The Lion Roars Diary - August 2009

29th August John Berylson goes all presidential on us in a bizarrely-timed and scripted statement on the west ham trouble.  He says, “There's no complacency, no shying away from difficult issues. We are working with partners, through our community team, to address social problems like high crime, poor health and social exclusion.” 31st August The Times reports that Millwall were never invited to any  meetings of the safety advisory group, a body that includes representatives of the local authority, the emergency services and the Football Licensing Authority, prior to the west ham game. “This was a departure from recent practice, in which representatives of both clubs had attended meetings before league matches in the Championship at the New Den and Upton Park. “We were never invited to any of the planning and preparation meetings at all this time,” a Millwall source said...

...The aricle also states that had Millwall been involved in the process, they would have recommended an early kick-off between 3pm and 5pn and the closure of neighbouring pubs...

28th August Millwall 1 Brighton 1 Millwall come charging out of the blocks and score an early goal thanks to Jason Price. The failure to seize another goal from the early initiative proves costly as the visitors work their way back into the game and equalise through Nicky Forster...

...Neil Harris is named in the starting line-up but aggravates a calf injury in the warm-up...

...Striker Kiernan Hughes-Mason makes his debut with seven minutes remaining...

27th August The story continues its run on the back pages, with allegations of racism towards Jason Price and Carlton Cole, who says, “I heard it but I don’t care. I know I’m not a monkey. I might be as strong as a gorilla but I’m not a monkey.”

26th August Sky News has the off-field trouble as its headline story for the entire day. Luckily the broadcaster is given ammunition by compliant football administrators. An FA spokesman kicks it off, saying, “We absolutely condemn all of the disorder that has occurred at Upton Park. Every sanction is available”...

...Hot on the heels is FA director of communications Adrian Bevington’s fretting over England’s 2018 World Cup bid: “I don’t believe a one-off incident is going to be damaging. We are seen as one of the leaders, if not the leader in tackling hooliganism in the past 30 years. I’m not going to condemn west ham or millwall for any of their actions, certainly not at this stage, because we don’t know exactly what’s been put in place”...  

...Kenny Jackett reveals the extent of the injury crisis, which meant he could only select four substitutes the previous night. Injuries to Tony Craig (back) and Lewis Grabban (thigh) were added to an ever-expanding list. Jackett says, "Four subs was genuinely all we had. That was our full professional staff on the teamsheet. There are no other pros. We have scholars but Upton Park was not the place to ask 16-year-olds to come into the team."

25th August On the morning of the big game, The Mirror’s betting correspondent backs an away win. “Millwall must be backed at 7-1 to win their East-End derby at west ham,” advises Derek McGovern...

...west ham 3 Millwall 1 (aet) Millwall are just three minutes from deservedly progressing  to the next round after Neil Harris’ goal and a domineering display puts the Lions in the box seat. But Junior Stanislas breaches the Millwall rearguard and a dodgy penalty in extra time kills off all hope of a recovery...

...Violent scenes off the pitch and in the ground - there are six separate pitch invasions of varying degrees by west ham fans - means the spirited Millwall performance is an after-thought in the news coverage...

21st August Southend 0 Millwall 0 A dull game livens up in the last half-hour after Kenny Jackett abandons the 4-3-3 formation in preference of 4-4-2. Millwall count themselves unfortunate with Gary Alexander denied by the crossbar and a goalline clearance... 

20th August Gianfranco Zola provides a delightful anecdote in the build-up to the League Cup tie. He says, “Last year in October when things weren't going very well for us, I stopped at a petrol station and this big bloke came up to me. "He was huge. It was two degrees outside and he was in short sleeves. He came to me and said 'Franco, you are my hero!' I thought, this man must be a west h*m supporter or maybe a Chelsea supporter. "He said: 'Look, I am Millwall. I am very pleased because you are taking west h*m down!' I realised then about the relationship between the two clubs"...

...The Mirror reports that Zola’s moronic mate Dennis Wise is in line to replace under-pressure Russell Slade at Brighton...

...Teenage striker Kiernan Hughes-Mason becomes the latest young Lion to earn a squad number - 33 - following in the footsteps of fellow youngsters Danny Fitzsimons and Omar Beckles...

19th August Andy Ambler officially replaces Heather Rabbatts as chief executive officer.

