Millwall relegated as Rotherham beat Rollover Reading and Neil Harris named permanent manager

Reading who have not won for eight games were not much of a opponent for lowly Rotherham who needed a win to survive the drop. Rotherham won 2-1 and that was that for us. Not much of a shock knowing that we are going down as it is something that has been looming over us all season and has always been a possibility. Our play has picked up the last nine goals under the custody of Neil Harris and although there has been a lot more passion and desire and in my opinion better tactics on the pitch the skill level has still been below par, The last three games are proof of that, against Cardiff we gave a spirited  display but no clinical finisher which was also the same against Blackburn. The Derby game we gave it away with some poor defending but we managed to score three goals albeit two were penalty's. League One for us next season and it pains me to say it but that may not be a bad thing when thinking about the development of the team and Neil Harris.

Who will stay?

We have some good youngsters playing in the first team and on the bench and there's a few more waiting in the wings. Not forgetting Fred on loan and Wycombe and Jake Goodman at AFC Wimbledon we have the basis fo a young and exciting team. Lee Gregory will score goals at that level and Cowan-Hall should shine. Add a sprinkling of the Jimmy Abdou and Ed Upson and Co and things are looking rosy. Could we sign Jos Hooiveld? maybe not.  I Don't know if Nicky Bailey will be here for the new season but cover in that position is not a problem.

Bottom five as it stands: Brighton P 45, 46 pts,  Rotherham P45 45 pts,  Millwall P45 41pts
                                          Wigan P 45 39 pts,  Blackpool P 45 25 pts

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ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF MILLWALL FC

Neil Harris has been giving the managers job on a permanent basis and now he can plan for next season. He has a lot to do. There is twenty players who will be out of contract and this has to be dealt with first. Interesting times ahead.

Millwall 3 Derby 3 Championship Game 45, 25/4/2015, att:12,571

As we know Rotherham deducted three points and its all to play for.  COYL

You can always rely on the Den wit

A nice gesture by the sponsors a salute to Steve McClaren

LEE GREGORY BLASTS A HAT-TRICK

Being 2-0 up and then 3-1 this was a game that may have saved our Championship bacon but we blew it. I cannot believe Tom Ince was allowed to score from a free kick that brought Derby back into the game at 3-2. If you look at the picture below and I will leave it to you to judge how Ince managed to score to the right of David Forde.

Derby free kick

Tom Ince found room to David Forde's right, do we know how that happened?

Lee Gregory opened the scoring when a poor clearance gifted him the opportunity to score his 7th goal of the season and we were off and running. The Den now reached critical level and extra support and ropes were needed to keep the roofs on the stands as the Lions pressed for a 2nd. it only took 10 minutes befor Gregory scored again this time when he sunk a penalty which was awarded when the referee blew for a penalty when a Derby player hand balled in their box. Lee Gregory was now on fire and was putting in a shift and he finally proving that he can hold his own in the Championship and it was plain to see that he was enjoying himself. Neil Harris has introduced a new lease of life for this squad and the supporters and I am sure the Den crowd could have been heard at London Bridge. We were keeping the large Derby away support quiet and they were probably wondering "what's going on, Millwall are in a relegation spot so they must be crap, why are we losing to them" shock horror.

Derby who are pressing for a play off spot pulled one back before half time when as mentioned above our favourite opposition player  Tom Ince who got his own back after receiving dogs abuse curled one in after taking a free kick on the edge of the box. It was now 2-1 and the second half was all to play for.

Hat Trick

Lee Gregory scores his 2nd penalty and the Lions go 3-1 up

The Den was double rocking and it seemed that this was going to be the game that kept us in the promised land. We certainly looked crisp and sharp and we were working our nuts off to stay in this division. Without doubt Neil Harris is doing the job.

Joy

It's been a gloomy two or three years but it looks like Millwall are back and back in style.

