Millwall FC in the Championship 2014 -15

Pre-Pre Season

16/5/14

Shortly after the end of last season in the Championship where we survived yet again Ian Holloway has met the board, he knows what he has to spend and he starts on re-shaping his squad.

Shane Lowry and Jack Smith won't be kept and they are to be released shortly. It looks like we will not be retaining Maierhofer as he yearns for the Premiership and Steve Morison goes back to Leeds.

I would be curious to see how the tail end of Morisons career pans out. If he couldn't make it even on the bench for Leeds and was loaned out all season I cannot see him at Leeds for long unless a change of manager there gives him a change of fortune. I can't see it my self, he could be back at Millwall though.  Simeon Jackson will not be kept and Liam Trotter ( who's he) has signed a permanent deal with Bolton. Owen Garvan has gone back to the Palace and I cannot see him back at the Den but you never know.

Mick Hartford is out and about scouting and we should see the results of this shortly. 

Lee Martin signs for another two years, I think this man will get even better and as long as he stays injury free he will be a star player. Hopefully the lure of the Premiership with anybody else apart from us will not be a distraction.

17/6/14
We sign the non-league wonder striker Lee Gregory on a three year deal. He came from Halifax Town where he scored 31 goals in 39 goals. Ian Holloway reckons he will score goals for us in the Championship and he could be another Neil Harris. Time will tell.

Carlos Edwards stays with the Lions
Byron Webster joins the Lions on a free from Yeovil
Wannabee Premiership starlet  and last season loan player Stefan Maierhofer is told he is not wanted by the Lions as he tries to re-sign.

15/7/14 Dartford 0 Millwall 1 att:2,441 Jermaine Easter scores the goal

The first game of the pre-season and Millwall win at Dartford. The Lions mixed it up a bit with a good dollop of skill and we was knocking the ball around all over the pitch. Lee Martin played some blinding balls into the box. Matthew Briggs trails for us.

Dartford: Brown (Ibrahim, 72mins), Green, McAuley, Mitchel-King (Anidugbe, 72mins), Cornhill, Hayes (Collier, 46mins), Noble (Harris, 46mins), Bradbrook (Derry, 63mins), Pugh (Thompson, 63mins), Daley (Adekunle, 68mins).

Millwall 1st half: Forde; Hoyte (O'Brien, 29mins), Robinson, Webster, Briggs; Abdou, Williams; Woolford, Chaplow, Gueye; Marquis.

Millwall 2nd half: Bywater; Edwards (Nelson, 75mins), Dunne, Beevers, Malone; Bailey, Wright; Upson (Onyedinma, 83mins), Martin (Powell, 83mins), Easter, Gregory.

Ricardo Fuller arrives on a free from Blackpool
Magaye Gueye joins the Lions on a free from Everton

2/8/14
Matthew Briggs signs for Millwall after turning down a more lucrative offer to Join Huddersfield. Released by Fulham as I presume he wasn't good enough may have a point to prove. According to the papers he was won over by Ian Holloway and can't wait to start.

2/8/14
Millwall 1 R Mallorca 0 att:3,814  The Lions dominate and Jermaine Easter scores again

Nicky Bailey injured which may see him not play in the up and coming Leeds game. Richard Chaplow crooked after coming on for only a short while. This game saw the Lions play with some of that Millwall way and also skill, intelligent football and have the courage to do something brave and with at times flair. The future will be interesting and with a a large squad to choose from it will take some skilful and perhaps crafty man management to keep a settled squad. Ian Holloway could be the man to do this but he will have to be sincere. I presume some will fall by the wayside or least  go out on loan. Paul Robinson is loaned out to Portsmouth for 28 days. He has said he still wants to play for the Lions and match fitness is what he is hoping to achieve. I am not sure that this would get him back as a regular player in the Millwall side and the end of a fine Millwall career looks to be on the horizon. He is a Millwall legend and that will never change.
7/8/14

Alan Dunne takes over the captains role full time

The Season is about to start, Leeds United at our place and I can't wait. Not many tickets left

Here We Go

9/8/14 Championship League Game 1 Millwall 2 Leeds Utd 0 att:16,205

About a year ago our first game of the season resulted in a 1-0 home defeat to Yeovil Town and it went down hill from there. This time Leeds come to town and didn't get a look in as our good home form against them continued. Leeds produced nothing and all though I think we can play better the performance from us was more than enough to take all the three points. Our pre-season as you may know was not wasted and a revitalised Lions looked confident on the pitch as well as confident on the ball. A early goal from centre half Mark Beevers settled us down and from that point we was never in danger of losing the game.

We set the play

That's nine games without defeat and Ian Holloway for this game used the bulk of the team that played in last seasons last eight games apart from pre season signing Ricardo Fuller who started up front. Another pre season signing Lee Gregory who come on in the 80th minute was tripped in the box and Shaun Williams took the penalty and that was it, Leeds were not coming back from that.
The best game of the season so far and lets surprise Fulham at their place next weekend and lets make it ten games unbeaten;  you never know.

No place like a busy Den

Over 16.000 was at this game and it was noisy and the away end must have left with their heads swirling due to the constant wall of noise aimed at them. They must love their trips to south London.

The away end and headaches all round

Millwall: Forde, Edwardes, Dunne, Beevers, Malone, Williams, Abdou, Woolford(Easter 66m), McDonald, Martin(Gueye 66). Fuller(Gergory 80),
subs not used, Bywater, Briggs, Webster, Wright

Goals: Beevers 8m Williams 88 pen

Leeds: Silvestri, Byram, Warnoock, Wootton, Pearce, Murphy, Hunt(Smith 57), Austin, Ajose(Poleon), Tonge, Doukara(Cook 64)
subs not used, Berardi, Taylor, Killock, Benedicic

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12/8/14 Capital 1 Cup Millwall 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 att: 3,403

Goal: Briggs 27

Plenty of team changes from the Leeds game with six Millwall academy players on the bench and new signings start the game on the pitch. I watched this game after learning who was playing and who was on the bench with a "this could be one of them games" I wasn't sure Ian Holloway used the right players to win it. Wycombe were a handful and on a few occasions could have scored, I suppose they had nothing to lose and did play decent but had no nous to overcome a established Championship club such as Millwall., At periods we played the ball around quiet well but at times did not have the cutting edge to increase our lead.  Matthew Briggs scored our goal with some good individual skills as he cut in from the left and buried the ball at the far post. He went on collect a yellow card as he celebrated his goal by taking his shirt off.  Briggs was shown a red in the second half for receiving another yellow for a high boot so playing with ten men for the last half/hour didn't help even though I felt that we held it together playing with ten men and saw the game out to conclusion. I have no idea where ref Andy D'Urso got the extra five minutes from but we didn't give the game away which may have done last season.

The crowd is somewhat smaller, in fact 12,802 smaller

A few days have gone by since the Leeds game and its the drama of the Capital 1 cup, first round 

Millwall:  Forde, Dunne, Webster, Briggs, Abdou, Wright, Easter(Siafa 85), McDonald(Powell 63), Gueye(Onyedinma 46), Gregory

Wycombe: Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Mawson(Bloomfield 82), Jacobson, Cowan-Hall, Murphy, Kretzschmar(Craig 82), Wood, Hayes, McClure(Holloway 72)
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Its that time of year, holidays, family's and all that. Blog on the back burner. Here's my effort of catching up.

***

16/8/14 Championship League Game 2 Fulham 0 Millwall 1 att: 18,988

That's two wins and six points

I bet that upset them over in West London as South East London comes to town and opened the fault and nicked the three points. We are now unbeaten for eleven games and Martyn Woolford carries on from last season by scoring yet again. He scored in the eleventh minute after receiving the ball from Ricardo Fuller. We took 4000 to this this game and what a fine sight they were.


Fulham  spent thirteen years in the Premiership and I presume they have lots of money and although they were relegated last season they still have supposedly a premiership team. We defended strong and defended well and kept a clean sheet after Fulham did make a game of trying to get a goal but they weren't good enough.

Millwall: Forde, Edwards, Malone, Dunne, Beevers, Williams, Abdou(Gueye 78), Martin, McDonald, Woolford(Bailey 61), Fuller(Easter 72),
subs not used, Gerra, Webster,
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19/8/14 Championship League Game 3 Sheffield Wednesday 1 Millwall 1 att: 20,636 (361)

Sheffield Wednesday supporters must have thought they had won this game but the Lions played right to the end and scored 5 minutes into extra time. It felt like a win and I was jumping about like we had won the FA Cup. Footballs great sometimes and nice thoughts to take to bed with you on a Tuesday night. Shame that the wife had a headache.

Both teams ended up with 10 men and both both undefeated.

Millwall: Forde, Edwards, Dunne, Beevers, Malone, Williams, Abdou (Gueye 59mins), Martin (Easter 89mins), McDonald, Martin, Gregory (Fuller 59mins).
Subs not used: Gerrar, Wright, Briggs, Webster.
Scorer: Gueye (95 mins ) phew that was close  

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Mattock, Hutchinson (Coke 66mins), Loovens, Semedo, May, Palmer, Nuhiu (Madine 71mins), Maguire, Lees, Maghoma (Helan 78mins). 
Subs not used: Kirkland, McCabe, Zayatte, Corry.

Scorer: Maguire (56mins) 

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23/8/14 Championship League Game 4 Millwall 0 Rotherham United 1 att: 10282 (410)

There goes our unbeaten run

I have heard the performance from Millwall in this game described as Lomasesque as a flat Millwall couldn't beat Championship new boys Rotherham United. I am not sure what happened to the Ian Holloway effect but there was no sprinkling of "Ollies sparkle"
This defeat did surprise me as I didn't see it coming. Perhaps me and others including the team thought we were better that we actually are. I do not think we were wrong to think that because we have had a decent start and of course it was carrying on from last season.

A blessing in disguise? this may turn out to be as it's certainly opened my eyes. Ollies Magic? Fine up to a certain point but at the end of it all it's just about hard work and creating chances and putting a few away.

Millwall: Forde, Edwards, Malone, Dunne, Beevers, Malone; Williams, Wright (Gueye 50mins); Martin (Easter 71mins), McDonald, Woolford; Fuller (Gregory 84mins). 

Subs not used: Gerrar, Briggs, Abdou, Webster. 

Rotherham United: Collin, Broadfoot, Arnasan, Morgan, Skarz (Wood 81mins); Frecklington, Pringle (Brindle 90mins), Wordsworth, Smallwood; Taylor, Revell (Bowery, 87mins). 
Subs not used: Loach, Tidser, Swift, Derbyshire.
Bookings: Skarz (56mins), Taylor (90+3mins)
Scorer: Pringle (49mins) 


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26/9/14 Capital One Cup round 2 Millwall 0 Southampton 2 att: 6014 (1011)

The Lions sunk by two second half goals

We changed nine players from the team that lost to Rotherham but still managed to give Southampton a run for their money. We finished the game with five academy players on the pitch and they done all right. A good display by the  Wall and all things considered 'the Capital One Cup, there's always next year.

