Paul Warne revealed what it meant to him and his family to bring Rotherham United back to boyhood club Norwich City, despite the Millers' 3-1 Championship defeat.

The Canaries' fan admitted his return to Carrow Road was special for him and his nearest and dearest even after a first loss in eight league games.

'Both my brothers were here, my wife was here, my children were here. Three or four of my best mates were here. My father watched it with my mother at home,' he said.

'I have said before my dad is not well and whatever happens from here, whether I am in this league or Norwich are the chances of him seeing me manage at Norwich are beyond slim.

'It was still an amazing occasion for me. I am just disappointed if I take the emotion out of it.

'I didn't come here to lose. I came here with in my opinion a great set of players and in that respect it is disappointing not to come away with something.'

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Warne arrived on the touchline before kick-off just to hear the familiar strains of 'On the Ball, City' ring around Carrow Road.

'My old roomie (Mike Pollitt) is now my coach. I used to sing him that on a Saturday morning when we stayed away in a hotel. It was hilarious,' he said. 'He would sing it back to me and get the words wrong. It was surreal.

'I won't say it wasn't. I always come out late. I have this ridiculous superstition, which is not that embarrassing. When everyone leaves the dressing room I clean my teeth.

'I don't know what I am doing that for. My teeth aren't that great. I am always the last one out and like to go to the opposition dug-out and shake hands. My mate said to me, 'Just enjoy it.' Then after 20 minutes he asked me if I was enjoying it and I said, 'Well, I am surviving it.'

'But it was a great experience.

'I think, first half, we were excellent. The lads have done everything we've asked. We've worked a good set-piece. I thought we were really good. We frustrated them on the counter-attack and we were good. When we went in at half-time, nobody could complain that we were 1-0 up.

'I just asked the lads at half time for the same sort of thing. They were going to come out and have an intensity to their game – which there was.'