Valley of light Rotherham Utd v Darlington League Two Tuesday 19th January 2010, 7.45pm Another visit to the Don Valley Stadium for this rearranged Boxing Day fixture, and the pantomime season is still upon us. The Millers are real contenders this season, with manager Ronnie Moore's return to steady the ship. Man to watch Adam Le Fondre - a fantastic goal return since joining from Rochdale in the summer, and still only 23. Full match previews on the Loidland website. Rotherham are playing their matches at the Don Valley Stadium near Sheffield for the 2008-2009 season, thanks to a dispute with the owners of their ground. The ground has a reduced 25,000 capacity, which is set for the Millers at 10,000 - home fans all in the main stand and away fans housed in a corner! Tickets in the upper tier are for the LDV tie, £10 adults and £5 children and other concessions. Normal ticket prices are: £20 adults, £12 (OAP, student, disabled), £8 (ages 13-15) and £5 (12 and under); lower tier tickets cost £18 (£10 concessions and £6, ages 13 to 15, £5 under 12). The programme is £2.50.

Rotherham United FC: c/o Don Valley Stadium (2008-2009) Worksop Road, Sheffield, S9 3TL Tel: 01709 512 434 ; ticket office 0870 443 1884 History: The Rotherham (Town) club was formed in 1870 and elected to Div 2 in 1893. But it became United after a merger in 1925 between Town and Rotherham County. In common with many, it became professional in 1905. The club's high point was reaching the Championship under Ronnie Moore in 2001. Record Attendance: 25,170 v Sheffield Utd, Div 2, 1952. Capacity: 10,000 (Don Valley), 9,707 (Millmoor) Last season: Honours: Div 3 champions 1980-1981, Div 3 North champions 1950-1951, Div 4 champions 1988-1989, Auto Windscreens Shield winners 1996, League Cup runners-up 1961 Record victory: 8-0 v Oldham Athletic, Division 3N, 1947 Defeat: 1-11 v Bradford City, Div 3N, 1928 Nickname: The Millers Colours: Red and white Manager: Ronnie Moore Owner: Tony Stewart Players in: Players out: Famous fans/players/connections: The Chuckle Brothers (fans), Jack Shaw (scored a club record five goals v Darlington in 1950), Mike Pollitt (played for both clubs), Gladstone Guest, Danny Williams, Shaun Gioater, Peter Eustace (players) Click for Plan of ground and Streetmap of ground

From North - Don Valley: Leave the M1 at junction 34 (Sheffield Meadowhall). At the roundabout follow signs A6178 city centre and Attercliffe. Pass Meadowhall shopping centre on your righ and keep straight on before picking up local signs to Attercliffe and Don Valley Stadium and Sheffield Arena. Go past the stadium to traffic lights and turn left. The stadium car park is the second road on the left. There is parking at the stadium and some street parking, while match parking is also available at Pic Toys (£3) on Worksop Road. From North - Millmoor: Leave the M1 at junction 34 and take the A6109 towards Rotherham. At the roundabout turn right onto the A629 - then at the second larger roundabout, take a right and the ground is found on the right. Millmoor Parking: If room there is a carpark behind the main stand, or use the match-day carpark behind the Zone nightclub on Main Street (then walk to the ground via a subway). Or there is street parking. Alpine Taxis 01709 552777 A1 Taxis 01709 555555 Bluebird Taxis 01709 528528 Millennium & Tiger Taxis 01709 382838 Darlington FC Supporters Club Coach TBC. Contact: 01325 243911. See Supporters' Club website for more details. Payment for each coach trip must be either paid for in full before travel, or a 50% non-refundable deposit paid in advance. Anyone wishing to travel on the coaches must join before the day of travel

The Don Valley Stadium is easy to reach by tram from the centre of Sheffield. For Don Valley and Sheffield: The stadium is on the tram link, so any Sheffield city centre pub (below) is accessible by public transport. You can take the tram from the station, changing at Castle Street. The stop for the away end is Arena/Don Valley, 100m away. Fsres are currently £1.70 single from city centre, or £3 all day-ticket for all tram routes. Buses: The No69 serves the stadium from the city. Also numbers 2, 8, 9, 59, 130 and 287 also serve Attercliffe Road/A6178. Trains: (TIMES UPDATED JANUARY 2010):. Darlington 16.26-(via Doncaster) arr Sheffield 18.08; return 22.11 (via Doncaster)-arr 23.49; last train 22.34 (via Doncaster and York) arr 01.26. Fares from £19 return, £41 off-peak return. Birmingham New Street - last train back from Sheffield - 22.00 (Fares from £26 return) London Kings Cross - last train back, 21.15

