Rotherham United eyeing surprise Paul Warne managerial reunion after Derby County exit | OneFootball

Paul Warne could be in line for a return to Rotherham, if Steve Evans fails to turn their season around.

Rotherham United are thought to be interested in bringing Paul Warne back to South Yorkshire, in what would be a sensational return to the club for the former Millers boss.

This is according to Alan Nixon, who has reported that Warne will be “top of the list” to replace Steve Evans at the New York Stadium, if results don’t start to improve.

Rotherham slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Reading on Saturday thanks to a stoppage time winner from Royals forward Harvey Knibbs. That result extends their winless run in League One to four games and leaves them 14th in the table, having won just once in their previous six outings.

After a poor start to the season, Evans had overseen a brief upturn in form, but now it appears he could find himself under pressure if he fails to turn their season around for the better, with the Millers now 12 points off the play-offs and 10 points above the relegation zone.

Rotherham United eyeing Paul Warne with Steve Evans' job under pressure

After a disastrous Championship campaign last year, Rotherham have never really recovered from an uncharacteristically poor start in League One this term.

The Millers won just one of their first eight league games on their return to the third tier, and now find themselves closer to the drop zone than they do the play-off positions.

For a club like Rotherham, who have become something of a yo-yo club between the Championship and the top end of League One, that isn’t really an acceptable position to be in.

With difficult tests on the horizon in March in the form of Leyton Orient, Wrexham and Bolton, Evans really must improve results quickly if he wants to keep his job.

The former Leeds and Peterborough United boss has always been a controversial figure, and he described referee Thomas Parsons’ performance in the recent defeat to Reading as “atrocious".

Next weekend’s all-South Yorkshire clash with Barnsley is followed up by a trip to face struggling Bristol Rovers – two good opportunities for Evans to turn the ship around.

However, failure to win those games and, with tougher assignments to come, the Scot may find himself in trouble, with a familiar face in Warne already lined up as a possibility to replace him.

Rotherham United seemingly not concerned by Paul Warne's recent Derby County results

According to Nixon, the Millers are not perturbed by Warne’s struggles with Derby County this season.

He was sacked by the Rams ahead of their clash with Norwich a couple of weeks ago, having failed to halt County’s slide towards the Championship’s drop zone.

Nixon suggests though that Warne’s reputation hasn’t been damaged by his spell at Pride Park, and there is still a feeling at Rotherham that he knows the club inside out.

Warne’s Derby spell continued a recurring theme in his managerial career in that he has so far failed to adapt to Championship level. However, at League One level there are few who are better suited.

His promotion with Derby last season was his fourth success in League One. The other three times he has achieved promotion at the level all came with Rotherham.

Warne played nearly 300 times for Rotherham in his on-field career, and having managed them for nearly six years between 2016 and 2022, with three promotions to his name in that period, he is a household name at the New York Stadium.

While salvaging something from this campaign would surely prove a step too far for even Warne’s third tier abilities, there would arguably be no one better to help lead them back to the top of the table next term, if Evans can’t bring a change in their fortunes soon.