Credit to Derby they didn't fold under the Den onslaught and were awarded a penalty on 70 minutes when a Aiden O'Brien bumped into Tom Ince. I thought it was harsh but seeing that the ref had gave us two penalties he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to give one to the opposition. Derby scored and it was a nervy last twenty minutes. We couldn't do it and succumb to the equaliser with five minutes of normal time to go. At any other time a draw against high flying Derby would have been a decent result but in this instance that's two points dropped and it may be the end of us in the Championship. Rotherham have got to lose their last two games and we have to win away at play off spot chasers Wolves managed buy our old mate Kenny Jacket.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Nelson, Hooiveld, Harding, Martin (Gueye), Abdou, Bailey, Woolford, Gregory (Fuller), O'Brien (Cowan-Hall), 

Subs not used, Archer, Taylor,Fletchert, Thompson, 

Goals: Gregory 26, 36 pen, 50 pen, 

Derby: Grant, Shotton, Keogh, Forsyth, Warnock (Albentosa), Hendrick, Dawkins (Martin), Hughes, Ince, Sammon, Lingard (Russell), 

Subs not used, Christie, Ward, Naylor, Roos

Goals: Ince 42,  Martin 70 pen,  Hendrick 85

All in all a decent performance but just the one point and only two points over the last three games. Neil Harris must be offered a permanent job, surely. That is the ninth game of his ten game spell and his record is LDDWLWDLD = 10 points and 9 goals

We meet Kenny Jacket's Wolves next Saturday and it could be a critical game for us as well as Wolves who are scrapping for a play-off place. If Rotherham win at home to Reading Tuesday night we will just have our pride to play for. Kenny may be expecting a favour but I doubt it.

Blackburn 2 Millwall 0, Championship Game 44, 21-4-15, att: 12,884 ( We took 270 ish away)

GOALS WIN GAMES

Away on a Tuesday night

It took me a couple of days to get the keyboard out and write a bit about this game because more than anything it proved along with the recent Cardiff game that without a Championship striker staying in this league is nigh-on impossible. We should have won both games and secured six points and not just the one. I believed that we would stay up after the first couple of games under Neil Harris because things that were missing started to show and as the games continued it showed even more, passion, desire, commitment, believe and we were and have been having some cracking goal scoring chances. We were back, but are we?

If we were back we would be scoring goals and we ain't. The two players that scored for Blackburn have scored more goals than the whole Millwall team combined so that is the reason Blackburn won the game and not because their overall display was better than ours. We had chances, Martin Woolford and Paris Cowan-Hall come close and so did Magaye Gueye and Gary Taylor-Fletcher but as the Cardiff game nobody clinical buried one and the "staying up hope" is fizzing out with just two games to go. It looks like we are now relying on Rotherham to lose points regarding the mistake of playing a player after his loan period had expired. and then more or less losing their last two while we keep a eye on Wigan.

NEWS FLASH: Rotherham get deducted thee points, Its all to play for

Cardiff 0 Millwall 0 Championship Game 43 att:19,639

40 POINTS AND THREE GAMES TO GO

That's game seven of Neil Harris's ten and we have grafted for nine points
Two wins, three draws and two defeats

Any other time a 0-0 draw at Cardiff would have been a blinding result but we should have had a win.
We have improved everywhere on the pitch but still haven't got that clinical finisher. I know that we have been scoring recently with two against Charlton, Brentford and Wigan but the pressure was really on for this game but although we had good chances, we did not deliver. Gary Fletcher-Taylor promised us a while ago that he will score goals, once he un-tangles his feet he may well do but on the showing so far I don't see it myself. Lee Gregory has not picked up with his goal scoring which must disappoint him and he is still stuck on six for the season. As I said we should have had this one and the chance by Mark Beevers that smacked the underneath of the bar and ended up not crossing line was a major blow and it just proves that margins are tight in this division.

 JUST ONE LUCKY BREAK IS ALL IT TAKES. 

Can we do it stay in the Championship ? We are still in with a shout and the team has not gave up so nor shall I. Rotherham still have the risk of being docked at least three points which adds a extra dimension to the this end of season battle royal. There is only one more game to go at the Den and I wish it was all three.

