Millward was born in Wollongong, New South Wales, and played rugby league for Illawarra Steelers lower grades in his youth, after impressing for the state's schoolboys team.

His decision to field an under-strength side due, he said, to injuries in a Super League match against Bradford, just a week before the Challenge Cup Final backfired badly.

The move incurred the wrath of the game's authorities and St Helens were beaten in the final by Wigan, when all the injured players returned.

He was sacked for gross misconduct a week later, his offences including three incidences of foul and abusive language: to a club employee; Warrington's press officer; and a fourth official at a match against Bradford.

St Helens also claimed that Millward lied to an RFL disciplinary hearing and distorted the truth about the club's sale of Gleeson to Warrington in 2004.

[citation needed] He had a difficult start with Wigan, losing a Super League match 70–0 to Leeds Rhinos and, more humiliatingly, a Challenge Cup tie at St Helens 75–0.

During this time, a combination of poor performances and injuries to key players had seen Wigan slump to bottom of the engage Super League.

Ian will be leaving the club and team affairs will be managed in the short term by the assistant coaches Stuart Wilkinson and Andrew Farrar."

Millward was released by Castleford Tigers by mutual consent on 9 April 2013 after a very poor run of just one win in 18 games and with the team at the bottom of the Super League table at the time.