What ex-Portsmouth boss Richie Barker said ahead of Rotherham's trip to Fratton Park

The ex-Blues boss will be back at Fratton Park tonight in the Millers dugout as he’s assistant manager to Paul Warne.

Barker, who was sacked after 20 games in charge during the 2013-14 season, helped Rotherham earn promotion from League One in 2018.

After the Yorkshire side were immediately relegated from the Championship last term, they again have designs on bouncing straight back up.

The Millers sit fourth in the table and are unbeaten on their travels ahead of their trip to the south coast.

Pompey are 11th after gaining momentum in recent weeks and have yet to be defeated at PO4.

It’s an encounter between two teams Barker firmly believes will be in the top-six shake-up.

He told the Yorkshire Post: ‘We must be in the top two in the league for our away record.

‘It is arguably two in-form teams and two teams who at the start of the season would have been looking to be in and around the top six.

‘I would imagine Portsmouth will be in the top few if they have not lost at home as well and there’s obviously a little bit of recent form.

‘It is arguably two in-form teams and two teams who at the start of the season would have been looking to be in and around the top six.’

Ryan Williams prepares to face the club he left Pompey for in the summer.

The Aussie turned down fresh terms at the New York Stadium and penned a three-year deal with the Blues.

Williams, who revealed he won’t tone down any celebrations if he scores against Rotherham, has started to display his quality after suffering a quad injury in pre-season.

And Barker reckons the winger is a ‘top’ player in the third tier.

He added: ‘It is no surprise that once he gets a good run of games he is a top League One player as we saw a couple of years ago and obviously he played a big part for us in the Championship last year.

‘He is a good signing and I am sure he is enjoying his time (there) at the minute with one defeat in 11.’