The Lion Roars Diary - April 2007

28th April Millwall 1 Bristol City 0: In a real promotion six pointer the team that plays best and eventually emerges as victors, aren't actually playing for promotion! It's that standard of game and totally consuming to the spectators - all of whom contribute to the best atmosphere at The Den for many a month. If only every football match was like this. Paul Robinson scores the winner to set City back slightly in their promotion quest...

...Willie Donachie appreciates that it is very much a case of close, but not close enough, "I said about eight matches ago that I thought we could still do it, but I just sensed that everyone else - the players, the supporters, and reports - didn't believe it"... How right you are. How wrong we were...

...City boss Gary Johnson is not so happy, "Some of them will get it on Monday"...

...Prior to the match Richard Shaw picks up his Player of the Year cup and Tony Craig gets Young Player of the Year...

...Almost diving under the radar is further news of the American billionaire Jerome Simon, who is looking at buying manchester city. Simon is the Lonestar boss that was brought in by Theo Pahphitis. What went wrong there then?

22nd April A pre-season friendly with Southampton is arranged for 31st July. The club's official website describe it as, "mouth-watering."

21st April Huddersfield Town 4 Millwall 2: In a decidedly end of season game Millwall could have wrapped the game up within the first twenty minutes, but some poor control and showboating from certain individuals allowed the home side to win easily on paper. On paper because eventually it was a terrible penalty decision that led to their third and decisive goal. Byfield scored his 15th of the season, Dunne added a third in a week and it wasn't really very good...
...Willie Donachie is not at all happy afterwards, but perhaps he learned more than he bargained for in the process, as he comments on the lacklustre effort, "It's a lesson learned for me, and a useful one as far as next season goes"...
...One of last season's few bright spots was the form of young Colin Doyle in goal. Although we don't really care, it's nice to read that he makes an injury time penalty save against Mick McCarthy's Wolves side, to keep Birmingham on course for the Premiership.

18th April Despite Millwall's season being effectively over, the club extend Ryan Smith's loan period to the end of the season. Hmmm...
...Millwall receive a request from Huddersfield to ensure visiting fans remain seated. We would presume that means, expect unnecessarily harsh policing.

17th April Charlton full back Dean Ashton returns to The Valley, after presumably failing to impress...
...Toronto Past-its sign Danny Dichio for a last wage thieving season in the American soccer league thing.

14th April Millwall 2 Tranmere Rovers 2: After a dull first half it’s end to end stuff in the second, as Alan Dunne equalises Sherriff’s opener, and then scores another pile-driver to put us in the lead. The lead lasts less than a minute as Calvin Zola scores the equaliser. The match officials cost the Lions the game by refusing to play the advantage three times, the last of which sees a Darren Byfield goal ruled out...
...Willie Donachie is full of praise for his two goal midfielder, “I am delighted for Alan. He showed a lot of guts because he took a bit of stick from the supporters in the first half.” The ‘stick’ the manager refers to may have something to do with Dunne’s directionless hoofing into the stands all half...
...The manager also comments on the future of Ryan Smith, “Ryan wants to come here - you know what London lads are like, they want to be in London.” Now that makes no sense, it should have read, ‘You know what good footballers are like, they want to be in the Premiership, where his team are playing next year’!

12th April Ambler’s arrival should mean the departure of Ken Brown. And in a ‘The witch is dead’ sort of way, he does indeed leave to never darken our doors again. "Ken has seen the club through difficult times, and I wish him well in his future career." Says Heather Rabbatts, with teeth clenched.

11th April Millwall appoint a new ‘Chief Operating Officer and Director of Finance.’ (That’s chief executive to us) The new man is Andy Ambler, who held a similar position with Fulham.

9th April Doncaster Rovers 1 Millwall 2: Proving the benefits of a run in the team after his first start since 1st January, Poul Hubertz scores one, sets one up and has one ruled out for a debatable handball. Rovers score early through Coppinger in a poor first half, but the Lions bounce back through the equally eager to impress Marvin Williams before Hubertz adds the late winner. ..

...Manager Donachie is encouraged by the impetus of his charges in a pointless end of season game, "Once again I just have to praise the honesty and commitment of my players who are determined to ensure that we finish the season strongly."

7th April Millwall 1 Nottingham Forest 0: An odd footballing anomaly is how many players, often considered not good enough for a team, come back to haunt them with goals for another club. Neil Harris stars once again at his spiritual home with a winner against promotion chasing Forest. It is an impressive all round display by a rapidly improving Lions side...

...Harris talks to the Nottingham Evening Post, "The reason people were talking about the play-offs was because of the tremendous run we had. Ten wins in 13 league games was a freak run. It was championship-winning form. The damage to our season was done early on, before Willie Donachie took over as manager"...

...Willie reciprocates, "When I took over as manager Neil was a bit low on confidence but now he seems to be getting back to his best"...

...Forest boss Colin Calderwood calls it, "We deserved to be beaten. Millwall played better than us and dominated the first half. We were second best before the break. They looked after the ball better than us and we never put their keeper under any threat."

5th April According to an Australian website, Teddy Sheringham is again pondering a switch to The Den.

1st April With Darren Byfield (injured), Ben May (injured), Tom Brighton (injured) and Marvin Williams (on loan) all unavailable to Willie Donachie for the rest of the season, Ipswich are persuaded to release Danny Haynes to Millwall for the rest of the season. This would appear a waste of money as the season is over, so you never know.