Bottom 5: Brighton P 44, 46 pts---Rotherham P 43, 44 pts---Millwall P 43, 40 pts 
                  Wigan P 44, 39 pts---(R) Blackpool P 44. 25 pts

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Harding, Abdou, Nelson, Beevers, Woolford, Bailey, Gregory (Taylor-Fletcher 74), O'Brien (Fuller 74), Martin (Gueye 62),
subs not used, Archer, Hooiveld, Cowan-Hall, Powell

Cardiff: Marshall, Peltier, Malone (Fabio 22), Ecuele-Manga, Morrison, Whittingham, Noone (Kennedy 85), Gunnarsson, Ralls (Pilkington 64), Mason, Doyle
subs not used, Moore, Adeyemi, O'Keefe, Harris

Millwall 2 Wigan 0, Championship Game 42,-4-15 COME ON MILLWALL

Game 42 and the Den is rocking

FLYING JIMMY ABDOU, A MIDWEEK SPECIAL

That's Neil Harris's sixth game in charge and it's two wins, two draws and two defeats

There was just one change for this game when Lee Martin started instead of Martyn Woolford and that from all the players was a Millwall performance that went hand in hand with us the supporters, we were loud and we were proud .That was like the atmosphere I was weaned on and although the Lions looked nothing like Barcelona they were up for this one with as much desire that I have seen for a long time. It looks like we have got our Millwall back and for the pocket dynamo Jimmy Abdou to open the scoring when he flew in with his head was the spark that lit the blue touch-paper that turned the Den into mass celebration and we were cooking on gas. Into time added we secured the win as sub Magaye Gueye broke toward the Wigan goal and similar to his goal against Charlton fired a fierce shot from a angle which beat the Wigan keeper and we were dancing down the Old Kent Road.  A win double from the two Frenchies and a good shift by young Sid Nelson.

WELCOME TO THE MILLWALL WAY

The next day Wigan are winging that we roughed them up, excuse me' who received two red cards? We received one. Even their fans on the forum were moaning that the Den was a loud and fierce place and it put them off.  I can only say one thing, welcome to South East London and welcome to Millwall.

All around the ref as he is dishing out cards

The bottom of the table which is a place we know well this season and also the season before is looking much about the same apart from us pulling away from Wigan and also closing the cap on Rotherham to four points.  Rivals Rotherham are up before the Football League shortly because they fielded a illegible player. A three point reduction could be the punishment but I won't hold my breath. Rotherham play against Fulham tomorrow night.


How it looks-bottom five: Fulham P 43 46 pts,  Rotherham P 43 44pts,  Millwall P 42 39 pts
Wigan P 43 36pts, Blackpool P 43 25 pts (already down)

Milwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding, Abdou, Nelson, Beevers, Martin( Gueye 68), Williams (Bailey 42), Gregory, O'Brien(Woolford 84), Upson 79
Subs not used, Archer, Fuller, Taylor-Fletcher, Cowan-Hall

Goals: Abdou 24 Gueye 90+3

Wigan: Carson, Maguire, McClean, Pennant(Chow 80), Kyung, Boyce, Perch,
Pearce 79  Fortune(Waghorn 52  66),
Subs not used, Habsi, McCann, Barnett, Murphy

15/4/15 Fulham 1 Rotherham 1 I'll take that

Millwall 0 Watford 2, Championship Game 41, 11/4/15, att: 12,075 (away 2,840) not the end of the world

Well that's five games with Neil Harris in charge and it's he's second defeat. 

I was hoping and saying that we would win this game or more exactly that we had a chance of winning this game but deep down I knew it would be a tall order. Watford can score goals for fun and the 84 that they have scored in the league this season are proof of that, only Bournemouth have scored more. Watford's two goals scored in the 25th and 56th minutes were clinical strikes and that was missing from our game as we pretty well matched them toe-to-toe everywhere else on the park.