Millwall: Forde, Hoyte Briggs, Williams, Webster, Powell, Abdou(Thompson 76 mins0, Chaplow (O'Brien 63 mins), Gueve(Onyedinma 63 mins), Easter, Marquis
subs not used, Gerrar, Siafa, Goodman, Gregory

Southampton: Forster, Clyne, Yoshida, Fonte, Long(Ramieez 91mins), Davis, Wanyama (Cork 46mins), Ward-Prowse, Pelle, Isgrove (Tadic 29mins), Targett
subs not used, Davis, Gardos, Taider, Stephens
Scorers, Cork 53mins, Pelle 94mins

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Striker Mathias Renegie joins the Lions from Watford on Loan to January. This player has played for Sweden and can score goals. He is a big man 6' 5" I do believe and it could be just what we are looking for.

30/8/14 Championship League Game 5 Millwall 2 Blackpool 1 att: 9877

Back to winning ways

I am sure that Ian Holloway will tell the players that the game lasts for 90 minutes and not 70. We could have blown the 2-0 lead and if this was the same time last season we probably would have.

Blackpool finished the game looking for a equaliser in the last 20 minutes but we kept them out.

We do we keep slagging off players like Lee Hughes, Marlon King and Nile Ranger it nearly always comes back to haunt us and it was written that Nile Ranger would score and he did.  It wasn't all gloom and we won this game because of two well taking goals one from Scott McDonald on 33 minutes and a well crafted goal from Scott McDonald after a assist from Jack Powell  who  delivered well from a free kick.

That's the fifth league game and not bad, 3 wins, 1 draw and one defeat, 10 points

Last season after 5 games, 2 draws and 3 defeats, 2 points

That Jack Powell looks useful. He could and probably will become a star. He was let go by West Ham last year and I must say "their loss".He has a point to prove and he is proving it. He has already "starred" for Millwall this season and I believe that he can go on to be a force to reckoned with.

Millwall: Forde; Edwards, Beevers, Dunne, Malone; Powell (Webster 81mins), Williams; Woolford, McDonald, Martin (Gueye,78mins); Fuller (Ranegie 61mins). 

Subs not used: Gerrar, Wester, Briggs, Easter, Gregor. 

Scorers: McDonald (33mins), Malone (51mins)

Blackpool: Lewis, McMahon, Daniels, Clarke, J Oriol, Perkins, Lundstram (E. Oriol 74mins) Orlandi, Zoko, Delfouneso (Ranger 56mins), Miller (Davies 65mins). 

Subs not used: Parish, Rentmeister, Zenjov, Cywka

Scorer: Ranger (71mins)

________________

We are g;etting very cosmopolitan as we sign our first Spaniard, ex Espanyol and Blackpool midfielder Angel Martinez. I am struggling to remember some of these new players names let alone pronounce them.

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1239/14  Championship League Game 6 Ipswich 2 Millwall 0 att: 16,199

We had more shots on target, more shots off target and more possession but we lost this one, We were bright in the first half but hopeless after the break. Sounds a bit familiar to me and after we went 1-0 down on the stroke of half time we wilted and offered zilch in the second half. Would we have had more of a chance if Lee Martin and Lee Gregory had not been injured? not sure and we will never know but it couldn't have helped. We drop to 7th place and 4 points off of the top spot which is held by Forest.

Millwall: Forde, Edwards, Dunne, Beevers, Malone, Powell(Gueye 46), Williams, Woolford(Upson 67), McDonald, Easter(Fuller 67), Ranegie
subs not used, King, Briggs, Webster, Onyedinma

Ipswich: Gerken, Parr, Mings(Smith 70), Chambers, Berra, Skuse, Murphy, McGoldrick, Anderson(Sammon 81), Tabb, Bishop(Hyam 71)
subs not used, Bialkowki, Bajner, Bru, Henshall

Goals: McGoldrick 45, Murphy 63

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16/9/14 Championship League Game 7 Reading 3 Millwall 2 att: 15,091 we take 871

Tried hard but could do better

That's five goals conceded in the last two games and after the 2-0 defeat away to Ipswich Saturday a quick Tuesday night  game away to Reading did not fill me with much confidence but as normal always hopeful that we can get a win. From the start a five minute flurry of good play by the Lions quickly turned to crap and was 2-0 down by the 15th minute but a change of formation and the early substitution of Bryon Webster for Martyn Woolford tightened us up and we begun to threat the Reading goal. We scored just before the break when Ricardo Fuller cracked one in. The second half started and it was not long before we drew level when Mark Beevers headed in and we were level.
After clawing our way back level and the clock ticking down I was ready to celebrate the draw but it was not to be as Reading scored their 3rd when they knocked in the ball from a corner with six minutes to go and a easy header sealed the win for Reading. We battled back after being 2-0 down  with some of our best play of the season but it wasn't to be our night.

Stats

Possesion 50% each

Shots--Reading 9 Millwall 18

Shots on target--Reading 3 Millwall 9

 Corners-Reading 3 Millwall 7

If you check the stats for the game before at Ipswich we dominated there as well.

Millwall: Forde, Webster(Woolford 26), Beevers, Dunne, Chaplow(Renegie 86), Onyedinma(Upson 74), Abdou, Edwards, Malone, McDonald, Fuller

subs not used, King, Briggs, Gueye, Easter

Goals: Fuller 39  Beevers 54

Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Obita, Mackie(Taylor 69), Blackman(Cooper 86), Akpan(Edwards 77), Norwood, Murray, Cox

subs not used, Pogrebnyak, Kuhi, Long, Anderson

Goals: Cox 6, 84, Blackman(cheat) 15 pen 

***

Nottingham Forest Saturday and another "big" game as we try to so something in this division. In my book a must win game so hopefully we cannot lose three games on the spin because if we do it may prove that we haven't moved on since the Steve Lomas days.

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21/9/14  Championship League Game 8 Millwall 0 Nottingham Forest 0 at: 12,034

FOREST SIT TOP  

Ian Holloway's original game plan  didn't last long as Carlos Edwards is stretchered off with only six minutes on the clock.

Injured while tracking back, Carlos Edwards goes off and it could be a bad one.

With Edwards injury Jimmy Abdou moved in the right back position and had a very good game and on that performance I gave him my man of the match. If he keeps this up his place on the team sheet will once again be secured, the man is a jewel and a roaring Lion.

The first half of this game was uneventful and I am struggling to remember anything else about it so I won't bother. I have remembered something else. I remember Renegie receiving a sarcastic cheer when he eventually won a header.

The second half was a bit more like it with the Lions pressing hard and spending time around the Forest box. Ricardo Fuller who had come on for Renegie was lively and I am not sure why he didn't play from the start. I heard later that he took a knock Tuesday night so perhaps Ian Holloway did not want to risk him from the start. We pushed fr the winner right up to the final whistle and made the table toppers work for every crumb they got. As I said earlier we are going to beat someone shortly..

On that showing we can be as good or if not better than Nottingham Forest and finish about or above the league position that Forest are aiming for.

It's the second half and one of Millwall's various attempts on the Forest goal

After two defeats we had to win this one. That was my original thoughts regarding this game but on reflection, it was a game that we had to not get beat. We managed that and got a draw but frustrating as Forest was there for the taking.

Once again our stats are best, more possession, more shots on target and more shots off  target. It shouldn't be long before we beat someone.

Millwall: Forde. Edwards(Upson 7), Dunne, Beevers, Malone, Williams, Abdou, Easter(Gueye), McDonald, Woolford, Renegie(Fuller 65), 

subs not used, King, Webster, Chaplow, Onyedinma

Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Hunt(Fox 44), Mancienne, Wilson, Lichaj, Tesche(Paterson), Vaughan, Burke, Lansbury, Antonio, Assombalonga

subs not used, Harding, Veldwijk, Lascelles, De Vines, Osborn

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21/9/14 Junior Lions Fun Day at the Lions Centre

I went to this with a few grand-kids and apart from nowhere to sit I enjoyed the day

Even the community police queue to see Zampa 

Meet the players

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27/9/14 League Game 9 Huddersfield 2 Millwall 1 att:11,712,  I think we took about 370

That's still eleven points

Huddersfield had not won at home since March so I thought we may get something from this game.,I should have known better. Ed Upson pulled it back to 1-1 but that only lasted 15 minutes. Nicky Bailey challenged Huddersfield's Harry Bunn in the penalty area and Bunn managed to conn the ref with a dive that would have scored a 10 in the 2012 London Olympics. There was still 34 minutes to play for  but we didn't achieve much apart from a Beever's shot that was saved well. We gave the ball away to much. Our passing game was below par and we gave the ball away at every opportunity

Millwall: Forde, Abdou, Malone, Dunne, Beevers, Bailey(Renegie 73), Williams, Upson(Hoyte 74), McDonald, Fuller, Woolford(Gueye 74), 

subs not used, King, Webster, Gregory, Chaplow

Goal: Upson 41

Huddersfield: Smithies, Lynch, Peltier(Holt 64), Hudson, Hogg(Scannell 85), Butterfield, Coady, Robinson, Wells(Wallace 89), Smith, Bunn,
subs not used, Murphy, Dixon, Ward, Stead

Goals: Wells, 37, 56 pen

Home to Birmingham Tuesday night. It must be a win
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30/9/14 Championship League Game 10 Millwall 1 Birmingham 3 att: 9,086

A win it was not

I don't understand this side. They all speak about happiness and they all speak about how great it is working for Ian Holloway but they don't produce in a constant manner form that is good enough to beat teams that we should be beating and beating them especially at home. I can understand the misery and the gripes which effected performances last year and players not on their game but I am confused. Is it because we are just not good enough and what you see is what you get? I know that we are "not one of the big boys"  and we cannot spend dosh like the big boys but that as always been case and what the Lions lacked in "superstars" they more than made up with a lion like performance with plenty of  grit and determination. We hardly lost at home and now it's a common occurrence, perhaps it's us the supporters and we need to go to another level or just maybe it is what it is and with our funds we will always struggle in this division

At home and Birmingham held no fear.

Millwall:  Forde,  Hoyte(Chaplow 46), Malone, Dunne, Beevers, Williams, Upson (O'Brien 46),  Abdou, McDonald, Ranegie (Fuller 69), Gregory

subs not used, King, Webster, Woolford,Briggs

Goal: Gregory 53

Birmingham: Randolph, Grounds, Robinson, Edgar, Gleeson, Donaldson, Cotterill, Reilly(Packwood 71), Arthur(Thomas 73), Davis, Caddis

subs not used, Doyle, Duffy, Hall, Lee, Shinnie

Goals: Donaldson 32, Cotterill 40, Thomas 84

ps....Ian Holloway has been reported as saying that 'we have a soft underbelly

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4/10/14 Championship League Game 11  Derby County 0 Millwall 0 att: 27,749

Martyn Woolford starts and Mathew Briggs makes he's league debut. Ian Holloway mixes it up with Scott Malone and Mark Beevers dropped, Byron Williams comes in and makes he's first start since being subbed in the 29th minute at Reading, he put that substitution anguish to bed after having a superb game against Derby. Aiden O'Brien came on as a sub against Birrmingham and impressed us all including Holloway who game him a start against Derby and what a game to make your full league debut and on his 21st birthday. Once again he done well.

