MILLWALL FC

1885---131st Anniversary year---2016 'We fear No Foe

Understood by those that matter

Sunday 29 May 2016

Millwall 1 Barnsley 3, League One Play-Off Final, Wembley, 29/5/16 att: 51,277 (30,000)






YET ANOTHER TRIP TO WEMBLEY


I don't know this bloke

The lot I was with got there 3 hours early but it didn't matter as there is always lots to see and do before a Wembley game. Plenty of pre-match buzz around the place and even at the early hour many Millwall were streaming out of Wembley Park Tube Station ready for the game that would top the season off. I wanted us to stuff this lot from Barnsley who have spent the last two weeks slagging us off and they really are utter pillock's who hide behind keyboards and insult from afar. We took 30,000 to this game and although the total did not match the numbers we have took before to Wembley we were everywhere before the game and made up the bulk of the crowd and most of the noise once inside the stadium.


Having a beer


I had been confident all week that we would beat Barnsley but now the doubts were setting in, I tried to shrug them off but...........

Ben Thompson:   I did wonder what was going through his mind as it wasn't too long ago he was following the Wall like us and would more or less be doing the same thing and without much doubt as a supporter of the Lions thinking " this is Millwall we are talking about and disappointment could be just around the next corner:  A incredible journey for him and just a few years later wearing the shirt and coming out the tunnel to the thunderous roar of the Millwall crowd. If it was me they would probably have to call a ambulance as my heart would be coming out my shirt and my knees would be knocking. How would he play?

                                                            HARVEY BROWN LEADS THEM OUT


The Lions press but wide it goes


A game too far?

About the same as the rest of the team would be the answer to that question and after a long hard season it seemed to be a game too far.  We didn't play to any expectations and performed well below par. They made the game easy for Barnsley and they won it with some good finishing after moments of play where we didn't compete or win the second ball. We had bad luck when Bryon Webster had to drop out shortly before the start due to the injury he picked up in the 2nd leg of the Bradford City game. Was it bad luck or bad judgement that he declared that he was fit to start? Tony Craig come on in his place and took the Captains arm band from Steve Morison, I presume from the nod of Neil Harris. Steve Morison worked hard throughout the game trying to create but it wasn't to be his day or anybody else's. Due to injury we lost Joe Martin near the end of the first half which depleted our normal back four even more and not forgetting that Mahlon Romeo was also missing from the back line as he was suspended.  Shane Ferguson dropped into the left back position and Aiden O'Brien came on and played down the left but no super sub status as he produced very little.


Shed loads of Wall


The start of the game could have resulted in us taking the lead just after kick off but Barnsley went down the other end and went 1-0 up when Carlos Edwards was beaten to the challenge and Barnsley fired the ball home. The 30,000 went quiet for a second but then quickly got back into song to roar the Lions on. It did not work as Barnsley scored their second with nearly 20 minutes on the clock when a shot from outside the box curled into the top corner with Jordan Archer well beaten.
Mark Beevers was putting in a shift without Bryon Webster and scored ten minutes before half-time when he picked the ball up after a sort of miss-hit from Tony Craig and near the six yard line he spun and buried the ball home. Game on.


Game on

The second half and we had a few chances to equalise and Aiden O'Brien come close when Steve Morison crossed and O'Brien picked up the ball and shot but the keeper was in position to save without moving. The third Barnsley goal we conceded from a corner when Jordan Archer and others failed to clear or collect the ball and Barnsley's pint sized winger Lloyd Isgrove managed to out jump our back line and and his glancing header ended up in the back of the net. Chris Taylor had a effort late on but it wasn't to be and League One again next year. The away support rubbed it in which is to be expected and there was a small scuffle up on the upper tier which didn't result in much and was missed by many but managed to make head-line status. It is Millwall so to be expected.

I am having a couple of weeks off with this blog and unless the mood takes me to post something 'see you next season COYL

Millwall: Archer, Edwards (Williams 82), Craig, Beevers, J Martin (O'Brien 43), Taylor, Abdou, Thompson (Onyedinma 76), Ferguson, Gregory, Morison
subs not used, Forde, Philpot, Upson, Nelson,

Goal: Beevers 34m

Barnsley: Davies, Williams, Roberts, Mawson, Scowen, Isgrove ( Watkins 84m), Hammill, Hourihane, Fletcher (Toney 80m), Brownhill, Winnall
subs not used, Townsend, Chapham, Nyatanga, McCourt, White

Goals: Fletcher 2m,   Hammill 19m,  Isgrove 74m

Friday 20 May 2016

Millwall 1 Bradford City 1, League One Play-Off 2nd leg, 20/5/16, att: 16, 301 ( 1,718)

COME ON YOU LIONS

The special times continue

The Den was rocking tonight and the team did their job to near perfection and the only shot that I can remember from Bradford that was on target is the one they scored from and even that was saved and they got the lucky bounce.