Real ale near the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield The Carlton, 563 Atterliffe Road Away-fan friendly, the pub is about 10 minutes walk from the ground. It has about seven real ales, has a little beer garden and clean toilets. Doesn't do food, but there are a couple of cafes nearby including the fabulously named Big Baps. Be warned, it has a no-swearing policy! Other pubs near the ground, including The Cocked Hat, 75 Worksop Road Attercliffe, S9 3TG get packed with home fans, warn the London Millers. It's next to the stadium (Attercliffe tram stop), a Marston's pub with Pedigree. Serves food and has Sky TV. Real ale in Rotherham The Rhinoceros, 35–37 Bridgegate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 1PL (01709 361422) A Wetherspoon pub a couple of minutes' walk from the railway and bus stations, popular and busy on matchdays. Near Millmoor Moulders Rest, 110-112 Masborough Street, Tel: 01709 560095 Local pub, with away fans welcome. Also does accommodation. Real ale limited to Black Sheep, although none on our visit. This is the nearest pub to the away end, with visiting supporters given a warm welcome. The Kingfisher, 17 Mary Street Quieter and friendly pub, close to the station - under the subway and left on the corner. One real ale, plus pool table and Sky. Blue Coat, The Crofts, S60 2JD A Wetherpoon's which has won CAMRA awards for its consistency, with a good choice of ales - found behind the town hall. There's a larger, family room and dining room downstairs too. One real ale was off on our visit, but the beer quality otherwise was pretty good. Sky Sports screens and an oddly large police presence "intelligence gathering" outside, considering this was a low key. Click for Streetmap Other local pubs The Tabard, Herringthorpe Valley Road, S65 3BA (01709) 364761 - Mansfield brewery owned, family friendly and pub food of above-average quality.

Real ale in Sheffield Suggested particularly as the Millers are playing in "exile" at the Don Valley. Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell St, S3 8RW A regular award-winner with a huge choice of beers. The Fat Cat, 23 Alma Street, S3 8SA A proud real ale pub and past CAMRA winner, which even sells ale-flavoured cheese, as well as Kelham Island and other beers. If you're in the area, there is also The Wellington, right by the Shalesmoor tram stop, which passes the 'old codger' quota. Corner Pin, 231-233 Carlisle St, S4 7QN Back-street boozer on the corner with guest ales. Also is the renowned Devonshire Cat, Devonshire Green (off West Street near the West Street tram. It was famously built as the part of the ground floor of a privately developed student hall of residence. For a more "traditional" setting, try the The Red Deer, , also near the West Street tram. If you don't want to wander too far from the station, then The Red Lion 109 Charles Street is the best of the bunch. A separate snug and Black Sheep and Taylor's among the ales.   If you're driving in, Liz of London Millers suggests a detour to The Tabard, Herringthorpe Valley Road, S65 3BA (01709) 364761 - (see Other local pubs - above). Don Valley: There are various takeaways on Attercliffe Road, which is only a couple of minutes' walk from the ground. The food in the stadium is OK, with Pukka Pies, which sell for £2.50. Rotherham: There are also a couple of restaurants on the High Street if people are looking for something a bit more extensive - the Dragon Pearl chinese (23 High Street 01709 374994) and the Italian Pizza Oven (Unit 2, Essoldo Buildings,High Street, 01709 382100) - otherwise it's the legendary Eric Twigg Pukka Pies in the ground itself!

Rotherham Visitor Centre, 40 Bridgegate Rotherham S60 1PQ Tel: 01709 835904 There are accommodation details on the council website. One place we recommend is just outside Rotherham off the M1, the Red Lion at Todwick, which has a hotel extension and does good food in the pub. Between the bus station and the railway station is Chantry Bridge, the site of one of only four remaining chapels built on bridges in England. The chapel is still used for regular services. Clifton Park Museum - recently refurbished, and best known for locally Nelson, a stuffed lion Boston Castle, built in 1776 in the grounds of Boston Park, in sympathy for the American War of Independence. Apart from the Chuckle Brothers (see famous fans above), famous local people include: Lynne 'Ivy Tilsley' Perrie and Paul 'Hi-de-hi' McShane Rail timetables Virgin Trains GNER National Express Online map Hotels/B&Bs Rotherham council/ Sheffield Star, Rotherham Unofficial Surfing there... There's the official website, and the Rivals site MillersNet and of course that self-help exiles group, London Millers Next away matches: Crewe Alexandra (Sat January 23rd) and Cheltenham Town (Sat 30th January 2010, 3pm) No responsibility is taken for accuracy, if in doubt check before travelling. © DAFTS 2010 Anything worth adding? Please e-mail us any suggestions. Back to index page Thanks to Liz Coldwell of the London Millers and Brian Elsey If you'd like to be e-mailed a regular bulletin with the latest updates on this site - including details of DAFTS members known to be travelling then E-mail DAFTS