Brentford 2 Millwall 2, Championship Game 39, 21/3/15, att:10,179 (we fetch 1,641)

SO CLOSE TO ALL THREE POINTS BUT BRENTFORD PULL IT BACK 

Spearheading our attack Lee Gregory and Aiden O'Brien score a goal each and it looks like we are on our way of getting our Millwall back. Neil Harris in his third game at the helm nearly pulled off a glorious win at promotion chasing Brentford. We took a good few "Wall" down the river to see this game and apart from Brentford pulling it back to 2-2 they must have enjoyed their day out. There is no more chopping and changing the team unless its for injury of fine adjustments and the players now know what they are supposed to be doing and they appear to be more happy and secure playing within the team and being part of the squad. Is it the honeymoon period still? will Neil Harris get a rude awakening when it reverts back to the dross that has gone before?  I don't think so, we are playing the way Millwall should play and the way that has carried as through various divisions for 130 years and Neil Harris knows this and he is applying it well, We will get some bad performances that's inevitable but it won't be for nigh on every game as it's been for the last couple of seasons I am sure. It's pleasing as well to feel and see better vibes around the Den and on the message boards and forums.

WE HAVE A VERY GOOD BUNCH OF YOUNG PLAYERS

Do we want to stay up? of course we do and with our players from our academy in and around the first team and some doing well out on loan there is a school of thought that relegation and League 1 would not be a bad thing as as we could re-build with our youngsters and then make our bid for promotion. My view on this is no, we need to stay in the Championship and I think it has been proved that our academy players such as Jack Powell, Sid Nelson, and Aiden O'Brien can cut it in the Championship. Jamie Philpot has made it on to the bench and Jake Goodman, John Marquis and Fred Onyedinma are doing well on loan and what ever division we are in next season these young players will be a good basis to take us on to our next adventure. John Marquis may move on as he has enjoyed his time at Gillingham and is scoring goals but Neil Harris maybe be able to change his mind.

BOMBER HARRIS

That's Neil Harris's 3rd game in charge and our all time record goal scorer is creating a team with desire and belief and this has also spread to the stands. That's one loss and two draws in his three games in hot seat and a win against Charlton in our next home game will be something that will take us one step nearer to Championship survival and also one step closer for Neil Harris to make his mark in football management. His mark maybe only with Millwall FC because after all you need to know the subject and Neil Harris certainly knows the subject and the subject is Millwall FC and it'supporters. While I am talking about "knowing" Sid Nelson our young centre back certainly knows:

26/3/15
Now here's a young man who after completed his first eight games for the Lions comes across as a wise and experienced player.

I read this in the Southwark News ( 40p on a Thursday )

The fans want to see the Millwall way, a Millwall side playing proper football. This does not mean playing out from the back, over playing and passing into stupid areas. The fans want to see 100% passion, commitment and hard work. If you do these things the rest will follow.

Now there's a bloke who's bang on the money and coming from a Millwall family I am going to enjoy watching him become a Den favourite for years to come.

Last six: Reading 44 pts, Fulham 43 pts, Rotherham 40 pts, Wigan 35 pts, Millwall 33 pts, Blackpool 23 pts

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding, Abdou, Nelson, Hooiveld, Williams, Woolford, O'Brien (Taylor-Fletcher 76), Gregory, Upson,
subs not used, Archer, Beevers, Gueye, Philpot, Maierhofer, Fabbrini

Goals: Gregory 38, O'Brien 64

Brentford: Button, Bidwell, Dean(Smith 71), Douglas, Odubajo, Dallas(Judge 60), Gray, DiaGouraga(Toral 71), Pritchard, Jota, Tarkowski
subs not used, Bonham, Craig, McCormack, Long

Goals: Pritchard 85 pen, Odubajo 90+1

Millwall 0 Brighton 0 Championship Game 38 17/3/15 att: 9,105

TEN GAME NEIL HARRIS SEASON, GAME TWO, ONE POINT

All that was missing was a little bit of luck in front of the oppositions goal

Game 2 of Neil Harris's spell in charge and apart from not scoring a goal that was a better performance by the Lions. With Alan Dunne out due to a two game ban for accumulating yellow cards and Sid Nelson took to the field along with Martyn Woolford who starts instead of Ed Upson. These were the only changes from the team that started against Bolton. We started brightly and Aiden O'Brien on another day may have a goal or some goals under his belt after he left two defenders for dead and drove a shot that was saved by the Brighton Keeper. There was plenty of action in and around the Brighton box but we lacked the final ball be it the ball into the box or what the players done when they got it. The side put it plenty of effort and left the field at half time with clapping in their ears. The second half saw Brighton start brightly but we contained them well apart from the time when the visitors free kick smacked David Forde's crossbar. Lee Gregory was a nuisance for most of the game but once again he did not score after half chances in and around their box. Overall we are revitalised and I believe that we have it in us to beat sides with the improved performance, we just need a little bit of luck to go with it.

