Miller plays it cool as play-off nerves tingle

4:03am Saturday 17th May 2008

DON'T panic is the message from Ian Miller as Darlington head to Rochdale for today's play-off semi final showdown.

Quakers are 90 minutes away from Wembley and are the bookies' favourites going into today's second leg tie after last week's morale-boosting win.

Miller's dramatic injury-time goal in the first leg gave Quakers a huge boost and a 2-1 lead over Rochdale, but the defender has warned that Darlington must maintain their composure at all times.

The winners of the tie will contest the League Two play-off final a week on Monday at Wembley.

Stockport County or Wycombe Wanderers will provide the opposition, but for now Miller wants Darlington to focus the task in hand - beating Rochdale.

"I think that every player who says they don't get nervous when Wembley is beckoning is lying," said the 24-year-old, who is likely to be back on the bench today as Alan White has recovered from injury.

"But, then again, nerves can do players a world of good as well, it's a case of controlling them.

"Nerves do play a big part but they will more so at Rochdale, especially when time is running out.

"That's when accidents can happen and that's why we've got to make sure we avoid thinking about open-top bus tours around Darlington when we've still got ten minutes to play.

"That can happen and that's why we've got to make sure we stay switched on for as long as necessary - or 95 minutes in the case of the first leg - until that final whistle goes."

White left the field in the closing stages last week with a dead leg and was replaced by Miller, whose late headed goal marked a remarkable rise from obscurity.

Just over two years ago, when still a college lecturer, he travelled with Bury Town to the North-East to play at Northern League Crook Town in the quarter-finals of the FA Vase.

The Bury St Edmunds-based side won that game at Millfield but lost their semi-final tie, meaning Miller missed out on playing in the final, that year played at Birmingham City as Wembley was still being rebuilt.

But the national stadium is now ready to host all of the English game's major matches, one of which could see Darlington and their former college lecturer take to the field on May 26.

That really would represent a remarkable ascent and he admitted: "In a way it's like a fairytale is unfolding for me.

"I realise how lucky I am to be training five days a week. I was working five days a week and playing Sunday league, where there were 50 people watching and my dad used to take me to every game.

"I played non-League football for Bury Town in Suffolk for five years and did a degree in sport science and lectured at Suffolk College, where I was picked up when I was playing for Bury Town playing in a pre-season friendly against Ipswich.

"To be in with a chance of playing at Wembley is phenomenal and we're all determined to make sure the opportunity doesn't slip from our grasp."

Fellow centre-backs White and Steve Foster have been manager Dave Penney's preferred pairing this season, meaning Miller's appearances have been limited.

But the aforementioned duo have occasionally suffered from injury, illness and suspension, which is when Miller has impressed when stepping into the breach.

In making 29 appearances he has certainly contributed to pushing Darlington towards League One which, he says, is where Quakers belong.

He said: "At the beginning of the season Alan White and Steve Foster made a good partnership at the back and I ended up watching from the sidelines.

"All I could do was train hard and make sure that when I did get my chance that I played well enough to keep the shirt.

"Every manager says they want to build from the back and having Stocky (David Stockdale) in goal really helps everyone.

"You've just got to look at how Scott Wiseman came in at the back, even though he hasn't had that many first-team chances, and showed that you've got to take your chance when you get it.

"The manager and the chairman have said to me since day one that they have aspirations to push the club up into League One.

"Everyone knows what a fantastic set-up we've got here and it deserves to be in League One at least.

"We've got everything it needs, including the management and the backing from the chairman and if we get into League One then we can push on."

Darlington fans not travelling to Rochdale today can watch the game in the Darlington Arena's Carling Sports Bar. The bar opens at 11am and the game (ko 12pm) will be screened on the two TV screens. There will be drinks promotions and the FA Cup Final will also be screened

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