JOHN BRECKIN comes from a lifelong family of Rotherham United fans. His Uncle Eddie, his dad's brother, played for Rotherham County, mum and dad supported the Millers and John was first taken to Millmoor when he was only 5. He played schoolboy representative football for Rotherham Boys and Yorkshire Boys before signing as an apprentice professional for Rotherham United in 1968. His total of 467 appearances leaves him third highest on the club's all-time list. He captained at every level and on returning to the club on the backroom staff, he successfully restarted the ailing Youth policy turning it into a fruitfully productive one from which the club was to benefit considerably. As assistant manager, he formed a popular and successful partnership with Ronnie Moore which is fondly remembered by all Millers fans. He is the uncle of former Millers defender Ian Breckin, later of Chesterfield, Wigan and Nottingham Forest. John lives at Wickersley with his partner Gill. He has a daughter, Jess, and a large collection of Rotherham United programmes which includes one from every game he played in. By coincidence, LES PAYNE'S professional association with Rotherham United began at the same time as John Breckin. After three years in the steelworks at English Steel Corporation at Brightside, Les went to the Rotherham Advertiser in May 1968 as a junior reporter. He was to fulfill a childhood ambition of becoming a football reporter! He covered his first Rotherham United game in February 1969 and his last one at Wembley in 2014, the League One Play-off Final success against Leyton Orient. He became Sports Editor at The Advertiser before moving to the Sheffield Star and Green 'Un as a Sports Writer in December 1989. He was their Rotherham United correspondent for 25 years although he was also required on many occasions to cover the fortunes of Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and the other three professional clubs in the region. He was an award winning columnist even though he didn't actually enter the competition! Les is from Rawmarsh but now lives at Kimberworth (in sight of both Millmoor and the New York Stadium) and has a son, Ross, daughters Olivia and Lauren and a granddaughter Alexa. He has a grandson due in 2021 and will ensure, like the rest of the family, he supports the Millers.
