Spare a thought for Rotherham United fans.

Earlier today, those nice people at the Football League imposed a seventeen-point deduction on Rotherham United - the usual crime of failing to exit administration properly, that no-brainer which is part of an ongoing abnormality between the Football League and the tax-man.

What is the FL's criteria for these point deductions? The going-into-administration penalty seems to be pretty standard, you are looking at ten-points, but the failing to exit it properly seems to range from minus 15 (us) to poor Luton getting minus 30, although did agent payments have something to do with it?

Can someone please explain all this to me?

In the meantime, Luton fans and now Rotherham fans will be calculating when they can break even points wise. It is a horrible position to be in, although it galvanised a terrific spirit of "us against the world" as we stormed up the table.

The Rotherham chairman has said they are aiming for promotion and good luck to them!

I do have quite a bit of sympathy for the Millers, I don't know the complexities of their own financial woes, but unlike us you can't really say they were "living the dream" of expensive fish-tanks, Mercedes driving typists and £37,000 a week Seth Johnsons!

But even so, our punishment was dished out long after the culprits had left the crime-scene and inexplicably one of whom is still allowed to work in football!

Part of me feels that the FL have a duty to preserve the heritage of established clubs, like Rotherham (1925). I doubt having the two-Sheffield clubs and even us (when we have been successful) nearby has helped their crowds, but their town has every right to be proud of their football team and its long heritage.

Or are those horrible little franchises like Milton Keynes Dons the preferred choice of the modern FL these days?

Oh well, we wish the Millers (and Luton) well!

Photo: Action Images via Reuters