I presume that all these changes were Ian Holloway's response to a run of five games without a win. We still did not win but we could have done and after the dismal affair against Birmingham it cheered me up no end. I guess that the Derby supporters thought they were going to win this game and got all shirty and frustrated when they knew that wasn't going to happen. We were solid for most of the game and were worth the point. We should have had a penalty when Lee Gregory was pushed in the box but the ref must have had crap in he's eyes as he failed to see it.

Millwall:
Now yet another international break.
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18/10/14 Championship League Game 12 Millwall 3 Wolves 3 att: 13,428

Kenny Jackett back at the Den

Kenny Jackett gets a good reception before the game but he got nothing else as he was just another away manager there to be beat.

LDLLDD last six

A near full Dockers 

We go 3-0 down and gloom sets in but the team battled hard after Holloway made some critical substitutions and the three players he fetched on, Ricardo Fuller, Lee Martin and Scott Malone played a big part in turning this game and in the end a point will do. Should we be going 3-0 down against Wolves at home? nope we shouldn't. Our passing and retaining the ball in the first half was non-existent and I lost count of how many times we gave away the ball. We went in at half time 1-0 down and although once again at home we were losing I went for my half time smoke thinking that we could turn this game around.

Wolves bring a about 2000

A pause in the game as the Lions set up a free Kick

I couldn't believe what I was seeing as we were 3-0 down by the 64th minute and things didn't look good as Wolves scored two goals from dead balls from both touch lines and there is no way we should be conceding goals from there. 

Wolves succumb to a late Millwall Onslaught

Nobody left the ground (maybe a tiny few) and we were rewarded shortly after the Wolves third goal when Lee Gregory scored with a fine controlled shot that went just inside the Wolves keeper's right hand post. That goal gave us hope and we raised the noise and substitute Ricardo Fuller responded by scoring two first class goals. Sometimes he's finishing is a joy to watch and he was certainly on his game to day as he pulled the game back to 3-3 with two goals in five minutes. Shaun Williams saved the day as he received a red card in the 97th minute as he took one for the team by bringing down a Wolves player as he was bearing down on the Millwall goal. Goal keeper David Forde also had time to make a final contribution as he went to his left and made a fine save with seconds to go to stop Wolves taking all three points. All in all a game that had a few twists and turns, it looked like a game that we was going to lose but we didn't. One of the best Millwall comebacks I have seen for a long time and we were all there at the finish. 

Played 12, Won 4, Drawn 4, Lost 5, Goals For 13, Goals Against 16, Points 13

That's 13 points out of a possible 36 which is just over a point a game. We must improve as we sit just 3 points away from the last relegation place. Wigan away Tuesday night and although it may seem a bit of a tough ask, three points would be well useful.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Webster, Williams, Briggs, Chaplow(Malone 67), Abdou(Fuller 57), Aiden O'Brien(Martin 56), McDonald, Woolford, Gregory

subs not used, King, Shittu, Upson, Beevers

Goals: Gregory 67, Fuller 82, 87

Wolves: Ikeme, Doherty, Batth, Ebanks-Landell(Stearman 86) , Rowe, McDonald, Van La Parra(Henry 54), Edwards, Sako, Dicko(Sagbo 80),

subs not used, Flatt, Golbourne, Saville, Jacobs

Goals: Batth 23, Ebanks-Landell 62, Sako 64

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21/10/14 Andy Wilkinson signs on loan from Stoke to January as cover for the right back position after Carlos Edwards injury. He will have to battle that slot with Scott Malone and Mathew Briggs who shouldn't give it up lightly. Reading in the papers that Wilkinson has been with Stoke for 15 years but has only played once this season Holloway persuaded him to sign for the Lions. He is apparently a player that shirks nothing and will put a shift in. I suppose we will have to wait and see. It looks like he will start tonight against Wigan away.

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22/10/14 Championship League Game 13 Wigan 0 Millwall 0 att: 10,201 

       We take 268

A WET AND WINDY NIGHT AND ALTHOUGH THE LIONS DIDN'T SHINE, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED THEY DONE OK.

Richard Chaplow is back on his game and his contribution is growing with every game.

With Wigan still awash with Money from parachute payments after their relegation from the Premiership their team full of "stars" didn't shine and the Lions kept them out with a good solid defensive display. Andy Wilkinson a loan signing from Stoke City started his first game for the Lions by meeting them just before the game and he slotted into the right back position with ease and had a good game. There's more to come from him, I'm sure.

It wasn't a good game and Wigan's 10,000 size crowd didn't generate any atmosphere of note and on the night with the weather and all the game didn't buzz with excitement apart from us getting the draw. That's three draws on the spin earning three points, at the moment the draw and the point does not seem much but you never know "that could be the point at the end of the season" .

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Malone, Webster, Dunne, Chaplow, Woolford,(Upson 64), McDonald, Martin(Briggs 88), Gregory(Onyedinma 76), Fuller
subs not used, King, Beevers Shittu, Powell

Wigan: Carson, Tavernier, Ramis(Kiernan 52), Riera(Espinoza 74), Maloney, McClean(McMananan 62), Barnett, Forshaw, Figueroa, Fortune, Kvist
Subs not used, Al Habsi, Perch, Waghorn, Delort

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25/10/14 Championship League Game 14 Millwall 1 Cardiff 0 att: 10,135

"I reckon we lost 3k off the gate due to the game being televised"

Our first win in nine but that's four games underfeated

Following on from the 0-0 draw at Wigan Tuesday night, we make that wet and windy point seem more valuable as we take our unbeaten run to four games and take our points tally to 17and things look a bit more rosier than it did when we lost at home to Birmingham a few weeks back.

Live on sky, a football match 

Just looking, but looking for what

Our first live league game on TV this season. I suppose Sky were looking or hoping for a incident that they could twist and manipulate and show us all as baby eaters or something similar. Nothing for them on that score so that had to devote the time of actually just showing Millwall growing in stature as the game went on and we were unlucky not to win by a bigger margin.

JB RIDES AGAIN

The Boss is back over the pond. He has permission to fly after surgery on his knee

Midfield and everywhere else Scott McDonald usually has one or two decent shots per game and today he didn't disappoint as a screamer of a shot took the paint off the keepers right hand post as it whistled by.  Lee Gregory couldn't improve on his two goal Millwall tally as he controlled a long ball by Shaun Williams and lifted the ball over the Cardiff keeper but a bit to high as it it the bar and the top of the net. He could have had another and I can see why he scored a zillion goals in non-league. He seems a natural and I am sure he will score more for Millwall this season and he could well make double figures by the end of the season. We will have to wait and see.Ed Upson missed by a fraction after being set up with some good Millwall play in and around the visitors box he is another that can work a couple of decent chances in every game..

Cardiff had chances and a double save by the King of goal keepers David Forde send us in to a hand clapping frenzy because we all thought we were going 1-0 down.

In the 54th minute the goal that gave us a first win in nine games lifted us out of seats to about the same hight that the big fella jumped to power home a Shaun Williams on the button corner. What is it about Danny Shittu, he has not played since March because of injury but has made his way onto the bench for a few games but started in this one and straight away he was back doing what he does best, communicating, confidence making, competing and delivering a true captain's role and a true captains goal as he went up for a corner and powerfully headed the ball home. He loves it.

Danny Shittu powers one in 

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Briggs(Webster 72), Beevers, Shittu, Upson, McDonald, Gregory, Fuller(Woolford 78), Martin,

subs not used, King, O'Brien, Chaplow, Onyedinma, Abdou

Goal: Shittu 54

That's five changes after the Wigan game

Cardiff: Marshall, Brayford, S Morrison, Manga, Fabio, Pilkington, Noone, Whittingham, Gunnerrsson(Ralls 33), Le Fondre(Maynard 62), Macheda(R Morrison 61)

subs not used, Moore, Connol

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1/11/14 Championship League Game 15 Watford 3 Millwall 1 att:17,000 (away 1797)

The Referee Bob Madley should have went the whole hog and put a Watford shirt on.

We had a extra 20% possession but conceded the most fouls. What does that tell you? You've guessed it, another "unconsciously" bias referee, big bad Millwall must be punished. We played some decent football but somehow lost this game 3-1.  We scored from a Martyn Woolford Goal in the 12th minute and held on to the lead to the 36th minute when Watford scored against the run of play. We couldn't take this score into the half time break thanks to the referee. Alan Dunne was fouled and ended up falling to the floor, Troy Deeney fell over him and the referee awarded Deeney the foul. He even booked Dunne. Forgive me if  I am wrong but this referee is the most useless twat that ever took up the art of refereeing, if he's not a twat he must have a agenda. I can't see how the Football League can give him ever another game to referee. Watford still had a free kick to take and once again our defending of dead balls was below par and it was whacked in on 45 minutes. We were all over them for the start of the 2nd half and continued to boss the play to once  again another dubious free kick and once again we didn't defend it and that was that. It's a good job it wasn't a long way home.

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Briggs(Malone 61), Shittu, Dunne, Webster, Williams, Upson, Martin(O'Brien 83), McDonald, Woolford, Fuller(Gueye 70)
subs mot used King Shittu, Beevers, Chaplow

Goal: Woolford 12

Watford: Gomes, Paredes, Bassong(Hobson 31), Ekstrand, Pudil(Doyley 80), Andrews, Munari, Tozser, Vydra(Dyer 72), Ighalo, Deeney
subs not used, Bond, McGugan, Forestieri, Murray

Goals: Vydra 36, Tozser 45, Munari 64

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4/11/14 Championship League Game 16 Millwall 2 Blackburn 2 att: 8,250

Andy Wilkinson sent off for a 50-50 tackle, Blackburn bench carry on as if their player had been shot. That got our backs up, can a 8000 crowd make a ear deafening noise?  yes it can if it's down the Den . Up the Wall

I haven't checked but I believe that's our lowest league gate of the season. It was a wet, crap night but I always enjoy going to a mid week game, it's not a chore if you live local. I was hoping we would carry on at home where we left off against Cardiff. A few changes to the team yet again this time in defence, Alan Dunne suspended and Danny Shittu fetched back in defence after being rested for the Watford game couldn't stop us going behind by 2 goals with 20 minutes left on the clock. Andy Wilkinson had been sent off after receiving a red card for a 50-50 challenge was ludicrous and that really got our backs up. Talk about injustice.  The team and ourselves was still taking this in when Blackburn scored their second which for a micro second numbed us to the core and shortly afterwards we raised the volume to the roof and a amazing comeback was achieved. A very good response by the players and a couple of good goals thrown in for good measure. We  finished the game buzzing. All this made for a better night and a better short journey home.