Tuesday night and under the lights

Last six: Brighton 42 pts,  Fulham 40 pts,  Rotherham 40 pts,  Wigan 34 pts,  Millwall, 32 pts, 

              Blackpool 22 pts

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding, Abdou, Hooiveld, Nelson, Williams, Woolford(Fabbrini 81), Gregory, Taylor-Fletcher(Maiefofer 73), O'Brien(Gueye 73),
subs not used, Archer, Beevers, Fuller, Upson

Brighton: Stockdale, Saltor, Greer, Calderson, Kayal(Lualua 46), Stephens, Halford, Best(O'Grady 75), MacKail-Smith(Teixeira 75), Bennett, Holla
subs not used, Walton, Hughes, Ledesna, Ince

Bolton 2 Millwall 0, Championship Game 37, att: 14,719 (355)

Neil Harris and his first game in charge and he wants us with them. I think he will get that.

This getting beat lark is not good for the soul, it's got to stop. With Neil Harris in the hot seat this defeat at Bolton is painful but there some hope. Was it just a normal 2-0 loss on the road or was it just another defeat in a long line of defeats to our disjointed and not very good side. I think the Brighton game at the Den coming up this Tuesday will tell me the answer. I do believe there is a spark there and hopefully a few more sparks Tuesday. I hate to put all the pressure on Lee Gregory but I believe that his scoring is the key. He has got to start putting away a decent percentage of his chances. A big ask from him I know but that is what he gets paid for and I am sure he will enjoy doing just that. A lot on his shoulders but what a chance to show the doubters wrong and feel the full force of the Lions roar and become a legend down in SE16. He is a goal scorer and I think its well within him to start putting then away he just needs to dig it out. Of course every other member of the team needs to raise their game and Lee Gregory's strikemanship might just do that. Sorry Lee but its all down to you.

Bolton "stars" Liam Trotter nearly had Millwall Flue but he managed to come on in the 87th minute and Liam Feeney played the whole game,

Bolton: Amos, Vela, Mills, McCarthy, Ream, Walker, Danns9Coke 46), Bannan(Trotter 87), Feeney, Gudjohnson(Davies 72), Le Fondre
subs not used, Hall, Heskey, Lonergan, Twardzik

Goals: Le Fondre 11, 45
__________

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Dunne, Hooiveld, Harding, Abdou, Williams, Upson(Cowan-Hall 66), O'Brien(Gueye 81), Gregory, Taylor-Fletcher(Fuller 59),
Subs not used, Archer, Beevers, Powell, Maierhofor

Neil Harris is called upon yet again

IS NEIL HARRIS ON A HIDING TO NOTHING?

Early this morning just as the sun was rising, well not quiet that early but early enough "Ollie" was shown the door and Neil Harris stepped across into the hot seat. I think it can be said that Bomber Harris does not shirk a challenge. Is he on a hiding to nothing?  I don't think so, as long as the team can up their game and show us all that they want to stay up and by doing that show us more grit and guile I think that would make as enjoy going to the Den again. Neil Harris has made no promises but like the rest of us he wants the team to produce excitement and play with pride and deliver Millwall style performances.  I want the team to play for the fans said Bomber, and I say if  by any chance we escape total humiliation or escape relegation by just one point SE16 and thousands of Millwall homes will be happier places come the summer. Any improvement in my book is a positive over the dross we have had to endure. If he fails and the last ten games are total misery we won't hold it against him and he will just go back to his day job, after all he's a goal scoring legend down here.

Ian Holloway's record of outcomes since he has been with the Lions speaks for it self.

From January 2014 to March 10th 2015---Played 62, lost 29, drawn 19, won 14 

In the end his relationship with us was strained and I detected digs against us the supporters. I just think our patience run out, he had a huge amount of time to turn it around but he failed on all counts. I want to quickly forget him.

