 His first match as manager was a 2–2 home draw with Havant & Waterlooville on 20 January 2001, in which he played and scored.Tamworth finished the season in 12th place in the Southern League Premier Division, and Mills made 16 appearances and scored 2 goals.Tamworth missed out on promotion to the Football Conference on the final day of 2001–02, finishing second in the Southern League Premier Division, two points behind the title winners Kettering Town.