Rotherham boss Steve Evans is relishing the prospect of renewing his side’s rivalry with City ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup first-round clash at New York Stadium.
The Millers have always had a friendly conflict with the Bantams going back to the days when former boss Ronnie Moore was a player in the 1980s and owing to the fact the two clubs have been in the same division for 12 of the last 13 seasons.
But following Evans’ appointment last year the rivalry has heated up.
The 51-year-old was notoriously involved in an incident with a female steward at Valley Parade in 2012 when manager of Crawley, which the City fans are keen to remind him of.
That altercation resulted in a six-match stadium ban for the Scot, who has yet to speak publicly of his dismay at the punishment.
Evans had the last laugh though as the Millers took six League Two points off Phil Parkinson’s side last season, with April’s 2-0 win at Valley Parade putting the South Yorkshire club on the brink of promotion.
Bradford followed Rother-ham into League One via the play-offs shortly after and both sides have made an encouraging start to life in the third tier.
Evans believes all that will make for a special afternoon at New York Stadium.
“It’s the tie of the round,” he said. “How the television cameras aren’t here is a mystery to everyone in football.
“But we understand in the early rounds that the lower league teams get the chance to get in front of the cameras.
“But this is the tie of the round – a Yorkshire derby, two teams doing well in League One, two teams on the back of a promotion last season, two fantastic sets of supporters and two great squads.
“It’s got the hallmarks of a fantastic cup tie – let the best team win.”
There are 28 non-league clubs bidding to edge one step closer to a potential third-round jackpot when the Premier League sides enter the competition, while the second-round draw is assured of four minnows in the hat, as Southern League Premier Division sides Corby and Biggleswade Town take on Dover and Stourbridge respectively, Kidderminster play Sutton United and Dartford travel to Salisbury.
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