THE TIME HAS COME TO AT LEAST START WINNING AT HOME

Millwall 1 Norwich City 4, Championship game 36, 7/3/15, att:11, 116 (away 2,508)

WE START WITH ONE UP FRONT

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH   We couldn't win a game if our lives depended on it. That's ten goals Norwich have put passed us in the two games we have played them this season. In the last six games in the league we have lost five and drawn one and of course the games before that wasn't much better and some respect were worse, the humiliation against Bradford comes to mind.

Just been informed about this >> Ian Holloway 2008

DOCKERS DAY

The ninth annual Dockers Day is greeted with not the normal celebration as the dark cloud that hangs over Millwall just got darker. We really are a weak and watery side and totally  lack the fight to hold  our own against a average looking Norwich side. We danced with them for the first 30-40 minutes and then fell apart as Norwich scored a brace either side of half time (ish). The Canaries second goal was down to Alan Dunne who gave away a needless penalty as he bought down a Norwich player as he was running towards the corner flag. I think we know about Alan Dunne's contribution in the local paper and how the players must raise their performances as Ian Holloway is doing as much as he can.
For this game Ian Holloway spent most of the game tucked at the back of the dug out and supporters near the dug out were blocked off by stewards from getting to close to him. There wasn't really much overall chanting towards Holloway but apparently they were vocally loud towards him behind him in the West Stand. I didn't hear much apart from individuals or small groups groaning, I think that Ian Holloway got off light and considering our plight I wouldn't have been surprised if  a noose was slung over a stand truss. It's looks like he won't walk and to push him out its going to cost and cost a lot. Our chairman knows what he is doing, doesn't he.


That's no wins at the Den for 12 games. No matter what is said regarding this terrible state of affairs it is unacceptable that any Millwall team can ruin a 100 year old legacy of Millwall winning at home. Winning at home has been a major factor that has helped this club to survive, the opposition feared the Den and many teams left with their tails between their legs. Lions of the south wasn't a myth it was a reality. We must get this back and I think it's time for a new manager and maybe a new team.

Nearly forgot, Lee Gregory scored a goal after we were awarded a soft penalty when Deigo Fabbrini went over in the box.

82nd Minute and we score from the spot, Norwich could have scored more but like Ian Holloway we got off light. In the background the hi-vis jackets of the stewards surround the home dug out. Normally it's the away dug out that gets this attention.

Millwall: Forde. Dunne, Harding, Bailey(Tonge 46), Hooiveld, Nelson, Williams, Woolford(Gregory 61), Taylor-Fletcher, Fuller(O'Brien 65), Fabbrini,, 

subs not used, King, Beevers, Gueye, Abdou

Goal: Gregory 82 pen

Norwich: Ruddy, Whittaker, Cuellar, Martin, Howson, Olsson, Hoolahan(Andreu 83), Dorrans(O'Neil 78), Hooper(Redmond 68), Jerome, Johnson,

subs not used, Rudd, Turner, Morris, Odjidja-Ofoe

Goals: Howson 38, 60, Hooper 45 pen, Hoolahan 57

Middlesboro 3 Millwall 0 att: 16,078 (we take162)

3/3/15 Championship Game 35 and yet another poxy defeat. How long can we take this?

Gregory misses chance and 162 amazing souls made the journey

Lee Gregory, a decent non-league striker who has proved that he isn't good enough for this league. His Game stats back that up. It would be great to be proved wrong and he starts banging them in against Norwich this Saturday. We play a unchanged side for the third game in a row but after calling out for stability in the team thinking that this was the reason why we were not doing well, stability has achieved nothing. Where's the Hof?

Millwall: Forde, Abdou, Dunne, Hooiveld, Harding, Tonge(O'Brien 80), Willams(Upson 65), Woolford, Fabbrini, Taylor Fletcher, Gregory(Fuller 65), 

subs not used, King, Nelson, Beevers, Angel

Boro: Konstantopoulos, Friend, Fredericks, Gibson, Leadbetter(Foreshaw 82), Clayton, Kike, Tomlin(Vossen 73), Bamford(Wildschut 83), Kalas, Adomah

Goals: Bamford 26, Kike 30, Vossen 78

Norwich at home Saturday and I don't fancy our chances. Ian Holloway can talk a good game but he cannot produce it. We really have been duped, sorry, should not have said 'we, there was a few wise ones that knew all along.