Two penalty shouts and we should have been awarded at least one of them

A decent chance but Gomes saves

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding(Maierhofer 73m), Abdou(Martin 68m), Nelson, Beevers, Woolford(Gueye 58m), Williams, Gregory, O'Brien, Upson

subs not used, Archer, Dunne, Bailey, Taylor Fletcher

Watford: Gomes, Connolly, Angela, Hoban, Paredes(Motta 90+2), Watson, Tozser, Guedioura, Anya(Abdi 60m), Vydra(Ighalo 83), Deeney,

subs not used, Bond, Munari, Layun, Pudil

Goals: Vydra 26m, Guedioura 56m

Bottom five: Fulham P 42, 45 pts----Rotherham  P 42, 43 pts----Wigan P 42, 36 pts,
                     Millwall P 41 36pts----Relegated Blackpool P 42, 25 pts

We have a game in hand over them all, we play this game Tuesday night. To add a extra twist, this game is against Wigan, a true 6 pointer.

Millwall 2 Charlton 1, Championship Game 40, 3/4/15, att: 14,722 (away 2,235)

A GOOD FRIDAY WIN, THAT'S EXTRA CHEERED MY EASTER UP

First half and Millwall pressing up.

Neil Harris secures our first home win since the 25th of October 2014 and now has a total of five points from his four games in charge of the first team. The gap closes between us and the last safe spot to four points and the Den was buzzing again. Charlton took the lead in the 67th minute against the run of play while playing with ten men and that quietened us down for a couple of minutes but we soon got back in our stride and continued to press the Addicks. They were down to ten men because their captain Solly was sent off for a hand ball in the penalty box the 28th minute. Lee Gregory took the penalty and the Charlton keeper dived to his right and saved, I was thinking at the time that hopefully this is not a omen. Shaun Williams normally takes penalty's I do believe, perhaps he should have took this one. Time was running out when with just over ten minutes to go Magaya Gueye who had come on as a sub and replaced Jimmy Abdou scored from a tight angle and sent the Den into orbit. The Den was now double rocking and Neil Harris's Lions continued to try to get something more from this game and with three minutes of normal time to go Gueye once again contributed to the result by getting off a shot that ended up with Jos Hooiveld scoring from close range and this time the Den went beyond orbit and we were bouncing off the stand roofs. Charlton had done well recently and won seven of their last nine games but their dismal record against the Lions continued. I suppose Charlton can take some comfort that they scored their first goal at the Den for nigh on twenty years.

Last three DDW

Millwall enjoy yet another win over this lot

I just had to chuckle. Imagine the scenario, it's 40 minutes before kick off and a train is halted just before the bridge over Zampa Road as it waits to go into South Bermondsey Station. The muted Charlton chant of something or other can be heard coming from the stopped train followed by a chant of  "your going down"  which is of course was aimed the people around the Barry Kitchener Stand and the car park. It sounded like a bunch of over excited school kids enjoying their big day out because of course, they get to ride on a train.

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding(Maierhofer 69m), Abdou(Gueye 58m), Nelson, Hooiveld, Woolford, Williams, O'Brien, Gregory, Upson(Bailey 76m),
subs not used, Archer, Dunne, Beevers, Taylor-Fletcher

Goals: Gueye 79m, Hooiveld 87m

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Gomez, Diarra, Johnson, Fox, Berg-Gudmundsson, Vetokele(Bulot 72m), Cousins, Bulot, Eagles(Bikey 32m), Watt(Church 78m)
subs not used, Dmitrovic, Lennon, Lepoint, Wiggins

Goal: Diarra 67m
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You have got to have a look at this, http://www.charltonlife.com/discussion/67256/spanners-v-
charlton-post-match-fury

After reading nine pages of this I conclude that they hate Millwall like a school kid hates a proper dinner.

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6/4/15 Bank Holiday Monday and Rotherham played and beat Brighton 1-0 the revised bottom five now reads Rotherham with 43 points which does not help our cause but they have played a extra game than us.