While Rotherham chairman Tony Stewart might have grand ambitions for the club, Neil Redfearn is remaining more realistic about their targets.
Stewart, whose dream is to take the Millers to the Premier League, spoke openly about targeting a top-half finish before the season started, but such grandiose hopes were quickly wiped out after enduring a shocking start to the campaign.
After a run of five defeats from new boss Redfearn's first six games at the helm following Steve Evans' sacking in September, the Millers were five points adrift from safety and exiting the division through the trapdoor looked like the only outcome this season.
But the green shoots of recovery have begun to emerge with back-to-back wins as Leeds and Bristol City were despatched in the last couple of weeks.
Redfearn says the division is split into three - the promotion contenders, mid-table group and relegation candidates - and he wants to finish top of the bottom section before looking to break into the next group.
Stewart, whose dream is to take the Millers to the Premier League, spoke openly about targeting a top-half finish before the season started, but such grandiose hopes were quickly wiped out after enduring a shocking start to the campaign.
After a run of five defeats from new boss Redfearn's first six games at the helm following Steve Evans' sacking in September, the Millers were five points adrift from safety and exiting the division through the trapdoor looked like the only outcome this season.
But the green shoots of recovery have begun to emerge with back-to-back wins as Leeds and Bristol City were despatched in the last couple of weeks.
Redfearn says the division is split into three - the promotion contenders, mid-table group and relegation candidates - and he wants to finish top of the bottom section before looking to break into the next group.
"If we can get in among the likes of Wolves and Leeds and all those, that's an achievement," he said.
"I don't want to get too ahead of ourselves, but what we have to do then is plan further ahead to be a side who are in there and challenging for the next bit because you can't stand still or stop.
"We are right at the beginning of something here. But we are proving to ourselves, bit by bit, that we can.
"What happens with confidence and belief is that it takes you such a long way and it can overcome a lot of things.
"I know in my time as a player that all the best sides have necessarily had the best players in it. They have just been good, well-organised and well-drilled sides with special players who can win games - without being the best sides, but good teams. I know that can work."
Despite back-to-back wins putting them within striking distance of 18th, Redfearn is not getting carried away by talk of a revival.
"I know in my time as a player that all the best sides have necessarily had the best players in it. They have just been good, well-organised and well-drilled sides with special players who can win games - without being the best sides, but good teams. I know that can work."
Despite back-to-back wins putting them within striking distance of 18th, Redfearn is not getting carried away by talk of a revival.
"I knew from day one this was going to be tough because I looked at the first run of fixtures and it was the toughest run you could have, so it put a bit of a false complexion on it," he added.
"Apart from Derby and Ipswich we played well in the other games and didn't get things when maybe we should have got points but we have been tough enough to come through it and pick a couple of results up, but it’s only a couple of results, it’s only the beginning.
"It is a long old season and what we can't do now is get carried away with ourselves, we have got to get our feet back on the ground."
