Birmingham edged another point clear of the Championship relegation zone after being held 0-0 by already relegated Rotherham in a game which was held up by a medical emergency in the stands.
The Blues were left frustrated by Rotherham, who had Steve Evans back in the dugout after his shock return from Stevenage midweek, and the stalemate left the visitors just two points clear of the bottom three with two games to play.
Birmingham had a chance within the first two minutes when Keshi Anderson burst down the left flank and found Tyler Roberts at the backpost but his volley was off target.
The match was stopped after nine minutes due to a medical emergency in the home stand, with paramedics rushed over to give treatment to a supporter.
Referee Keith Stroud took the players off the field for more than 20 minutes and after the supporter was taken to hospital, the game resumed around 3.45pm.
Alex Dicken was in south Yorkshire to bring you updates, analysis and reaction from a big day at the bottom of the Championship…
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Birmingham City weren’t able to pull clear of the relegation zone after failing to beat already relegated Rotherham United.
Jay Stansfield was denied a winning goal in the closing stages but Blues failed to live up to the heights of last weekend. The spoils were eventually shared two-and-a-half hours after the game had initially kicked-off due to stoppages, one of which saw a Rotherham supporter rushed to hospital.
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Medical emergency update
Rotherham United have issued an update following the lengthy delay to their Championship match with Birmingham City after a supporter was treated in a medical emergency.
The game was little more than ten minutes old when there was an interruption that saw attention given in the Ben Bennett Family Stand at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, one that saw both teams leave the pitch, to reappear some 30 minutes later.
The Millers published a statement on their club website which expressed gratitude to the emergency services.
“Everyone at Rotherham United would like to place on-record our sincere thanks to the paramedics, medical professionals and both sets of supporters for the professionalism and compassion which was displayed throughout the medical emergency at AESSEAL New York Stadium this afternoon."
FT: Rotherham 0-0 Blues
Big chance missed for Blues against a side that will be in League One next year. They went close in the final 15 minutes but it was far too passive before that. Onto a huge game next week now...
Stansfield goes off
Stansfield off for Hogan in the 89th minute. Blues are pushing desperately for a winner now but that is a slightly surprising switch.
Blues fans not happy to see Stansfield go off.
Stansfield goal ruled out
Oh wow. Stansfield fires home and the goal is belatedly ruled out after the flag went up. I'm not sure what for - Stansfield definitely wasn't offside.
Blues players and fans are furious. Rowett has made another change after the goal with Anderson replaced by Siriki Dembele.
Huddersfield have lost
Huddersfield have been trounced at home by Swansea City. The Swans have beaten Huddersfield 4-0.
That result means Blues can pull four points clear of the relegation zone with a victory today ahead of their trip to Huddersfield next weekend.
In other news, Rowett has just made his second change. Juninho Bacuna is on for Tyler Roberts.
The second half begins
Rotherham have got the second half underway. A big 45 from Blues is needed with Huddersfield 1-0 down to Swansea.
Oliver Burke has been replaced at half-time. Koji Miyoshi has come on. The Blues fans in the away end seem happy about that.
HT: Rotherham 0-0 Blues
A poor first half from Blues. They struggled to find any rhythm after the game restarted.
The front four need to do a lot more. Oliver Burke, in particular, has been brought in to be direct on the ball and he hasn't been able to really get in behind Rotherham.
Frustrations boiled over towards the end of the first half with some supporters jeering Burke.
10 minutes added time
Ten minutes of added time at the end of this first half. There has been a couple of other stoppages in addition to the medical incident.
The front four of Blues have been really poor. Stansfield hasn't had any service but Burke, Anderson and Roberts have done little to trouble Rotherham.
Another change for Rotherham
Former Blues loanee Cohen Bramall is on for Peter Kioso in another Rotherham change. Bramall has gone to left-back with Revan coming across to right-back.
Another Rotherham free-kick has just been defended by Blues. The Millers have had a lot of territory and set pieces in this first half but, as things stand, Blues have coped with them.
Blues need to find some rhythm
Rotherham have started to drag Blues into their way of playing. Rotherham have hoisted crosses into the box and gone close to troubling John Ruddy twice already.
The Millers are being forced into a change just after the 30-minute mark. Cafu is replaced by Arvin Appiah.
Back underway
The game has now restarted. Stroud started the ball rolling with a drop ball to Blues, who were in possession when the game was stopped.
The clock has restarted on 11 minutes meaning this game will finish considerably later than all other Championship fixtures today.
The fan is stable and the game will resume
The fan was stretchered out of the stadium by medics at around 3:30pm. Everyone inside the stadium stood up and applauded before showing their appreciation to the doctors, paramedics and police officers who acted so promptly.
The game will restart shortly. The fan is stable and on his way to hospital.
The stadium announcer said: "The emergency services dealt with the casualty and he is heading off to hospital in an ambulance. The referee will bring the players out for a warm up and we will restart the game at 3:45pm."
Players have headed down the tunnel
Referee Keith Stroud paused the game when medics rushed over to a supporter’s aid in the Ben Bennett Family Stand at the New York Stadium. The players initially stayed on the field and held discussions with their respective managers before Stroud signalled for them to return to their dressing rooms.
A large group of medics congregated around the fan in the stand on the far side to provide medical treatment. The clock was officially stopped on 12 minutes 23 seconds when Stroud, after long discussions with officials from both clubs, made the call to take the players away from the pitch.
