Indeed, until Neil Warnock's late intervention League One looked more likely to be the Millers' home next season as a disappointing campaign was heading in the wrong direction.
But it would not be a Millers season without ups and downs. Here's a look at their highs and lows of the 2015-16 campaign.
Highs
Leeds 0 Rotherham 1 - November 21
Neil Redfearn's ultimately ill-fated spell as Rotherham manager got off to the toughest of starts, plunged in to an unforgiving run of fixtures against top sides which yielded just one point in six games. After that subsided came a trip to his former club and what happened next was written in the stars. Deprived of a car parking space by Massimo Cellino, Redfearn had the last laugh as he tasted victory for the first time thanks to Joe Newell's second-half header. Oh, and the Millers also got one over their former boss too. It was a sweet day.
Rotherham 2 Hull 0 - December 19
Things were still patchy under Redfearn, but everything came together perfectly as they put in their most complete performance of his reign to blow away a promotion-chasing Hull. Their high-tempo pressing game bore fruit just before half-time as Lee Frecklington despatched a penalty to give them a deserved lead. Although the Tigers had their chances, a rare solid defensive showing allowed the Millers to keep a clean sheet and Joe Newell's impressive solo effort in the second half sent them off with some pre-Christmas cheer.
Sheffield Wednesday 0 Rotherham 1 - March 5
The entire 11-game unbeaten run was just one high after another, but the win at Sheffield Wednesday was particularly special and extremely important in giving Rotherham belief. Neil Warnock would have wanted to win this game more than any other of his 16 at the helm and his side put in a masterclass away performance. They started well, got the goal and then defended for their lives. It was nervy, especially in the second half, but the Owls were unable to cancel out Matt Derbyshire's first-half goal to ensure the Millers remained unbeaten at Hillsborough since 1982. More importantly, the juggernaut was picking up pace.
MK Dons 0 Rotherham 4 - April 9
Such had been Rotherham's unbelievable run of form that they arrived for the game at MK Dons knowing they could afford to lose and still be out of the relegation zone. More pertinently they also knew that a win would affectively see them safe, opening up a nine-point gap. What happened next was dream stuff. They took the lead in the 54th second through Derbyshire and it only got better from there as Leon Best, Kirk Broadfoot and even Richie Smallwood got on the scoresheet to make it a day to remember for the Millers.
Wolves 0 Rotherham 0 - April 23
Ultimately this day will be remembered for nothing other than being the day Rotherham completed the great escape. There was an undoubted drop in level after that MK Dons rout and the Millers had been limping to safety with back-to-back draws. And it was a third draw in a row that got the job done as the stalemate extended their unbeaten run to 11 games and meant that the Dons could not longer catch them. Being away from home and coming on the back of a 0-0 draw, there was a hint of anti-climax about it, but no one of a Millers persuasion worried about that for too long.
Lows
Rotherham 1 MK Dons 4 - August 8
After a pre-season full of optimism and a newly-promoted side visiting New York Stadium on the opening day of the season, hopes were high that Steve Evans' Rotherham could hit the ground running. However, MK Dons clearly hadn't read the script and inflicted a heavy defeat on the Millers, which set the tone for a shocking opening to the campaign. They found themselves a goal down after five minutes and after brief parity they trailed 3-1 at the break. The Dons enjoyed their maiden outing in the second tier and made it four after the break.
Rotherham 2 Ipswich 5 - November 7
Coming on the back of a gruelling run of fixtures against promotion-chasing teams, Neil Redfearn's men hit rock-bottom with the visit of Ipswich. It was the day Paul Green will try and forget ever happened as his two errors gifted the visitors a 2-0 advantage and two more goals either side of half-time saw Ipswich lead 4-0 after only 47 minutes. Rotherham brought some respectability with the two goals of the game, but Daryl Murphy's hat-trick-sealing goal put the scoreline into official hammering territory.
Huddersfield 2 Rotherham 0 - December 15
After back-to-back defeats, the trip to Huddersfield represented the chance for Rotherham to regain some form against a side who were around them in the table. However, Redfearn did not bank on one of the biggest no-shows of his reign and the Millers sunk without trace at the John Smith's Stadium, going down to a goal in either half. So unimpressed with his side's performance was Redfearn that he embarked on his now infamous 'B&Q' rant and told his players to buck their ideas up.
Rotherham 1 Charlton 4 - January 30
Rotherham's form on home soil had been impressive and with Charlton woefully out of form the first of a relegation double-header was supposed to see Redfearn's men land a decisive blow on the Addicks. However, that could not have been further from reality as the Londoners swept the woeful Millers aside, scoring early before going on to dominate in a heavy win. It was a limp display from Redfearn's men just when the boss needed a big performance the most. The vultures began circling after this one.
Bolton 2 Rotherham 0 - February 6
Coming seven days after the Charlton defeat this was a game that Rotherham simply could not afford to lose against a Bolton side destined for relegation. Unfortunately, they did and it cost Redfearn his job. While the Charlton loss was a horror-show, this could have been entirely different had the Millers stuck their chances away, none better than Andrew Shinnie's in the second half with the score at 1-1. However, they could not make the breakthrough when on top and were killed by the sucker-punch as Bolton won it deep into injury time. Redfearn was sacked 48 hours later.
