Rotherham United COO Paul Douglas and new manager Lee Clark answer questions on the club’s struggle in League One.
The appointment came not just to the surprise of fans, but Clark also who is tasked with an attempt to prevent Rotherham from relegation to the fourth tier for the first time since 2013.
His first game is against league leaders Lincoln on Saturday, with the Imps 21 games unbeaten. The Millers are 22nd, with 36 points from 37 games played, 6 points from safety.
“I was probably as surprised as the supporters.” Lee Clark tells me the call to become the new #rufc manager came out of the blue but says he’s 100% confident he can keep the Millers in League One – my interview for @itvcalendar pic.twitter.com/pBhJNX9UHb
— Chris Dawkes (@chrisdawkesITV) March 19, 2026
Lee Clark said, per Rotherham Advertiser: “We have 27 points to play for, we’re aiming for all 27.
“We’ve got a belief about staying up, we’ve got a chance.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could do it.
“I met the board after the decision about the previous manager. I wouldn’t have came to the meeting on Wednesday if I didn’t think I could do it.
“What would be the point of coming in for nine games and believing that I couldn’t do it just to be a manager again? I didn’t need that.
“It’s imperative that the club stays up. It’s a tough challenge, of course, but we certainly can do it.”
On his lengthy absence from the game, Clark said: “I’ve been out in terms of not being in the dugout but I haven’t been out in terms of visiting clubs, developing myself as a coach, learning from people who have been successful, watching games over numerous levels from Champions League all the way down to National League.”
On previously being interviewed for the manager’s job at Rotherham in 2012, only for Steve Evans to be given the job: “We first met about 14 years ago when I spoke to the chairman, Paul (Douglas) and the board of directors and they left a lasting impression on me.
“When I moved to various other clubs, I still – don’t ask me why – just kept looking out for how Rotherham were doing. I was delighted with the success they had under Steve. Who’ll ever forget the day at Wembley when the trousers nearly came down? That’s classic football!
“Then, I was delighted with the success they had under Paul Warne in getting to the Championship on those occasions.
“I’d seen what they’d built in terms of this stadium and what they’d brought to the people in the town. I loved the passion of the Rotherham fans. This is my second time being a manager in Yorkshire now and the people are so genuine. They love their football.”
🗣️ Rotherham United COO Paul Douglas answers questions with #RUFC struggling in League One and having appointed Lee Clark to replace Matt Hamshaw
Listen to the full press conference here 👉 pic.twitter.com/jmfTS6gPZk
— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) March 19, 2026
On the future: “The agreement is until the end of the season,” he said. “I think that, if I had pursued it, there could have been the possibility for that to be extended even further. That didn’t come into the discussion.
“Tony and I spoke about what happens at the end of the season. We said to each other: ‘Let’s reassess then.’ There’s no pressure from either side. I’ve got the job for nine games. We totally agreed on that.
“It’s imperative that the club stays up,” he said at his unveiling press conference yesterday. “It’s a tough challenge, of course, but we certainly can do it. There are 27 points to play for, we’re aiming for all 27.
“People might think that’s a crazy statement coming off the back of what’s happened, but nobody’s interested anymore in what’s happened. It’s about what happens from today to the final kick on May 2.
“It’s not for me to comment on what’s gone before. All I know is, whenever I’ve been in conversation with the chairman, his heart is for Rotherham United along with the rest of the directors. They want to see this club be successful and I want to try to help start the process of that again. That means staying in League One and then looking at things in the summer.”
On facing Lincoln: “What a way to start. We’ve got the in-form team in the division. It’s 21 league games unbeaten for them and, you know, they’re deservedly top the table. But football’s full of surprises and I’m confident.
“The meeting I’ve had with the players and the short session we had with the players who could train – some of them were still doing recovery from Tuesday night’s game at Peterborough United – have left a positive impression on me. So, I’m looking forward to it.
“This is a nine-game season now. It’s 44 days, laser focus. That’s what I said to the players when I met them for the first time. What’s gone has gone. We can’t be affected by that anymore.
“I was getting a lot of enjoyment by what I was doing.
“However, this opportunity was too good to turn down. I looked at the group and what could be done I believe we can get the job done. Is it going to be easy? Absolutely not. But I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here today if I didn’t think we had a good chance of staying in this division.”
🗣️ “We’ve got to believe we’ve got a chance”
New Rotherham United manager Lee Clark speaks for the first time #RUFC
Listen to the full press conference here 👉 pic.twitter.com/vJJqr6JWUy
— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) March 19, 2026
🗣️ “I’ve only ever spoken to one person from Rotherham in this last week, and I don’t think my mum’s going to offer me the job”. Grimsby Town head coach David Artell’s response when I asked him about links to Rotherham United this week. More on @RadioHumberside #gtfc #rufc pic.twitter.com/ALxsOyIVH9
— James Hoggarth (@jameshoggarth) March 20, 2026
Twitter users give their reaction after Rotherham COO Paul Douglas and Lee Clark answer questions on the club’s struggle in League One…
@TerryRufc: Same old Douglas for me but didn’t like those tough questions did he 🤷🏻♂️ Lee Clark speaks with some fight for the job so gives me hope for the 9 games #rufc
@vixthemiller: Get Douglas out of our club. Utter fraud of a man.
@3Fishontheshirt: Listening to this, if I was David Artell I’d have my barge pole well and truly at the ready! #gtfc
@miller83862: An outlook I can get behind. No whinging about what’s happened previous or setting excuses up, just full belief in himself. #rufc
@Jackal04x: lets get behind clark. lets hope he keeps us up and is given the job full time, his own staff and his own players in, and get behind him again. we’ve seen all year how shite this league is. win last 4 home games and a point at port vale at a minimum probably keeps us up #rufc
@CraigGoater87: He’s got me hooked, best bit about that interview was ’27 points to play for, we aiming to get 27 points, stuff like that is what you wanna hear… now let’s get behind Clark #rufc
@andr94979: Far more than just blighted by injuries we didn’t even have a squad of players for pre season our recruitment was that bad
@miller83862: Impressed with Clark. As for Douglas, absolutely clueless. Obviously we want Clark to do well as manager of our team but it makes things easy for the board if he does. #rufc
@mdyer23: Fair play to Douglas for at least speaking to us, this should be TS. Another shocking interview though, listening to him gives me no confidence in the board at all. Saying he can’t put his finger on it, he’s the COO 🤯 The issues at the club all stem from the very top
@TerryRufc: Tell u what he didn’t look comfortable answering some of them tough direct questions. Wonder how many will give some plaudits for asking tough questions or they will just find something to moan about instead 🤷🏻♂️ Anyway great questions and really went for it on him