Rotherham's recent Championship cheer on Boxing Day

If Rotherham are searching for good omens for their crucial Boxing Day clash with Bolton then they have to look no further than their recent second-tier record on 26 December.

Across their last two spells in the Championship, which was re-branded from Division One three years into their four-year stay in the early 2000s, they have an unbeaten record when playing the day after Christmas.

In five season not including the current one, they have played four times, with the 2001/02 clash with Burnley postponed due to a frozen pitch.

But each time they have played it has brought some festive cheer.

Here's a look at those games in more detail.

Preston North End 0 Rotherham 2 (26/12/02) 

In their second season in Division One under Ronnie Moore, the Millers were doing particularly well and arrived at Deepdale in 11th position and with impressive wins at Ipswich and Burnley (6-2) in their last two games on the road.

And this turned out to be a comfortable afternoon for the South Yorkshire side, who were even able to rest first-choice strike duo of Alan Lee and Darren Byfield, with Mark Robins and Richie Barker starting.

And it was those two that would grab a goal apiece as the Millers clinched a sixth away win of the season.

Andy Monkhouse and Barker went close in the first half but the visitors took the lead in the 55th minute when Robins was on hand to convert Monkhouse's precise cross.

After a limp display Preston finally put some pressure on the Millers and tested Mike Pollitt, but it was Moore's men who sealed the points six minutes from time.

Barker struck his ninth of the season when his superb overhead kick from a set-play beat David Lucas and sent a horde of travelling fans away with some additional festive cheer.

Rotherham: Pollitt, Bryan, Swailes, McIntosh, Hurst, Sedgwick (Warne 72), Mullin, Daws, Monkhouse (Garner 83), Barker, Robins.

Wigan Athletic 1 Rotherham 2 (26/12/03)

Rotherham's win at high-flying Wigan on Boxing Day is famous for one thing - the arrival of Will Hoskins.

Much had been made of the young striker's potential but he announced himself on the biggest stage with a two-goal blast in the space of two second-half minutes.

That propelled the Millers to eight games without defeat and left them comfortably in mid-table.

It had been a backs-against-the-walls job throughout as keeper Pollitt, who would go on to have an distinguished career at the Latics, kept his side in it with a string of fine saves.

And when Moore took off Byfield, who had hit the bar, and Martin Butler midway through the second half - with Hoskins one of those coming on - it looked like the Millers were ready to accept a point.

But Hoskins had other ideas and sent his side into the lead with his first senior goal on just his second appearance.

Chris Sedgwick's through ball set him clear and showing calmness well beyond his years he rolled the ball past John Filan in to the bottom corner.

With the Millers fans still celebrating, Hoskins added a superb second just two minutes later.

Richie Barker flicked on a long ball and the young striker anticipated well and then unleashed a low volley into the same bottom corner.

Wigan were fourth in the table and had obvious talent in their side and they grabbed a late consolation when Nathan Ellington headed home in the dying minutes.

But it was to be Rotherham's day and their fans had a new hero to love.

Rotherham: Pollitt, Barker, Swailes, Branston, Hurst, Sedgwick, Talbot, Mullin, Warne, Butler (Barker 61), Byfield (Hoskins 61)

Leicester City 0 Rotherham 1 (26/12/04)

Rotherham fans did not have much to cheer in the 2004/05 season but a coupon-busting win at Leicester was definitely one of them.

In fact, it was just their second win of the campaign, the first coming against Leeds a month earlier, and gave cause for what was eventually misplaced optimism.

Not many people would have given the rock-bottom Millers any hope in this one but they were the better side from the off and on-loan striker Junior was twice denied.

But they took the lead in the 36th minute when on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper Stuart Taylor dropped Paul McLaren's corner and Shaun Barker was on hand to poke home the loose ball.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the Millers again looking most likely.

Martin Butler was denied by a goal line clearance from Dion Dublin while Junior was again causing the Foxes' defence trouble.

The Millers did have some defending to do at the death as David Connolly hit the bar and Mike Pollitt produced a fine save.

But Moore's men deserved some luck and held on for a rare win.

Rotherham: Pollitt, Stockdale (Scott 29), Swailes, McIntosh, Hurst, Campbell-Ryce, Barker, McLaren, Monkhouse, Junior, Butler.

Rotherham 2 Huddersfield 2 (26/12/2014)

Rotherham's Christmas looked set to be ruined by a Yorkshire derby defeat until a late fightback earned them an unlikely point against Huddersfield.

Steve Evans' men appeared to have had too much turkey the previous day as a laboured start saw James Vaughan put the Terriers in front 10 minutes before the break when he struck from close range.

And the game appeared to be put to bed on the hour as Conor Coady made it two after some poor defending from the hosts.

It looked for all the money that Huddersfield would see the game out with ease until Jonson Clarke-Harris' header two minutes from time gave Rotherham some hope.

And the fightback was complete just 120 minutes later as Lee Frecklington whacked in a 20-yard drive to rescue a much-needed draw.

Rotherham: Collin, Wootton, Morgan, Arnason, James, Green, Pringle (Bowery 59), Smallwood, Ledesma (Frecklington 74), Revell (Clarke-Harris 79), Lawrence.