That's 18 points, we are creeping along and slowly building up our points tally but we need to win more.

Up yours world, the late equaliser from Shaun Williams saves the day

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Shittu, Beevers, Briggs, Williams, Upson (Gregory 60), McDonald (Dunne 64), Martin, Fuller, Woolford

subs not used, King, Webster, Ranegie, Chaplow

Goals:  Martin 72, Williams 88

Blackburn: Steele, Hanley, Cairney, Rhodes (Varney 86), Marshall (Conway 81), Olsson, Baptise, Duffy, Tunnicliffe, Evans, Gestade

subs not used, Henley, Kilgallon, Dunn, Eastwood, Taylor

Goals: Duffy 37, Gestede 65

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8/11/14 Championship League Game 17 Millwall 2 Brentford 3 att: 13,048 (away 2000 odd)

History in the making

For the first time in football history the Lions wear a camouflage kit as they support Headley Court which is the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre located in Surrey.

The players from both teams form a guard of honour for Headley Court injured military personnel who were invited to the game on the day before remembrance Sunday. Tomorrow will also mark 100 years since the start of the First World War.

Proceeds from the sale of 1500 plus of these camouflage shirts, plus one pound from every programme sold will mean that a nice few bob will be coming the centre's way. It should be around 25k. Headley Court volunteers were also out with buckets.

***

Millwall looking like desert storm but first half playing like Desert Norm.

The Game

Following from my post after the Blackburn Game, it did rain but we copped the most from it after the game as we travelled down to Maidstone to pick up a car. What a night that was going down the M20, the window wipers had to work like crazy but we got home safe. Did the Lions work like crazy, I don't think they did and in the first half and yet again we went behind. A short while after the re-start we went 2-0 down and Brentford were making us look like mugs.  Another come back was on the cards as we clawed it back to 2-2 with goals from Lee Greogory (I think) (58 min), and a rare one from Alan Dunne (59 min), which was a peach. Scott McDonald came on in the 57th minute and the two Lions goals quickly followed. There was no more goals for Millwall but Danny Shittu became a scorer as he gave Brentford a unintentional helping hand and scored a close up own goal. The referee was better than the last two games but when he booked Dunne in the first minute, I thought, here we go again. Alan Dunne finished the game so he managed to keep his nose clean after the booking.

I don't think we have any ball winners. I can't remember the last time we tacked anybody and come away playing the ball. We have no problem giving the ball away. Brentford reminded me of Millwall a good few years back.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Shittu, Beevers (Ranegie 67), Briggs, Chaplow (Upson 82), Williams, Gueye (McDonald 57), Gregory, Martin, Fuller

subs not used, King, Woolford, Upson, Webster

Goals: Gregory 58, Dunne 59

Brentford: Button, Odubajo, Dean, Craig, Bidwell, Judge, Diagouraga, Pritchard (Smith 76),, Toral (Saunders 76), Gray, Jota (Dallas 66), 

subs not used, Bonham, Tarkowski, Yennaris, Proschwitz

Goals: Gray 42, 56, Shittu og 64

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Yet another International break, and it's all so boring. These breaks have been boring lately but there was a excellent 3-1 England win against Scotland which helped to fill the gap.

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22/11/14 Championship League Game 18 Charlton 0 Millwall 0 att:19,189  (3,215 travelled)

I bet Charlton love playing us, not. 

The long wait continues as Charlton have not beaten the Wall for 18 years. This was a tight game with very little in the way of thrilling  entertainment. I am happy with the draw but Charlton are harping on how they should have won it as they had their best chance in the last minute of extra time of this game to beat us but Alan Dunne saved the day as he cleared the ball for a corner after Tucudean lobed David Forde with a few seconds to go and the record continues, well done Dunne. The Millwall 3000 were in fine voice at the final whistle as they rubbed it in " you will never beat Millwall"  "I never tempt fate myself"

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Malone, Beevers, Webster, Williams, Upson (Easter 62), McDonald, Martin, Gregory (Fuller 66), Woolford (Gueye 85), 

subs not used, King, Shittu, Angel, Chaplow

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Fox, Bikey, Ben Haim, Gudmundsson (Wilson 87), Coquelin, Buyens (Harriott 27), Jackson (Tucudean 82), Cousins, Vetokele

subs not used, Phillips, Gomez, Onyewu, Bulot

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29/11/14 Championship League Game 19 Bournemouth 2 Millwall 2 att: 10,016 (800)

We must be now officially the Come Back Kings as yet another game we come back from the dead and salvage a point. These comebacks are earning us a few points but not enough to take us a way from the relegation places. We drop to 20th place and hold a two point cushion. Following on from the 0-0 draw with Charlton the Lions looked like yet again that a win was beyond them and even a point didn't seem possible as top of the division Bounemouth took a 2-0 lead by the 25th minute and looked like they were going to stay in top spot.

Cue the second half, we play more from the front and cue the Millwall comeback. Ed Upson with 75 minutes on the clock started the comeback as he headed past the Bournemouth keeper. With two minutes of normal time to go Mayage Gueye fired the ball home and the Lions escaped defeat. The away end was on it all through the game and helped the team win the point. Lets not go behind and keep "coming back" let's start from the start as we mean to finish and we may start to pick up a few more wins.

Looking at the table and the teams at the top it appears that we are well out of touch as we languish ner the bottom. There is another way of looking at it, we have only lost two more games than Brentford and three games more than the other teams at the top apart from Norwich. Watford who sit two points off the play offs have lost one game less than us. It's all to play for. 
Let's see if we can stay undefeated in December and gain a couple of wins which will set us up nicely for the new year.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Malone, Webster, Beevers(Fuller 46), Williams, Upson, Martin(Easter 19),, McDonald, Woolford(Gueye 75), Gregory
subs not used, King, Shittu, Angel, Powell

Goals: Upson 75, Gueye 88

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Cook,  Elphick, Surman, Pugh(Stanislas 61), Atare(O'Kane 65), Pitman, Daniels, Kermorgant(Fraser 78), Ritchie
subs not used, Camp, Gosling, Smith, Cargill

Goals: Cook 22, Pitman 25

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Fred Onyedinma joins Wycombe Wanderers on loan until January 2015

Jake Goodman joins Wimbledon on loan

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6/12/14 Championship League Game 20 Millwall 1 Middlesborough 5 att: 10,328

AS PER USUAL WE WENT BEHIND BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO WAY BACK

That was the end of my hope that we could go undefeated in December.

Rose coloured glasses won't work with this game. We were hopeless, what I saw today was not Millwall. There was no fight and no desire, wrong tactics and no "Millwall way"

Playing at home Millwall should have been in their face but they weren't in the race. I have never seen so many leave a game early in all the years that I have supported the Wall. 

With 5 minutes of normal time to go and the Cold Blow Lane stand is looking thin on the ground

John Berylson wants more supporters through the turnstyles, he ain't  going to get it with a display like that. Our defence was nowhere good enough and it makes me wonder why Paul Robinson is on loan down at Portsmouth. The players that Ian Holloway rotates to play in the defence are not good enough and have the right attitude to battle fr the Lions. This maybe because of constant rotation and changes to tactics but stronger players like Paul Robinson would still battle and have the nous about him to adapt. His age maybe against him now but unless Danny Shittu plays on a regular basis we need a player like him.

The Game:

Millwall could have been 3-0 down before Boro scored their first and we can thank David Forde that that was not the case. The goals against us went in on 21, 28, 34, 44 and 79 minutes. We scored ourselves (whoopee) when Scott McDonald buried one in the 78th minute but no comeback this time as Boro quickly scored their fifth.and we were done good and proper. Yet again Byron Webster is subbed early and Danny Shittu took his place and done the job.

The joy of celebrating Scott McDonald's goal lasted less than a minute

We as a crowd was quiet. Ian Holloway blames himself. Alan Dunne mentions that it was a new formation and Marc Bircham states that it will never happen again. I bloody hope not because I thought that when Ian Holloway took over that all this misery would be a thing of the past but it doesn't seem that way. Can we have a constant please?
Saying all of that when the team took to the pitch there was a below par atmosphere which I thought was odd especially after the gritty comeback at Bournemouth. It was like the crowd was expecting what was to follow. Psychic or what?

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Malone, Webster(Shittu 46), Dunne, Williams, Upson(Woolford 70), Powell(Gueye 46), McDonald, Fuller, Gregory
subs not used, King, Easter, Briggs, Martine

Goal: McDonald 78

Middlesborough: Konstantopoulos, Friend, Ayala, Leadbetter, Clayton,(Veljkovic 63), Reach(Wildschut 81), Omeruo, Bamford, Nsue, Adomah, Vossen(Kike 71),

Subs not used, Mejias, Gibson, Tomlin, Whitehead

Goals: Vossen 21, 34, 44 Bamford 28, Kike 79

12/12/14 Championship Game 21 Brighton 0 Millwall 1 att: 24,085 we take about 800

A Friday night live on Sky game. It was good to get the win

This game was not exactly a sizzler but we started well, we looked sharper, passed it about a bit had decent movement and scored a goal in the 15th minute. Then for some reason we played the rest of the game frightened to do anything similar again. It seemed like that after the 5-1 drubbing at  home against Middlesbrough the taking of this precious lead against Brighton was something they were keeping. They done the job so on that score the players can not be faulted. Millwall's goal come about after some good play and a couple bits of luck when Lee Gregory picked the ball up on the edge of the area and run in and smacked the thing home beating the Brighton keeper on his far side of the goal.

That's 23 points from 21 games and if we keep that up for the rest of the season that may not be enough to keep us up.

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Shittu, Beevers, Malone, Angel(Dunne 88), Williams, Gueye(Abdou 80), McDonald, Woolford, Gegory(Fuller 82),
subs not used, King, Briggs, Easter, Upson

Goal: Gregory 15m

Brighton: Stockdale, Bruno, Dunk, Halford, Chickson, Forster-Caskey, Gardner, Teixeira, March(Colunga 65), Bent, E.Bennett(McCourt 72),
subs not used, Walton, Ince, Hughes, Holla, Calderon

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19/12/14 Championship Game 22 Millwall 0 Bolton 1 att:8,635  (away 356)

Another Friday night game and this time at home.

It should have been a penalty and the keeper should have been sent off

Lee Gregory is tripped by the Bolton keeper shortly after the start of the second half and of course it was completely missed by the referee.

Following our win away at Brighton we being Millwall undone the good work with a display that didn't come close in strengthening our reputation of being a side that are hard to get beat at home.
One day Millwall may show the strength and guile and a dollop of talent again to win something at home but it appears it's hard work for them at the moment. We may get our mojo back at some point and that may be in January when we have been told we will dip into the transfer market. Roll on January.



Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson(Abdou 77), Malone, Shittu, Dunne, Williams, Angel, Woolford, McDonald(Fuller 55), Gueye(Martin 57),  Gregory
subs not used, King, Briggs, Webster, Easter

Bolton: Lonergan, Vela, Mills, Dervite, Ream, Danns, Pratley, Feeney, Hall(Wilkinson 83), Lee, Gudjohnson(Trotter 62)
subs not used, Bogdan, Moxey, Spearing, Wheater, Clough

Goal: Pratley 68 mins

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26/12/14 Championship League Game 23 Norwich 6 Millwall 1 att: 26,714 (we take about 650)

Dear-oh-dear-oh-dear!!

IS IT THE CASE OF TOO MUCH CHRISTMAS PUD?

We have not won at Carrow Road since 1968 so no surprises. Wins have been very rare this season and we did not even come close to getting something from this game. We were woeful.

TINKERING AGAIN

Ian Holloway yet again made changes looking for that elusive win but whatever he does changing the team or the formation does not produce a winning formula unless you count the un-convincing 1-0 win at Brighton recently. Not much fruit to show for our labours. We started this game using a 4-2-3-1 and ending up with "god knows what"  That worked well....NOT

We didn't get a look in from the start of this game and could have conceded before we actually did. There is no defence of our inept display and I presume more changes for the Bournemouth game in two days time. 

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Beevers, Shittu, Briggs, Williams, Angel(Abdou 71), Marquis, Martin, Gueye(Easter 76), Fuller(Gregory 71)

subs not used, King, Wilkinson, McDonald, Upson

Goal: Easter 86m

Norwich: Ruddy, Whittaker, Martin, Cuellar, Olsson, Redmond, Houson, Oneil(Hoolahan 68), Johnson(McGrundies 76), Hooper, Jerome(Grabban 62)
subs not used, Rudd, Turner, Lafferty, Bennett

Goals: Whittaker 12m, Jerome 17m, Johnson 54, 61 mins, Hooper 69, 91 mins

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Sunday 28/12/14 Championship League Game 24 Millwall 0 Bournemouth 2 att: 10,407

This was expected as we are just not good enough

That's the third defeat on the spin and yet more changes.  Losing at home to Bolton 1-0 and the 6-1 thrashing at Norwich and now this defeat at the hands of Bournemouth have left us tottering on the edge of the League 1 abyss. I did here a muted chant of  'Holloway out' coming from the Dockers stand and I am sure I heard a chant aimed at Scott Malone 'your not fit to wear the shirt'. If my hearing was correct this could be start of terrace unrest and a more vocal campaign may follow. On the game itself, we were yet again poor in all departments and although we tried to give it ago we were just not good enough as per usual. We need some new blood in the team and I don't just mean support for Lee Gregory, we need at least four new signings in the January window and there is hope that something will happen on that front but who's available and if there was anybody available would they want to join a sinking ship.

WE MAY HAVE BEEN POOR BUT THAT WAS NEVER A PENALTY

Millwall concede the first goal after a penalty was given to Bournemouth after Lee Martin fouled Bournemouth's Charlie Daniels outside the box. "Yes" that is correct, "outside the box" I was ideally placed to spot that the foul was outside the box but apparently the referee wasn't.

Penalty' no way ref, your having a a laugh

TEENAGER SID NELSON STARTS AND IS VOTED MILLWALL'S MAN OF THE MATCH 

Making his full league debut Millwall supporter Sid Nelson shows the so called senior pro's how to play a football match, He played all out from start to finish and could have scored with a little more luck. Hopefully he does not get contaminated by "the couldn't care attitude around him" and lets hope he doesn't get his brain scrambled trying to work out Holloway's tactics.  Perhaps we need to play a few more young un's in our next game especially after Scott Malone has trouble not falling over his own feet.?

ps....Shaun Williams gets a red card. He must channel the frustration and show more passion with the ball then he will be playing the Millwall way.

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Shittu(Dunne 67), Nelson, Malone, Abdou, Williams(Fuller 45), Martin(Gueye 56), McDonald, Woolford, Gregory

Bournemouth: Daniels, Cook, Elpick, Francis, Ritchie(Frasser 88), Surman, Arter, Smith(Pugh 69), Kermorgant(Gosling 58), Wilson

Goals: Kermorgant 32(iffy pen) Artur 42

Bournemouth fetch about 1800
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THE FA CUP 3RD ROUND. 

3/1/15 Millwall 3 Bradford City 3, att:5,470 (away 1093)

The FA Cup and here we go again.It's League One Bradford City coming on a jolly to the Den.

Can we beat them? There was a time I would have said yes?

The next day the Sunday papers called this a six goal thriller. I don't think that was the case especially if you was a Millwall supporter. League 1 Bradford city  are sitting 5th in their division and this was a classic "banana skin" type of game that went to form. Sitting near the bottom of the Championship was proof enough that our recent form and results was nothing to sing about and we were facing a in-form Bradford side that came to the Den with a good away support. Bradford gave us a early scare when they opened the scoring in the 6th minute as once again we couldn't deal decisively with a set piece as Bradford scored from a corner. We were playing a normal nervy type of game with passes going a stray and it wasn't so much that Bradford were defending stoutly to keep us out it was more of us trying to produce opportunities without the moves breaking down. We did keep on trying and all though it was frustrating watching the team we did equalize on 36 minutes as Scott McDonald's glancing header levelled the score jut before half time.

The away end looks on

Something to celebrate-Scott McDonald's goal

We did score three goals and Ricardo Fuller was on the money as he scored a brace. His first goal saw us take the lead on 66 minutes as he scored from about eight yards out after Scott McDonald broke through with the ball. The lead only lasting four minutes as Bradford got lucky and equalised. A deflected cross hit the crossbar bounce back hit Sid Nelson and went in. The Bradford supporters went crazy and we went off to find a dark corner to hide in. It got worse, the northerners scored again and took the lead again on 76 minutes. The Den was stunned and the chants aimed at Ian Holloway and the players was getting somewhat hot in the block where I was but Fuller scored again with just seven minutes on the clock and that made sure we went home not yet again experiencing a home defeat.

I know it's "only" the FA Cup but the cup means something down at Millwall and we are still in the draw for the next round. Back to their place on Jan 14th.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Nelson, Shittu, Briggs, Upson(Woolford ), Abdou, Chaplow(Gueye 81), Martin, McDonald, Fuller

subs not used, King, Easter, Martinez, Powell, O'Brien

Goals: McDonald 36, Fuller 66, 83

Bradford: Knott 6 76,  Nelson 70(og)

News Flash

4th round draw   Chelsea v Bradford City or Millwall  now there's excitement

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The January Window

Ian Holloway,  we need more options and we need these options quickly

Millwall sign Paris Hall-Cowan from Wycombe Wanderers on a two and a half year deal. He's quick and can score regular.

Paul Robinson who is on loan at Portsmouth has his contract terminated and is free to negotiate a deal elsewhere. I am sorry to see him go, a proper Millwall player that always gave all in is quiet and controlled manner. He also scored a few goals and some were "big" goals, promotion etc.  I think that I would have liked to see him stay. I know he lost a bit after is long term injury but I don't think he was any worse than we have.

>Scott Malone looks like he will be leaving and signing for Cardiff. Perhaps he will do well there.
Scott Malone signs for Cardiff  8/1/15

>Josh Wright goes to Leyton Orient on a free

<31 year old Dan Harding who plays as a defender signs on loan from Nottingham Forest to the end of the season.

<Stefan Maierhofer returns to the end of the season and comes on a sub in the 1-0 defeat at Blackpool

>Jermaine Easter goes to Bristol Rovers

<12/1/15 Shaun Cummings joins from reading and signs a two and a half year deal

>Stephen Bywater is let go

<Right back Shaun Cummings joins the Lions from reading on a two-and-a-half contract

<We secure Watford's forward player Diego Fabbrini on loan to the end of the season

On loan Wilkinson goes back to Stoke

24/1/15 Scott McDonald has his contract terminated

26/1/15 We sign on loan Southampton central defender Jos Hooiveld. If he's decent hopefully he can  be our king-pin and hold this back four together

We sign Leeds Midfielder Michael Tonge on loan to the end of the season. I am trying to think why we would need another midfielder

2/2/15 Goalkeeper Jordan Archer joins on loan from Tottenham to the end of the season. That's our lot in the January window and although no Tim Cahill I think we have managed to capture some good players for the hard grind ahead.


This list may not be exactly in date order

On paper we have signed a few "proper footballers"

That's the transfer window closed and no last minute signing of a striker. Overall 'we got some decent players but a good few of them are on loan. Paris Cowan-Hall seems to be a *star buy* but it looks like he is out for the rest of the season due to a ligament injury he picked up in the Reading game.
Jos Hooiveld looks well useful and looked a good educating partner for young Sid Nelson, it's a shame that Sid got sent off. The 6'8'' Stefan Maierhofer is back and what can I say? He gets slaughtered on the Message boards and a lot of supporters think putting it kindly "that he has no skill" I think the same but he does a factor to the team that can be used for our advantage. I am not sure what this factor is apart from, it must be he's presence. I will put money on it that he will score but not sure when.
I have not my mind up yet regarding Shaun Cummings but as he is on loan. I will not get to attached anyway.
Diego Fabbrini who is also on loan and I doubt if we could afford him sets the place alight. With five minutes of him on the pitch he was a Wall favourite, yes it was that quick.
These new players have already helped us secure four points, so lets carry on. I have not seen Michael Tonge play yet so 'no comment. I read in the Southwark News that West Ham are not on his Christmas list. Something to do with the Carlos Tevez and regulations.

Home to Huddersfield Saturday and it must be a win, lets keep that memento going
__
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10/1/15 Championship League Game 25 Blackpool 1 Millwall 0 att: 9,994 we take about 600

"IT PAINS ME TO SAY"

Rock Bottom Blackpool were to good for us and this defeat seems to be the tipping point as many supporters are calling for the Clown (not my term) to go and go now. I am not sure that's a good idea at the moment as we are still in the January window and there's still some shopping to do.

Dear oh dear, if we can't beat bottom side Blackpool who can we beat?  We had chances, we had a penalty shout but in this "must win game" we didn't have the whereabouts yet again to grind out a result. This is the worse time that I can remember following the Wall, it's embarrassing,. Ricardo Fuller is wayward with his finishing and he gets it large from the travelling support. He gives some abuse back at them and he is quickly substituted. Ian Holloway brings on Stefan Maierhofer who is playing his first game after signing for a second time and he carried on where Fuller left off and although the Hof had chances his finishing was no better than Fuller's. I do not believe that Fuller was worthy of the abuse that was slung at him. He has been a constant hard worker and has scored goals and I am not convinced he is a "wage thief" as others within the team have been described .

