Millers Director Speaks Out

Rotherham United are paying a staggering £16 000 a month (£191 400 per year) for rental on Millmoor, the Rotherham United Suite, the two car parks (remember those car parks?!) and the Hooton Lodge training facilities and changing rooms. Added to this is the yearly 'hospitality package` worth around £30 000 giving the Booth family perks such as free tickets for home games, free advertising at the ground and first refusal on the first four FA Cup final tickets allocated to the club. Making a total of over £200 000.

Giles Brearley, Millers finance director, believes the Millers are paying way over the odds for this privilege. He also believes the land deal which was made when Millers 05 were in control of the club, is weighed heavily in the Booths favour.

He told the Advertiser that previous owners of Millmoor had been duty-bound to agree to the Booth family`s demands in order to get them to agree to the Company Voluntary Arrangements, which saved the club from liquidation last year.

'You can`t blame the Booths for getting the best they could,` he said, 'we are all business people and getting a good return on your assets is what it`s all about. It is just so clear that Rotherham United come out as the poor relations in it all.

'I have spoken to many club directors and only Bradford City pays more ground rent than us, and that is only a small amount more. And, with respect their facilities are so much better than ours - they can even make money by giving stadium tours!

'We are even in the situation if our club gets three tickets for the FA Cup Final, the Booth Family get the lot.`

He did want to stress that former Chairman, Ken Booth, is very distressed about the current court wrangle and Mr Brearley said, 'We have no axe to grind with Ken Booth senior. He cares passionately for this club.` Mr Brearley and former director Carl Luckock had a meeting with Mr Booth and explained it all to him. 'Mr Booth assured me he would be speaking to his sons but we have heard nothing back from him. It would be nice if his sons would listen to him.`

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