Football Season Guide

Millwall statistically had one of the best seasons in their history. A 3rd place finish with their highest ever points tally in the second tier and the most clean sheets in the division. The Lions only just narrowly missed out on automatic promotion by a solitary point. Ultimately though it ended in a whimper after two disappointing performances in their play-off semi-final against unfancied Hull. Despite the play-off heartache, fans can console themselves with a solid platform to build from and go one better this season. Alex Neil is one of the most proven and reliable managers in the Championship. The Scot has improved almost every club he’s been at and took the Lions from mid-table mediocrity to challenging in the upper echelons of the league. Neil is perhaps unfairly labelled as merely a pragmatic coach. Solid defensive foundations certainly do play a pivotal role in his system. With the versatile Tristan Crama, captain Jake Cooper and young centre-back Caleb Taylor protected by the hard-working midfield duo of Casper de Norre and Billy Mitchell in front of them, Millwall had one of the best defensive units in the league. That platform allowed the team’s flair players to flourish and the Lions became an exciting side to watch. Femi Azeez was arguably the best winger in the Championship last season. In his first full campaign at the club, Camiel Neghli quickly became one of the team’s most reliable performers in a number of different positions. While many clubs struggle to find one, in Josh Coburn and Mihailo Ivanović, the Lions have two classic Number 9s who can operate together or alone. The good news for supporters is that most of that squad has stayed intact thus far. Mitchell has been the most notable loss, but French youngster Derek Mazou-Sacko already looked more than ready to fill his shoes. The club have bolstered the midfield even further with the signings of Mathis Servais, Jensen Metcalfe and Mark Sykes. Massimo Luongo has also returned after missing most of last season with a serious injury. Continuity is key for Millwall but there’s no doubt they’ll have to fend off interest for the likes of Azeez and Crama. The investment from wealthier clubs who finished below them like Wrexham and Birmingham, plus the strength of those coming down from the Premier League (including bitter rivals West Ham) will present massive obstacles in the way of the Lions’ repeating last season’s impressive exploits. The Championship extending the play-offs to include six teams can definitely work in their favour though.