The biggest crowd of the season and the Den is a cauldron of noise 

We earn over the two games a 4-2 aggregate score and we are off to Wembley for the play-off final. We play Barnsley who made it through their two games against Walsall with a 6-1 aggregate score.
The final is next Sunday so tickets to sort this week and a trip across London to follow.

Nights like this is moments I treasure, there's no ground like the Den, my ears are still ringing

Amazing scenes of celebration as the Lions take us to Wembley

That put a few noses out of joint especially around the Bradford and Barnsley area. The amount of abuse of us and the team on social media was intense.They wanted a Yorkshire derby at Wembley and they certainty did not want us. They accused the team of cheating when it was plain to see to all that we were the better team and worked hard over the two legs to earn our trip to Wembley. Our celebration on the pitch was something sinister and we were scum for doing it but it's ok for every other clubs supporters to do it and in fact Bradford fans done it themselves a few years back after  they were playing Northampton.

WE ARE LOUD WE ARE PROUD AND WE ARE IN YOUR FACE 
BUT WE AIN'T NO BABY EATERS

Neil Harris has done something amazing

Wembley here we come and we go again

Millwall; Archer, Edwards, Beevers, Martin, Webster (Craig 90+3), Abdou, Thompson, Ferguson, Gregory (Williams 88), Morison, Taylor
subs not used, Forde, Upson, Onyedinma, Nelson, O'Brien

Goal: Gregory 33m

Bradford: Williams, Darby, Meredith, Evans, N.Clarke (Davies 74m), B.Clarke, Cullen (Thorpe 46m), Reid, Proctor, McArdle, McHahon (Anderson 88m)
subs not used, Cracknell, Marshall, Morris, Burke

Monday 16 May 2016

Bradford City 1 Millwall 3, League One Play-Off Semi Final, 1st Leg, Sunday 15/5/16 12.45pm kick off, att: 19,241 (1,828)


THIS IS WHAT SUPPORTING MILLWALL IS ALL ABOUT
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EVERY NOW AND THEN WE ARE BLESSED WITH SPECIAL TIMES

I had a bounce in my step today as I headed for work and I couldn't wait to talk about football when I got there. Roll on Friday.

LET THEM ALL COME DOWN TO THE DEN

With a two goal lead to take back to the Den this Friday night things are looking good. I know it's still only half-time and there is still a lot to do but we are now back at our place and I have just heard that all the home tickets are gone and its sold out.  Bring on the roar and bring on the Lions.


When we went 1-0 down Saturday because Joe Martin felt the need to handle the ball in the box and concede a penalty I am sure a few of us said, "oh shit" when they scored from the spot and were expecting the worse to follow but then to watch shortly after Lee Gregory collect a ball from Steve Morison, spin and the fire the ball passed the Bradford keeper was a joy and a goal of great craft. With the score back to 1-1 and Millwall pushing for more Steve Morison with great presence run into space from a Shane Ferguson corner and with a powerful header beat the keeper just under the bar. The keeper was clutching thin air for that and he was again just before half-time when a superb Joe Martin free kick curled just inside the right-hand post and we had the game in the bag.. Bradford went for it second half but apart from a Bradford miss from when Carlos Edwards lost the ball on the by-line we finished the game in control and we looked solid all over the pitch. That's 45 goals between Lee Gregory and Steve Morison this season and a chance to add some more.

From the Yorkshire Post--A big ask for Bradford, going to Bloomfield Road or the Perelli Stadium and overcoming a first leg deficit is one thing. Doing it at Millwall in front of arguably the most hostile crowd in English football is quite another.

