell, Pericard
Could Play - Griffin, Shawcross, Higginbotham, De Laet, Delap, Amdy Faye, Diao, D. Phillips, Wedderburn, Sidibe, Kitson, Fuller
Suspensions - none
Doubts - none
Definitely Outs - Lawrence (ankle), Davies (knee), Sidibe (ankle), Soares (cup-tied), Tonge (cup-tied)

TEAMNEWSROTHERHAM

Should Play - Warrington, Mills, Sharps, Fenton, Nicholas, Tonge, Harrison, Cummins, Rhodes, Broughton
Could Play - Cann, Yates, Taylor, Hudson, Joseph, Reid, Garcia
Suspensions - none
Doubts - none
Definitely Outs - Barker (cup-tied)

MARKO'CONNOR

"We've done well in the last four or five games but this is a different test.

"Mark Robins has done a fantastic job with his budget and a small squad.

"They don't concede many and have done well beating teams from higher divisions in the cup.

"We need to be on it, and if we are, we are capable of winning.

MARKROBINS

"With all that was hanging over this club not so long ago, no-one expected us to be playing at a Premier League ground in the latter stages of a cup competition this season and this is a bonus.

"The players have done magnificently to get this far and we'll enjoy tonight and give it our best shot."

MATCHOFFICIALS

Referee - Mark Halsey

- Games: 9, Yellow Cards: 12, Red Cards: 1
- Last Stoke: Won 3-2 vs Aston Villa (h), 23rd August 2008, Yellows: 1, Red: 0
- Last Rotherham: Drew 2-2 vs Sheffield United (h), 11th December 2004, Yellows: 1, Red: 0
- Last In Charge: Morecambe 1 Accrington 1, 28th October 2008, Yellows: 1, Red: 0

Assistants - N Bannister & A M Garratt
Fourth Official - S W Mathieson

STOKECITYFC.COM

If you can't get to the game then stokecityfc.com is the next best place to be.

We'll have the full line-ups as soon as they are handed over by Assistant Manager Dave Kemp, live minute-to-minute coverage throughout game, a full and in-depth match report right on the full-time whistle, along with plenty of post-match reaction.

 

With Stoke City World you'll also be able to listen to live full-match commentary with Nigel Johnson and the boys from 7.00pm - the only website that allows you to do so while helping the club financially at the same time.

Stoke City World will also have highlights of the game tomorrow along with video reaction from the men that matter.

BETTINGNEWS

Dave Kitson is favourite to open the game's scoring for City with bet365 and is priced at 9/2.

Leon Cort is a good outside bet to score at any time for the Potters at 7/2.

Stoke City Win 8/15, Draw 16/5, Rotherham Win 5/1