Ian Holloway said the side lacked composure. I say "yes they lack composure and just about everything else."
He also said on the Millwall FC website, I cannot fault the effort and desire of the boys because everyone of them gave it absolutely everything but unfortunately Blackpool got their goal and we couldn't find a way back. 
We must be bad, Blackpool got their goal and although we gave absolutely everything we couldn't find a way back. 'struth, Blackpool must have played like Real Madrid, a tough nut to crack.

Last ten league games: DLDDLWLLLL 30 points up for grabs and we get just six. Our home record within these ten goals is dismal. W e have played five lost four and drawn one, that's one point from 15. That's not the Millwall I have followed all these years, that's Dismal FC. HELP

I know one thing. We should not get excited regarding beating Bradford this coming Wednesday because if  we do happen to beat them in this FA Cup replay our current team will get smashed to bits by Chelsea in the next round. The Kings Road may go the same way.Lewis, McHahon, Clarke, O'd
Blackpool: Lewis, McHahon, Clarke, O'Dea(Hall 21), Dunne, O'Hara, Oliver(Henshall 61), Perkins, Orland, Delfouneso, Davies(Sene 67)
subs not used, Parish, Nosworthy, Ferguson, Mellis
Goal: Clarke 33

Millwall: Forde, Wilkinson, Harding 74(Gregory 61), Dunne, Nelson, Abdou, Chaplow, Woolford, McDonald(Gueye 74), Fuller(Maierhofer 59), Martin
subs not used, Bywater, Shittu, Briggs, Upson

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14/1/15, FA CUP 3RD ROUND REPLAY, BRADFORD CITY 4 MILLWALL 0 ATT 11,859

Sometimes in life shit happens and when it does it can be far more worse than Millwall getting stuffed by a league one club in the FA cup but after this display nothing matters any more, we can kiss Chelsea goodbye. I'm going to bed.

Next Day

John Berylson is to refund the cost of the match ticket to the 456 travelling "Wall" who bought their tickets in advance. Hopefully this money is taking out the players pay, if not it should be.

The Culprits: Forde,  Dunne,  Shittu, Beevers( sent off six minutes in),  Briggs,  Abdou,  Chaplow, Upson,(Webster 46),  Gregory,  Fuller(Woolford 22),  Martin(Gueye 62)

This done me, Scott McDonald played up front in the first leg and scored a goal. For this game he was on the bench. I presume he was being saved for the Ipswich game.

There's always next season. Ipswich at home for the next game in the league. We should have some more new signings for this one.

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17/1/15, Championship League Game 26, Millwall 1 Ipswich 3, att:11,063 (away 2,500)

Back to the League and our old boss Mick McCarthy comes to town

Ian Holloway starts some of the new signings starting this game but score wise they didn't make a difference as we lost again. There was improvement but only in the "want it" attitude from the team. There was a bit more effort which resulted in us having more of the ball but we easly gave it away as we constantly lumped the ball to Lee Gregory and the Stefan Maierhofer in the middle. We hardly played it wide. New Signing Diego Fabbrini looks useful and can certainly play with the ball. He was subbed in the 2nd half by Lee Martin and that seem to make us lose our fizz in midfield. I am not sure I understood this tactic by Ian Holloway and in fact I still don't.Young Sid Nelson was surprised when Ian Holloway mad him captain a short time before the game. He done ok in this new captains role and considering he was only seventeen days past his nineteenth birthday he grew in statue and has a mature attitude that tells me he could be another Millwall legend and join that immortal bunch of Lions hero's.

Pushing for the equaliser but Ipswich's 3rd goal done us

A bit more passion

Overall we did make more effort, we did play better, we didn't roll over but we did try to get something from the game but Ipswich's third goal killed us off. Up to Ipswich scored their third game we wasn't out of the game and we did have efforts by Webster, Powell, Gueye and Abdou but they were all wide of the target apart from Gueye's 43rd minute effort that resulted in a goal. With Ipswich picking up another three points they are now 2nd in the table and sit behind Bournemouth. We are still 3rd from bottom. and I think it's time we kicked on and with the combination of new players and that bit more "fight" we should start to put a few points together.

Recent signings Shaun Cummings, Diego Frabbini, Dan Harding, Stefan Maierhofer start. Paris Cowan-Hall is still injured and is not in the squad.

Millwall: Forde, Cummings(Fuller 80), Nelson, Webster, Harding, Gueye, Abdou, Powell, Fabbrini(Martin 63), Gregory, Maierhofer
Subs not used, King, Shittu, Wilkinson, Woolford, McDonald

Goal: Gueye 42,

Ipswich: Bialkowski, Chambers, Mings, Berra, Smith, Tabb, Bru, Anderson(Clarke 88), S.Hunt(Parr 63), N.Hunt(Sears 63), Murphy,
subs not used, Crowe,  Ambrose, Stewart

Goals: N.Hunt 5, 14,  Parr 77
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27/1/15 Championship league Game 27, Millwall 0 Reading 0 att: 8,317 (away 539)

IT MAY BE JUST A POINT BUT IT'S BETTER THAN A KICK IN THE GOOGLIES.

The Lions are back with more bite and a bit more passion

It may have been just a point but they are there to be earn't and we certainly grafted for this one. With the January signings of Dan Harding, Stefan Maierhofer, Shaun Cummings , Diego Fabbrini and last minute central defender Jos Hooiveld starting and Paris Cowan-Hall on the bench we were a new look side that from the start looked more solid at the back and I was watching the way that Jos Hooiveld and Sid Nelson were working closely together in the centre of the defence with lots of chat between them. These two will develop in a fine pairing if given the chance and I was gutted when Sid Nelson's 45 minute slightly missed timed tackle resulted in a red card which was issued with great zest from referee Alan Medley.  Sid Nelson trudged off the pitch probably a lot more gutted than me.

THE DEN IS GETTING IT'S MOJO BACK

For the second half Hooiveld teamed up with Shaun Williams and that worked well. Paris Cowan-Hall took the place of Magaye Gueye, and he looks a exciting prospect. Alan Dunne come on and Stefan Maierhofer went off and we finished the game with a purpose and created chances that maybe on another day would see us gain a win and the three points. All in all a good result considering we played the 2nd half with ten men, or did we?. The Den was back to it's noisy self and we being the 12th man dropped into the 11th man spot and roared the Lions on.  I think this game was a pointer to things to come and as I said earlier it maybe just a point but after the improvement against Ipswich which we still lost to earn this draw is the next step. It's Nottingham Forest Saturday and last year we beat them and we beat others and went on to survive the drop. As for now we have a total of 24 points which means there's a long way to go.

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding, Nelson(sent off 45m), Hooiveld, Williams, Abdou, Gueye(Dunne46), Gregory, Maierhofer(Cowan-Hall 46), Fabbrini(Martin 77)

subs not used, King, Beevers, Upson, Fuller

Reading: Fedric, Kelly, Obita, Pearce, Hector, Norwood, Williams, Chalobah(McCleary 58), Robson-Kanu,(Mackie 76), Blackman(Cox 58), Pogrebnyak

subs not used, Anderson, Tauner, Cooper, Karacan
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31/1/15 Championship League Game 28, Nottingham Forest 0 Millwall 1 att:23,018                                                            (away 682)

That's our first win in nine games and our 6th win of the season

The last eight

17th Huddersfield 34 points

18th Charlton 33 pointS

19th Leeds 32 points

20th Rotherham 30 points

21st Brighton 29 points

22nd Millwall 27 points

23rd Wigan 22 points

24th Blackpool 20 points

Ricardo fuller come come on as a 83rd minute sub pounced on some poor defending and "bang" we took the three points. With out doubt we are much a better side since our recent signings and I don't think that Stuart Pearce had done his homework. He's "after game ramble" included "Millwall were a team waiting to be beaten" If this is true it appears that he thought we were going to be as crap as we were against Bradford City and was going to be a easy three points. I wonder if he sent a scout to out Tuesday night game against Reading? I guess he did not.
Once again glowing reports regarding Diego Fabbrini. This was the 3rd game where he has played for us and straight away you could see that he is a quality midfielder who grafts hard and his wizardry with the ball is something that we haven't seen in a Millwall shirt for a long, long time. Hopefully after he's loan period is up we will not be disappointed but I guess a footballer of this quality is got to be on a higher pay grade that we could offer. It could be another "Chris Wood" moment.

There was a sloppy back pass by Shaun Cummings that could have done us but it didn't and hopefully he will learn and won't do it again. Mark Beever's who seemed to be a different player and a cracking header from him was going in but the Forest keeper DeVries pulled off a top drawer save. I big shout also for Alan Dunne who was back in the team and put in a decent performance.

Feeling chirpy myself and I may even do the washing up

We are a improved side and I said after the Reading game that new signing Jos Hooiveld is the "king pin" and in such a short time the performance level and commitment has rose two fold and the old and new players are putting in a shift, even David Forde is saving well and Beevers in this game done well. The Hof needs to raise his game if possible which would be my only criticism after this game. All in all a cracking win and well worth the three points, it's been a long wait and considering what we have had to put up with Ian Holloway is still here while others around him fall. Stuart Pearce as just been sacked and another manager bites the dust after we beat him. The next game can't come quick enough.

I was looking forward to this game which is something that I have not been experiencing for a long time and my hopes were rewarded with this "massive" three points. Better than sex really.

Nottingham Forest: DeVries, Kane, Hobbs, Wilson, McLaughlin, C Burke(Fryatt), Lansbury, Osborn, Antonio, Teche(Peterson), Assombalonga
subs not used, Darlow, Lichal, Fox, Veldwijk, Lascelles,

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Hooiveld, Beevers, Dunne, Williams, Abdou, Gueye(Fuller) Fabbrini, Martin(Upson), Maierhofer(Gregory),
subs not used, Webster, O'Brien, Powell, King

Goal: Fuller 83

NEWS FLASH.....Stuart Pearce sacked the next day. Another manager bites the dust after we beat his team. It seems to be a habit of ours.

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Marc Bircham leaves the Lions to coach Chicago Fire in the American MSL League. Another team that I presume pays well but has no history. Tim Cahill has just joined one too but not America, Tim's gone to China.
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7/2/15 Championship League Game 29 Millwall 1 Huddersfield 3 att:10,281 (away 586)

 They lift you up(occasionally) and drop you down with a massive thump (frequently)

A decent ten man display against Reading secured us a point and then the win against Forest set us up nicely for this game. I fancied us for this one and I was sure that the team would perform today and give us a home win which is something that we have not had since the 25th of October last year. This sad home record is not Millwall and it looks like the players or some of the players are not free in their play. Perhaps it's us, perhaps they can sense the pressure. I would like to be able to say it's not us but the way we succumb to Huddersfield's mediocre attacking display at times was a comedy of errors and it was like the players were "flapping" especially when Huddersfield scored their second.