Game stopped due to medical emergency
The game has been stopped due to a medical emergency in the stand on the far side. Lots of medics have rushed over.
We were just over eight minutes in when referee Keith Stroud paused the game. Both sets of players are trying to keep warm while the fan in the stands is treated.
Hopefully the fan in question is OK.
Roberts misses a decent chance
Very good chance for Roberts to score inside two minutes. Anderson beat his man and found Roberts unmarked at the far post but he volleyed wide.
Anderson showed a great turn of speed to get past Rathbone there. Good pick-out from Sunjic too. Positive start by Blues.
And we've kicked off
Over 2,000 Blues fans in the away end are expecting three points. Blues' last win on the road came three months ago to this day at Stoke City.
Blues have started in the 4-2-3-1 shape they played against Coventry. Burke has slotted in on the right instead of Miyoshi.
Warm ups done
Both teams have now headed back down the tunnel into their respective dressing rooms. Paul Robinson and Ashley Cole led the Blues warm up as usual.
All eyes will be on Oliver Burke after Gary Rowett's surprise selection decision. Burke was used heavily by Rowett across two loan spells at Millwall so we probably shouldn't be surprised that he has drafted him into the XI at the first available opportunity.
Blues are favourites
When you look at Rotherham's home form and Blues' away record, there really isn't that much between the two teams. But Blues have accumulated almost double Rotherham's points tally this season and have a superior group of players. That is reflected in Betway's pre-match odds.
Rotherham - 17/4
Draw - 14/5
Birmingham - 3/5
Rotherham make two changes
Peter Kioso and Jordan Hugill come into the Rotherham XI in place of Cohen Bramall and Sam Clucas.
Former Blues loanee Bramall is on Rotherham’s bench but Clucas isn’t involved in Steve Evans’ first game. There is another ex-Blues loanee on the Millers’ bench in Grant Hall.
Rotherham: Johansson; Revan, Odoffin, Pelter, Humphreys, Kioso; Rathbone, Rinomhota, Cafu; Hugill, Nombe
Subs: Phillips, Bramall, Hall, Eaves, Appiah, Seriki, Hatton
Oliver Burke starts for Blues
Gary Rowett has handed Oliver Burke his first Championship start since New Year’s Day in Birmingham City’s crunch clash with Rotherham United this afternoon.
Burke has replaced Koji Miyoshi in the only change to the Blues starting XI from last weekend’s 3-0 win over Coventry City. Miyoshi has started the past four games under Rowett but he has been used sparingly away from St Andrew’s this season.
Ex-West Brom and Sheffield United man Burke has failed to register a goal or assist in 20 league appearances for Blues this summer.
Marc Roberts also returns from injury to take Emanuel Aiwu’s place on the bench. Andre Dozzell has also dropped out of the squad to accommodate Burke’s return.
Blues XI to face Rotherham (4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Laird, Bielik, Sanderson, Buchanan; Paik, Sunjic; Burke, T Roberts, Anderson; Stansfield
Subs: Etheridge, M Roberts, Bacuna, Hogan, Miyoshi, Dembele, James, Gardner, Hall
Keith Stroud in the middle
Keith Stroud will take charge of Birmingham City’s crunch clash with Rotherham United - a month after he oversaw a controversial goal against Blues in their 1-1 draw with Hull City.
The 54-year-old will be the man in the middle at the New York Stadium when Blues face the already relegated Millers. Gary Rowett’s side need three points to ease their own fears of relegation from the Championship.
Stroud will be supported by assistants Andrew Fox and Mark Dwyer, while James Linington will act as fourth official. He has refereed three Blues games already this season, the last of which saw Hull score a more than dubious goal in a 1-1 draw at the KCOM Stadium on March 5.
The officials failed to spot Ozan Tufan had used his hand to score Hull’s opening goal on the night. James Wilson - who was Stroud’s assistant in Hull - was subsequently removed from the officials list for Blues’ game against Middlesbrough the following week.
Can Rowett change a winning team?
Gary Rowett tried to create an element of mystique around his team selection at Thursday's press conference. The interim Blues boss knows only too well that it will be very difficult to leave anyone out that started the 3-0 win over Coventry last weekend.
Rowett said Blues had picked up a couple of knocks in training that would need to be assessed, although he didn't say who. Marc Roberts and Oliver Burke have returned to training and could provide Blues with some additional physicality against a Rotherham side known for its directness.
Rotherham have averaged the third most aerial challenges won per 90 in the Championship. That isn't likely to change with Steve Evans now at the helm. Evans' Stevenage side are by far and away the most aerially dominant side in League One this season.
A warm welcome from Rotherham
Good afternoon from sunny Rotherham for Blues' penultimate away game of the season. Blues' fate will probably be decided on the road over these next two weekends with relegation rivals Huddersfield Town to come next Saturday.
Blues have lost 15 of their 21 away games in the Championship this season but Rotherham is the Championship's easiest away day on paper. Rotherham have lost 10 games at the New York Stadium, albeit that is considerably better than they have fared on the road.
Rotherham (a)
— Alex Dicken (@alexedicken) April 20, 2024
A big day at the bottom of the Championship. A win would put #BCFC within touching distance of safety.
Rotherham have lost 13 of their last 15 and reappointed Steve Evans as manager in the week. pic.twitter.com/ypdPA1BQaQ
