STEVE Evans is used to getting stick from the crowd when he comes to Valley Parade.

It has never bothered him if the locals want to vent their fury at a ground where he tends to have the last laugh.

But it is the stinging criticism the Rotherham boss has received from his own fans that will be concerning the Scot when he heads for BD8.

Evans and the Millers have had a tough start to life back in League One – having been tipped among the pre-season promotion favourites after a heavy recruitment drive through the summer.

They currently languish in 17th with a win over his former club Stevenage their only success from the last five league games. Rotherham were also dumped out of the FA Cup at home by Cheltenham.

The derby defeat at Barnsley in their last outing proved the breaking point for the 3,000-strong travelling support and Evans and his players were targeted by an angry section at the final whistle.

Evans has had two meetings with Rotherham owner Tony Stewart since – and insists he has his total backing to “get this oil tanker moving in the right direction.”

But the larger-than-life manager knows that results must improve quickly as they return to action for the first time in 11 days.

“Our boys are hurting at the reaction they got,” said Evans.

“At our team meeting on Monday, players were telling me that they've never had that in their careers.

“I've never had it. I didn't come back to Rotherham United to get that.

“But I couldn't say that if I was one of the supporters I would have acted any differently.

“Our performance over 90 minutes fell below the standard supporters should expect of a Steve Evans team. We cannot die like the team did last year.”

Despite being shaken by the reaction, Evans has lost none of his characteristic swagger about how he expects his team to respond.

“I'm still a million per cent confident that things will turn for us.

"Our players recognise at our team meetings that a number of them are out of form. The way they find form is by working hard.”