Top 10: Flair Rotherham United Players

Written by Scott McCarthy


TOP 10 ROTHERHAM FLAIR PLAYERS SINCE 1994

To those of you uneducated in the world of flair, you may not associate the words "Rotherham United" and "flair" as going hand in hand. But oh how wrong you would be. In that famous Millmoor Stadium surrounded by a scrapyard in a small corner of Yorkshire, some of the most flair names in world football have played their trade. Here are the Top 10:

10) Jason White

Flair Attributes: Having the surname white but being black

White was an important player for Rotherham when he first arrived in the Ronnie Moore revolution, netting 22 times. He went onto have a spell in Singapore, but is probably best known for being a large burly black man with the surname white.
9) Darren Byfield

Flair Attributes: Married to Jamelia, Jamaican international

Scored "the goal that never was" on his debut against West Brom, before going onto finish his Rotherham career with 22 goals before a ludicrous swap deal sent him to Sunderland in exchange for Michael Proctor. Capped by Jamaica and former husband of pop superstar Jamelia
8) Barry and Paul Chuckle

Flair Attributes: Television personalities, moustaches, vicious rumour about their death.

Fans of ChuckleVision will recall the time that Barry and Paul pulled on the Rotherham United jersey in the episode "Football Heroes". Their one Millers appearance resulted in an own goal and the subsequent costing of the game
7) Leo Fortune-West

Flair Attributes: Journeyman, wears glasses

A gentle giant, Leo caused unforetold problems as he helped Rotherham to promotion from Division Three with 17 goals. His doubled barrelled name saw the Millers Shop take record salves for shirt printing

6) Eugene Bopp

Flair Attributes: Russian, ex-Bayern Munich

Mmmm-Bopp spent one season at the Millers in 2006-2007, netting 5 goals from midfield in a side that was relegated. Born in the Soviet Union, he began his career at Bayern Munich which gains instant flair recognition. Somehow nearly ended up signing for Portsmouth last summer despite suffering two relegations into League Two in three seasons with both the Millers and Crewe.

5) Darren Garner

Flair Attributes: 10 years of service, turning on his own fans

After 10 years of service including two promotions and winning the Auto Windscreen Shield and 265 appearances, Garner ended his Rotherham career in controversial fashion. After being substituted in February 2005, he didn't agree with the decision and subsequently decided to have an argument with Ronnie Moore followed by the use of a two finger salute at the crowd. This, obviously, didn't sit well and so Garner was gone
4) Alan Lee

Flair Attributes: Goal against Brentford, Irish, Alan Lee song

Signed to replace Leo Fortune-West, Lee had a pretty poor start to his Millers career. He soon started banging them in, and earned instant legend status when he netted the last minute goal against Brentford with a miraculous shot on the turn to send Rotherham into the second tier for only the second time in their history

3) Guy Branston

Flair Attributes: Massive discipline issues, general psychopath

Branston didn't earn the nickname "Psycho" for no reason. Best described as an eager player, he has been sent off 18 times in his career - including three since signing for Burton in July. He took great pleasure in winding up opposition players and fans with his antics, including diving, fouling, moaning and sometimes using hand gestures to inform people that they were, in his opinion, wankers

2) Shaun Goater MBE

Flair Attributes: MBE, Bermudan

The world has a lot to thank Rotherham for - and its not just Barry and Paul Chuckle. If it wasn't for the Millers, Shaun Goater would never have made it in England and fans across the country would never have known the saying "Feed the goat and he will score." He spent 7 years at Millmoor, earning an Auto Windscreen Shield winners medal in 1996 before leaving for Bristol City after falling out with Archie Gemmill.

1) Júnior

Flair Attributes: Brazilian, being black but having blonde hair, legal and personal problems

Although he only spent 12 games at Millmoor scoring 2 goals, José Luiz Guimarães Sanabio Júnior will go down as flair icon. He has left no less than three clubs due to personal problems, one of them being legal issues. Had he have had the correct legal paperwork and Ronnie Moore had have had the funds and desire to sign him, Júnior could have become the greatest flair player in English football