Going in, I felt as I was walking in around the Den that it just wasn't me that thought that this could well be the win that we had been waiting for.

Anyway how wrong we were, we lost this game due to errors but not just errors. We all make mistakes but playing against ten men for the last 40 minutes and not really threatening Huddersfield's goal was way off what is required of a Millwall side especially when playing at home. Pitiful really.

The Hof scored and played his normal game, occasionally winning a header and making his presence known in and around the oppositions box. Huddersfield finished us off scoring from the spot with ten minutes to go and the Den emptied, as I was the last one out I turned off the lights and kicked the clubs feral cat on the way out.

A brief moment of joy as Stefan Maierhofer scores from close in

It's Birmingham away Tuesday night and I'm saying nothing apart from "you never know, less pressure away"

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Dunne, Hooiveld, Beevers, Abdou, Williams, Upson(Gregory), Fabbrini, Gueye(Woolford), Maierhofer(Fuller),

subs not used, Archer, Tonge, Webster, Harding,

Goal: Maierhofer 28

Huddersfield: Smithies, Edgar, Hudson, Wallace, Robinson, Scannell, Coady, Butterfield, Bunn(Cobern), Wells, Vaughan(Miller)

subs not used, Lolley, Allinson, Wilkinson, Majewski, Wright

Goals: Scannell 17, Butterfield 74 Vaughan 86(pen)

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10/2/15 Championship League Game 30 Birmingham 0 Millwall 1 att:14,186

IT ONLY TOOK 47 YEARS SO LETS ENJOY THE MOMENT

*COYL*

That's thirty games played and we have achieved thirty points, keeping to this formula I wonder if 46 points would be enough to keep us up.

Woolford hits bar, David Forde back on song and tops it with an exceptional save

That's two successive away wins and one defeat in four and that represents a bit of form and we are one win or maybe a draw away from getting out of the relegation spots and looking up and not down. Martin Woolford back in the side after his failed loan to Leeds United hits the bar and plays the full ninety, Diego Farbbrini fluffs his lines with his twist and volley and Martin's shot is palmed away. David Forde plays a good game with two good saves, one which was exceptional and without doubt helped to secure our win. We had a fair amount of play around Birmingham's penalty box and on the pitch in general and when Alan Dunne scored with his head in the 51st minute we held on and won our first game at Birmingham for 47 years
.
Bottom 5, Charlton 33 pts, Brighton 30 pts, Millwall 30 pts, Wigan 22 pts, Blackpool 20 pts

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Dunne, Hooiveld, Harding, Tonge, Williams, Martin, Fabbrini, Woolford, Maierhofer1(Gregory 72)

Goal: Dunne 51min

Birmingham: Randolph, Caddis, Spector, Robinson, Grounds, Davis, Gleeson, Cotterill, Shinnie(Gray 64), Dyer(Novak 64), Donaldson(Zigic 76)

Another away game Saturday but this time at the unfriendly home of  Leeds Utd and the finest of English police forces who can't police a football match unless they use measures that without doubt restrict our human rights. If any other group had to suffer these draconian measures politicians and do-gooder support groups would be up in arms.  We have a song for moments like this.
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14/2/15 Championship Game 31 Leeds 1 Millwall 0 att: 24,000

Drastic restricted away support is not in our favour

We could not continue with our run of away wins and lost to a single goal at hard to get to Elland Road. With only 180 Wall inside the stadium we did not perform first half and Leeds took their deflective goal in the 39th minute.

Clink on link below for a independent view and some facts regarding the police voucher system >>  Roll up, roll up get your vouchers here

We improved second half  with Woolford performing well and going close and with a couple of minutes of extra time left on the clock fuller dribbled through challenges inside the Leeds penalty box and screwed one just wide of the post.

Martyn Woolford played well and seemed like a new man. Was he playing for Millwall or was he playing for himself and showing Leeds what he has got after he's failed move to them due to the owner of Birmingham who's name escapes me not knowing who he was. Being realistic and knowing what matters to a footballer I hope he was playing for himself and also playing for the Millwall. It seemed to matter.

Home game this Saturday against Fulham and it's a must that we stop this run of not winning at home since Oct 25th last year. I fancy us for this one.
_
Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Dunne, Hooiveld, Harding, Angel, Williams, Woolford, Fabbrini(Fuller 60), Martinez(Upson 60), Maierhofer(Gregory 45),

subs not used, Archer, Beevers, Abdou, O'Brien

Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bamba, Bellusci, C. Taylor, Byram, Austin9Antenucci 70), Murphy, Cook, Mowatt, Morison

subs not used, S.Taylor, Berardi, Sloth, Adryan, Sharp, Cani

Goal: Mowatt 39
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Richard Chaplow joins Ipswich on loan to the end of the season
Byron Webster goes back to Yeovil on loan, I think that will be more his level.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher signs on loan to the end of the season. Ian Holloway has managed him before and was pleased to sign him. He has played 398 league games and scored 88 goals.

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21/2/15, Championship game 32, Millwall 0 Fulham 0, att: 11,707 

LONDON DERBY

I said after the Leeds game that I fancied us for this one. I would have been right if we had somebody who could stick the ball in the net. There's no other word for it "hopeless" because that's what we are, there must be a foggy haze around the oppositions goal and we can't penetrate it.  We are keeping clean sheets or losing to the odd goal so we have sorted out the defence but although we came very close and on two occasions Lee Gregory messed up a chance to bury the ball with his feet and with head. Because of the way we play we do not get too many chances and when we do somebody's got a bury them or at the very least direct them towards goal.

As I said, we were lacking quality up front to get something from this game, Gregory missed when he should have scored and a cracking shot from Michael Tonge whistled past the post after it was somewhat deflected by a Fulham defender. It was so close it took the paint off the post.
Fulham did not produce much their-selves and for a ex Premiership club with Premiership players and Premiership money we restricted them to very little and I cannot remember Forde having to do much apart from a save that looked a bit flappy from behind the goal but seeing it on the telly hi-lights it was a good save.

Ricardo Fuller done something I have never seen before at the Den he managed to get the ball over the roof of the Cold Blow Lane Stand while attempting a shot or something. He managed this when the ball come to him from such a height it had snow on it. If you study the picture below you can see Fuller who is on the  left as you look at the picture and the Ball is way up high before he whacked it over the roof

SPOT THE BALL

With the ball coming back from Mars Ricardo Fuller sets himself  up for a moon shot

That's 31 points and we are still third from bottom and a three point gap between us and Brighton who won their game 4-3

Millwall: Forde, Abdou, Harding, Dunne, Hooiveld, Williams, Tonge(Upson 86), Woolford(Fuller 69), Fabbrini, O'Brien(Taylor-Fletcher 58), Gregory

subs not used, King Beevers, Nelson, Maierhofer

Fulham: Bettinelli, Richards, Bodurov, Hutchinson, Stafylidis, Parker, Tunnicliffe(Fofana 81), Christenson, Rodallega, Kacaniklic(Ruiz 57), McCormack

subs not used, Kiraly, Roberts, Woodrow, Kavanagh, Burn

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24/2/15 Championship League Game 33 Millwall 1 Sheffield Wednesday 3 att: 8,568 (1001)

LAST HOME WIN 25TH OCTOBER 2014, THIS IS NOT MILLWALL

The worst home record since we have been in the football league

Do I really need to go through the memories of this game and recall the pathetic way we gave up the game and gave it to the leagues lowest scorers Sheffield Wednesday on a plate. If  I am bothering to write a Millwall blog you have to take the rough with the smooth and at the moment its all rough so I will still have to, so here goes.

We try but just not good enough to win at home

We dominated much of the first half and could have been at 3-0 up but no one seems to be able to put the ball away. Sheff  Wed scored in the 53rd minute against the run of play and from that point disaster struck. Ian Holloway changed formation with three at the back and it all went down hill from there. Ian Holloway has done this three at the back bollocks before and it don't suit us. It hardly worked then and it didn't work now.

Half time smoke. After a decent first half I was looking forward to going back in

I was optimistic that after the first half of chances we would continue in a similar manner especially as we were kicking towards the Cold Blow Lane Stand. I have seen many sides over the years get battered defending this goal and its normally in the second half.

Holloway apologises after the game for the failure of this tactic but apologises do not give us the three points. We were doing alright apart from conceded the first goal and could have pulled the game back playing as we had been in the first half,  but as I said earlier he made changes that he knew had failed in the past and yes it was dismal then and it was dismal now. The players looked flummoxed  in as much as they didn't know where they were playing on the pitch and the lowest goal scoring team in the Championship put three goals past us and that was that. A low Lions crowd had turned out for this game which was 7,567 if you knock a 1000 off the total for the good size mid-week away support. When the final whistle blew there was a lot less in the Den as most of the Wall had already gone home. Ian Holloway got of light with the abuse.

Deigo Fabbrini's late goal was well taken and one like that at Rotherham Saturday may help keep us in this division

Millwall: Forde, Abdou(Gueye 74), Harding, Dunne, Hooiveld, Williams, Tonge, Woolford(O'Brien 50), Fabbrini, Taylor-Fletcher, Gregory(Fuller 63),
subs not used, King, Upson, Beevers, Nelson

Goal: Fabbrini 90

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Palmer, Lees, Zayatte, Maghoma(Helan 90), Lee, Dielna, Semoda, McGuyan(Hutchinson 74), Keane(May 80), Nuhia

Goals: McGugan 52, Nuhiu 72, May 83

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28/2/15 Championship Game 34 Rotherham 2 Millwall 1 att 10,329 (1307)

Gregory misses chance

We lead one nil at half time after Woolford scored but we produced nothing in the 2nd half as Rotherham scored early and finished us off when they got their 2nd in the 84th minute.
13000 Wall went to this game and the jeering Rotherham supporters and Ian Holloway felt the wrath of our tongue. That opens the gap to six points between us and Rotherham must feel confident that we will not breach that gap.

Millwall: Forde, Abdou, Dunne, Hooiveld, Harding, Williams, Tonge, Woolford, Fabbrini(Upson 86)
Taylor-Fletcher(Fuller 58), Gregory(O'Brien 66)
subs not used, Kings, Beevers, Nelson, Martinez

Rotherham: Collin, Hunt, Arnason, Broadfoot, Fryers, Newton(Hammill 69), Green, Smallwood, Pringle, Ward,(Frecklington 90), Derbyshire(Sammon 89),

^^^

3/3/15 Championship Game 35 Middlesbrough 3 Millwall 0 att: 16078 (162)

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
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7/2/15 Championship Game 36, Millwall 1 Norwich 4, att: 11,116 (away 2,580)

WE START WITH ONE UP FRONT

YEP BONKERS!  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.

