Steve Evans in top form at the Rotherham United fans' forum

They were the first words manager Steve Evans uttered to fans gathered in the corporate suite on the first floor at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

He was light-heartedly putting the correct pronunciation on the name of one of Rotherham United's new signings who, moments early, had been referred to rather more fancily by compere Mark Thomas as “Sean Ragg-ette”.

It was only then that the boss added: “Good evening, everyone.”

Thomas, always the smoothest and most genial of hosts, chuckled as much as the audience.

This was the fans' forum last Thursday evening, the first such occasion since Evans came home in April for a second spell in the Millers hot-seat.

He's in his element when he's talking to, and with, supporters and the man with the gold watch on his wrist delivered a gold-star performance.

£3 bought you pie, peas and gravy and the chance to grill the men sitting at the top table: Evans, chairman Tony Stewart, chief operating officer Paul Douglas and director of football recruitment Rob Scott.

All spoke well but the Scot was the star turn; at times, studious, contained, almost scholarly; at others, peppering his answers with flashes of humour.

“Jonson is Jonson,” he said of new striker Clarke-Harris a day after the squad had returned for pre-season training. “I'll tell you a little story about him.

“We were doing some work at Sheffield Hallam University yesterday. Tongue in cheek, I went over to him and said about a particular player: ‘His stats on that machine were better than yours.’ Jonson went: ‘Yeah, but I'll score 30 goals next season, he won't.’”

For two hours, as the beer flowed, there was a combination of questions, some emailed to the club beforehand and read out by Thomas, some taken from the floor as the microphone was passed around.

Always, there are accusations that the submissions are 'managed' so that the club can stay on message. The ones on the night certainly weren't.

“Please feel free to ask any questions,” said the master of ceremonies: “It's your forum.”

The subject of the exit strategy at New York was raised. It always is at these events. Every single time.

Soon, Evans, a Celtic fanatic, was reminiscing about the old days a decade ago when he won two Rotherham promotions: “James Tavernier came in. He's now captain of Glasgow Rangers. I don't like them, but I love Tavs!”

The start was prompt at 6pm but, in one way, it was still a late kick-off, the date having been put back by a week when the original clashed with the England-v-Denmark match at Euro 2024.

Around 150 of the 250 available seats had been sold; not a full house, then, but enough people there to create an atmosphere. On a balmy late-June night, the temperature was warm outside, the feeling warm inside.

Evans' return, following a spirit-sapping Championship relegation campaign, has whet the appetite and calmed the mood. In a room decorated with black-and-white action photographs with only the red of the Millers kit picked out, he was bringing more colour back.

“We'll challenge,” he stated. “I'll tell you that now, we'll challenge.” Then he quipped: “The average age of the squad is now 28. It was 43 last year.”

More laughs.

Other topics included recruitment, the reasons why Sam Clucas wasn't kept on, Viktor Johansson's release clause, the Ticketmaster data breach, the playing budget, the Sky-TV-led move away from 3pm Saturday kick-offs, Roundwood, the youth system and plenty more.*

Stewart talked of the extra £2 million he'd put in last year and how he'd watched aghast as everything went wrong.

“Not disappointed. Devastated,” said the chairman who won't accept anything less than effort and entertainment from Millers teams. “I'd lost the will to live halfway through the season.”

“Where do you see the club being in three to five years?” was one of the questions. He smiled and pointed upwards. Stewart has been lifted by the second coming as much as supporters have. He's got his old pal and his spring back.

Evans was asked what England side he'd pick for England's last-16 showdown with Slovakia three days hence. “I'm Scottish,” he responded, quick as a flash. “I'd pick the worse one.”

Suddenly, Stewart, too, was injecting some levity. “I've bought him some braces,” he jested, referring to the man sitting two places to his right.

Ah, Wembley 2014. Great times then, great times around the corner if the new man can reproduce the magic of exploits past. He believes he can and has got fans believing with him.

There was applause at the end. It had been a worthwhile experience. Supporters left contentedly, queueing patiently on the stairs as they made their way to the doors in New York's reception.

For once, an exit strategy that no-one was complaining about.

* Many of the matters raised will be covered in separate articles.