As I said earlier roll on Friday night

Millwall: Archer, Ewards, Martin (Craig 71m), Beevers, Webster, Abdou, Thompson, Ferguson (Williams 88m), Gregory (O'Brien 64m), Morison, Taylor
subs not used, Forde, Nelson, Upson, Onyedinma

Goals: Gregory 14m,  Morison 34,  Martin 44m

-----
Bradford: Williams, Darby, Meredith, Evans, Clarke, Cullen, Reid, Proctor, Morais (Davies 69m), McArdle, McMahon (Anderson 82m),
subs not used, Cracknell, Morris, Leigh, Routis, Thorpe

Goal: McMahon 13m pen

Copied from other Millwall web-site>>click here>> 7windmills.blogspot.co.uk

Sunday 8 May 2016

Gillingham 1 Millwall 2, League One, Final Game 46, 8/5/16, att: 9,375 (we take a restricted 1,213)

That's the regular season over with and we finish 4th in the league. How it pans out in the play-off's is anybody's guess but whatever happens it's been a decent season with Neil Harris gaining experience with every game and the team showing that touch of class on more than one occasion. Our strikers have been outstanding and other players have also been banging them in and we finish the 3rd highest scorers in the league and only been beaten 3 times in 2016. After the few years of dross that went before we now have our spirit and desire back and also our soul.

PLAYED 46--WON 24--DRAWN 9--LOST 13 =81 POINTS


REMEMBER THE PRIZE


This was a game that Gillingham must win if they wanted a chance of making the play-off's but we wasn't keen to let them and with the help of the travelling Wall we were more than up for it and got the winner in the 98th minute when Lee Gregory was felled in the box, he took the penalty and scored his 25th goal of the season.. 
Last ten.....WDWDWLWWWW *that's impressive*

We took the lead in the 55th minute when Aiden O'Brien pounced on a loose ball that come off the keeper after a Steve Morison shot and cue the knees up in the packed away section and other bits of the ground were the travelling Wall support had managed to bag some tickets. We now continued to play some decent football and with the Gillingham supporters and the home side management receiving reports that Barnsley, Bradford and Scunthorpe were all winning the writing was on the wall for them and it was just pride to play for. They were giving a helping hand when in the 86th minute Mahlon Romeo was sent off for steaming into a challenge with intent but did not make contact with the player. We are appealing against this red and if we are not successful Romeo will miss all the play-off games including Wembley if we get there.
This sending off gave Gillingham a burst of energy and two minutes into extra time they scored form close range and levelled the score. We didn't settle for a draw and deep into extra time Lee Gregory who after his stomach operation game on as a sub earlier in the game replacing Aide O'Brien was clobbered while bearing down on the Gillingham goal and he buried the resulting penalty kick.We finish with four wins on the trot and we have momentum.

We have been banging in the goals and we are the 3rd highest scorers in the league with 73 goals.We also have the 2nd best goal difference in the league with a +24. We have won the same amount of games as Wigan who finished the season as champions and only second place Burton has won more games than us winning 25. Neil Harris has done well in his first full season in charge and with the help of his right hand man David Livermore.we finish comfortably in a play off spot.

Bring on the Play-off's

TOP  Wigan 87 pts
2nd   Burton 85 pts
3rd   Walsall 84 pts
4th   Millwall 81 pts
5th   Bradford 80 pts
6th   Barnsley  74 pts
-----------------------
7th Scunthorpe 74 pts

Play off 1st leg 15/5/16
The play-off's start soon and our first game in this knock-out competition is the first leg away to Bradford City  next Sunday the 15th of May. A bit of a journey for this one and it's a 12:45 kick off which takes no consideration for the travelling support
.
Play off 2nd leg 20/5/16
Friday night at the Den 7:45 and hopefully on to Wembley


Millwall: Archer, Romeo, Martin, Beevers, Webster, Thompson, Abdou, Ferguson (Upson 71m), O'Brien (Gregory 74m), Morison (Craig 86m), Taylor
subs not used, Forde, Edwards, Williams, Onyedinma

Goals: O'Brien 55m   Gregory 90+8 penalty

Gillingham: Nelson, Egan, Ehmer, Loft(Williams 58m), Hesssenthaler (Jackson 58m), McDonald, Samuel (Norris 59m), Dack, Dickensen, Wright, Oshilaja
subs not used, Morris, El-Abd, Osadebe, Donnelly

Goal: Egan 90+2

Red card appeal was never going to be anything but.....

We appealed against Mahlon Romeo's red card but that was a waste of time, it still stands so he missing the play-off games. Neil Harris is charged by the FA for being sent to the stand in the same game when he complained about the Romeo sending off. I wonder what delight they have in mind for him.