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

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10/3/15 Ian Holloway is terminated and Neil Harris takes over. Pride and passion is Choppers goal and what ever happens if we can produce more fight while wearing the Millwall shirt it's got to be a better end to a dismal season so far.
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Bolton 2 Millwall 0, Championship Game 37, 14/3/15 att:14,719 (away 355)

TEN GAME NEIL HARRIS SEASON STARTS, GAME 1, NO POINTS

The team is revealed. This has had everybody guessing for a few days and we started with a 4-4-2

Neil Harris made some team changes. Paris Cowan-Hall was back from injury and had a place on the bench. Stefan Maierhofer was also warming the bench and that's where he stayed. Lee Gregory was back in the starting eleven with Aiden O'Brien, Jimmy Abdou and Ed Upson. These joined the rest of the players that were left who started against Norwich and the stage was set.
Neil Harris's pre match Churchillian speech 'We are going to have a right good go at this, this being the ten games to play before the season ends was aimed at the players and at us the supporters to raise our spirits. A fine speech before we play game number one but it seem to have no effect as we succumb to a early goal and conceded another before the first half was up.

The second half and we play better but still missed chances. Lee Gregory once again missed a chance and Aiden O'Brien should have buried his but alas nothing to show for a much improved second half.
We did improve as we only got beat 2-0 and not the usual 3 or 4 and there was signs second half that if we keep it tight we may get something from the Brighton game this Tuesday night. The travelling Wall stayed to the end and afforded a clap to the players as they left the pitch, now that's a positive.
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
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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, Maierhofer

__________

Millwall 0 Brighton 0 Championship Game 38, 17/3/14  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

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21/3/15 Brentford 2 Millwall 2 Championship Game 39 att:10,179 (away 1641)

WE GO DOWN RIVER

TEN GAME NEIL HARRIS MINI SEASON, GAME THREE, TWO POINTS

This Style of play will suit Lee Gregory and he will score many goals, Neil Harris said similar to this after the game and I am sure he is right. A right good breath of fresh air as been blowing around Millwall for a couple of weeks now and what's good about this breath of fresh air is it has come from within and not from the lungs of some imported Fancy Dan who can spin us a yarn and make most of us believe he is our salvation. I am glad those days are gone and I just hope they never come back and with Neil Harris in charge they won't because he won't bullshit us.

WE CAME SO CLOSE TO TAKING THE THREE POINTS

With Lee Gregory and Aiden O'Brien spearheading our attack we went into a 2-0 lead by the 64th. Gregory scored in the 28th minute when Ed Upson put through a ball to him and he rounded the Brentford keeper and buried the ball in the back of net. It wasn't all happening just at the front as Forde pulled off  save after save to keep Brentford out. He was having on of his best games for months as he was saving everything and we went into the tunnel at half time one goal to the good and wondering if we could pull off the great escape.

In the 68th minute Aiden O'Brien scored his first professional goal when Woolford sent one over and O'Brien scored with his head from a yard out. The 1641 travelling Wall went bonkers and perhaps thought that this game must now be in the bag and we would grab our first win since February the 10th. It wasn't to be, Brentford were awarded a penalty when Martyn Woolford fouled in the box and David Forde was sent the wrong way. We could still hold out, couldn't we? Within a few minutes the much prized three points went out the window as a Sid Nelson attempted clearance ended up in the back of net as Brentford fired it home. In extra time Brentford could have won it and so could have we as Gregory and Woolford had a chance and Gary Taylor-Fletcher's shot went just wide.

A much improved Millwall and as I said earlier, a breath of fresh air.

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

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3/4/15 Millwall 2 Charlton 1 Championship Game 40 att: 14,722 (away 2235)

TEN GAME NEIL HARRIS MINI SEASON GAME FOUR, FIVE POINTS AND THAT'S A RUN OF THREE GAMES WITHOUT DEFEAT AND IN FORM CHARLTON GET NOTHING

Charlton fans arrive probably expecting their normal drubbing

There was a crackle in the air as we approached the Den for this one and with Neil Harris's fourth game in charge following on from a good performance at Brentford I was expecting a win against our near rivals from SE 7. I like to call these Charlton games the most one sided derby in English football. I am not sure that it is but if not it should be as it certainly feels as though it is.

Click on link >> Millwall v Charlton--Head to Head

 Charlton's first goal at the Den for nearly 20 years

We had the majority share of possession through out this game and even before Charlton went down to ten men we were bossing the play. Charlton skipper Chris Solly hand balled in the box in the 28th minute and was red carded and sent off . Lee Gregory took the resulting penalty and he missed it as the Charlton keeper went down to his right and saved. That could have fetched us down but we carried on regardless and roared on by a decent size Den crowd we created good spells of play all over the park but conceded in the 67th minute when Charlton scored against the run of play when a flick by Alou Diarra's that could have went anywhere ended up in the back of our net. The Charlton supporters went berserk and was singing like they had won the game and it was cut and dried they had the three points and we were going down. To concede against ten men is always a embarrassment but a while ago we would have collapsed and lost this game but under Neil Harris we have more fight in our bellies and more purpose with our play. Having stability in the side helps as well as all this chopping and changing under Holloway meant uncertainty and head scratching. 

Being 1-0 up the away-end think they have this game sown up as the Lions face Charlton's five at the back

We pulled this game back when Magaye Gueye in the 79th minute scored from a tight angle and eight minutes later Jos Hooiveld scored from close range which gave us a first home win since October the 25th when we beat Cardiff 1-0. This win and the two draws before keeps us in with a shout of staying up and while there's a chance we must fight for it. Some on the forums reckon we need to go down to re-group I don't hold with that, league one is like being in the wilderness and a pig to get out of, we must stay in the Championship.

Bottom five: Fulham 43 pts, Rotherham 40 pts, Millwall 36 pts, Wigan 35 pts, Blackpool 23 pts

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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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.

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Millwall 0 Watford 2, Championship Game 41, 11-4-15 att: 12,075 (away 2,840)

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 Gomez 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 six pointer.

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Millwall 2 Wigan 0, Championship League Game 42, 14-4-15 att,8,494 (away 170)

A 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 precise 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.

A meagre Wigan away

And elsewhere, 15/4/15 Fulham 1 Rotherham 1 I'll take that

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 sent off
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

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Cardiff 0 Millwall 0, Championship Game 43, 18-4-15, 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

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Blackburn 2 Millwall 0 Championship Game 44, 21/4/15, att: 12,884 (I think we took 270 

GOALS WIN GAMES

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.

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Millwall 3 Derby County 3, Championship Game 45, 25/4/15, 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 SMACKS 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.

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 Tuesday night, 28/4/15 Rotherham 2 Reading ....Finally put out of our misery

Well that's that then. Bournemouth promoted to the Premiership, Rotherham survive and although we have improved under Neil Harris we have only managed two points in our last three games and we have been relegated to the wilderness of division 3. Does anybody know where Fleetwood is?

On the bright side.
The sufferings over. For next season the chance to stiffen up, have a plan and come back to the Championship with a bang, hopefully. Not forgetting we have handful of academy players who either have been regulars this season playing for the 1st team or doing well with the under 21's or out on loan and doing well elsewhere. I think the future is looking bright.

***

I would also put a few bob on the odds that next season Rotherham will be on their way down as we pass them coming back up. We were poor for long periods of the season and it showed because Rotherham beat us home and away.and it's those two defeats that sealed our fate, it should never have happened.

We have gone down with Wigan and Blackpool, two recent Premiership clubs and you wonder what happened to the parachute payments. Both these clubs have had Millions to spend and not much to show for it, our biggest outlay was probably the settlement to make management changes to put Neil Harris in charge. Talking of ex-managers there's still one more game to go and it's against Wolves, should be interesting.

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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NEIL HARRIS GETS THE JOB FULL TIME, 29-4-15

ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF MILLWALL FC

John Berylson believes that Neil Harris is the man for the job in League One, so do I. 

West ham owners son takes the piss on twitter about our demise. SHOCK, HORROR  according to the Guardian On-Line...na' not really. I am sure we would do the same to them and maybe a fly-by.

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Wolves 4 Millwall 2 Championship League Game 46, 2-4-15, att: 24,480 (we take 1300)

KING KENNY 4 SUPER NEIL 2

*That's your lot for this season*

Championship Deep End

Lee Gregory didn't score which meant he finished the season on nine goals and not double figures which I presume he was hoping for. I would have liked him to get his tenth because although he hasn't been banging them in on his first season in the Football League he has worked his nuts off all season and his quality of play as been more than useful for the Championship and he held his own against "big names" in the division. League One next season and he should be staying and I would like to see him and Aiden O'Brien bring terror to the opposition defences which would be the spearhead of a Neil Harris onslaught. Wishful thinking some may say, but why not? I suppose it's all about who we keep.

NOTHING TO PLAY FOR BUT WE GAVE IT AGO

The Game

We conceded four which made it seem like a bit of a hammering but that wasn't the case.We passed the ball around a bit and at times Wolves  were chasing shadows and Ed Upson was back to his best pressuring the Wolves defence while Lee Gregory and Aiden O'Brien were doing the same thing by pulling their defence all over the place.  Wolves were ok in spells and scored  in the 20th minute when Dico fired in after picking up a loose ball. He scored again early in the second half and that was that 2-0 down and we could have just give up after all there was nothing to play for, we did not and Aiden O'Brien scored up close in the 58th minute and we back in the game. Wolves scored their third in the 70th minute and at 3-1 down that seemed that .We was not finished with this game and youngster Jamie Philpot making his debut who had only been on the pitch three minutes was picked out by Ed Upson and slotted Millwall's 2nd goal and could we get a third. No we couldn't as Wolves got their 4th and the season was finished. I am gutted that we are down but next season who knows? I think they may be exciting times ahead.

This season's tally
Position 22, Won 9, Drawn 14, Lost 23, Goals For 42, Goals Against 76. GD-34, Points 41

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Harding, Nelson, Powell (Cowan Hall 72), Abdou, Upson, Gregory, O'Brien, Martin (Philpot 80)(Pavey 89 Philpot injured),
subs not used, Archer, Cummings, Gueye, Thompson

Goals: O'Brien 58, Philpot 82

Wolves: Kuszczak, Colbourne, Edwards, Stearman, Sako, McDonald, Afobe, La Parra, (Price 64), Ebanks-Landell, Iorfa, Dicko
subs not used, Flatt, Doherty, Henry, Doyle, Jacobs, Hause

Goals: Dicko 20, 56 Ebanks-Landell 70, Sako 90

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Millwall have a clear out after relegation from the Championship

We have a long list of those that are going. I must admit I had forgotten a few of them.

Those to be released, Angel Martinez, Danny Shittu, Martyn Woolford, Dan Harding, Carlos Edwards, Alan Dunne, Magaye Gueye, Mathew Briggs, Jake Goodman, Sofiane El Bekri, Richard Chaplow, Denzil Gerrar, Stefan Maierhofer, Ricardo Fuller, Dylan Casey, Nicky Bailey, Justin Hoyte, Callum Webb, Josh Siafa

Just a couple above I would have liked us to keep but time to move on I guess.

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