18th August Millwall 2 Oldham 0: Millwall take the lead through David Martin in a lively opening half. There are some nervy moments in the second half until Harris seals in injury time...

...The win is tempered by an injury to Steve Morison, who suffers a hamstring strain that will keep him out for a few weeks...

...Kenny Jackett says, “We want to get Paul Robinson and Jimmy Abdou back in the side as they are very important and we are looking to add one or two more"...

...However, physio Bobby Bacic reveals that Abdou’s injury is a “tendon strain deep in his hip region”, adding, “He is not doing any outdoor training yet, just work in the gym, so it will be at least one week before he is able to start training. Paul Robinson has started jogging and Robbo is on target to start training the beginning of September.” 

17th August It’s far from right, but may well have to be okay as the club announces the allocation of another 800 tickets for the west ham game, bringing the total up to 2300. Ambler says, “I remain dissatisfied that we have not been granted the 3,000 we feel we need to satisfy the demand. “An allocation of 3,000 would be well within our entitlement according to the regulations of the competition and I will be making our views clear to the relevant football authorities”...

...The club reveals that Whitbread’s problem is actually with his hip, which is clearly more serious than his groin and adds even more intrigue to the situation.

15th August Millwall 0 Carlisle 0: The same inability to break teams down that characterised much of Millwall’s home form last season is prevalent again as Carlisle come away from The Den with a goalless draw...

...It is a frustrating afternoon as Steve Morison and David Martin both hit the woodwork. A very small section of supporters booed Kenny Jackett at the final whistle... 

...The Millwall manager, who lined up with a 4-3-3 formation, says, “ "It was totally different from Tuesday night when we looked very potent. On 60 minutes I changed it to 4-4-2 with the introduction of David Martin and got into good situations and good positions but didn't capitalise in either formation"...

...A glaring absentee from the team-sheet was Jimmy Abdou. The club reacted to speculation that this was because a deal had been agreed to sell the midfielder to either Leeds or Sheffield United by stressing that he was ruled out with a groin strain...

...Another good cup draw sees Millwall make the trip to Barnet for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first round. It will be the first time the two clubs have ever met in a competitive fixture.

14th August Inevitably, it does not take long for the excitement of the west ham news to be dampened as millwall announce the Met Police has restricted visiting tickets to 1,500. A strongly-worded club statement reads: ‘Having agreed an allocation of 3,000 tickets with west ham united for the Carling Cup fixture at Upton Park on Tuesday 25th August, Millwall Football Club have now been informed that the Metropolitan Police have taken a decision to halve our allocation to 1,500. Millwall have made a formal complaint to the Football League, west ham united and the Metropolitan Police regarding this decision, and have indicated in the strongest possible terms that there are sound reasons why this decision needs to be reversed’...

...Andy Ambler adds "Our concern is that a large number of Lions fans without tickets for the Millwall section will travel the short distance to Upton Park in any case and attempt to see the game any way they can. “It would seem to us to be far more sensible to give as many Millwall supporters the chance to watch the match safely and securely within the visitors' section at the ground.  “The competition rules state that the away club is entitled to an allocation significantly in excess of the figure the Met. Police are insisting upon and we are challenging this decision"...

...Later on in the day the Met issues a statement, interpreted by South London Press as shifting the blame on the Football League. It reads: “The MPS has a great deal of experience in policing high profile football matches in London. We will continue to liaise with both clubs and an appropriate policing plan will be in place for the match.”

13th August Bad news on the TV front as Sky announces it will only screen palace v man city and, incredibly, Norwich v Sunderland...

...South London Press reveals that former Lion Steve Wood was instrumental in the signing of George Friend. As the player’s agent, he said: “I hope he does well because he is a lovely bloke and I have told him The Den is a fantastic place to go”...

...A move for Matt Lawrence, now 35, is scuppered (ED - thank goodness!) because Millwall could only offer the player a permanent deal. palace boss Neil Warnock says, “I never considered Millwall because they just wanted him on loan and there’s no way that’s happening because he’s very much in my thoughts. There’s no way I’m going to force him out.”   

12th August The long wait for the 10.30pm League Cup second round draw proves worthwhile as Millwall are drawn out of the hat directly after west ham to set up a mouthwatering tie at Upton Park...

...South London Press is quickest off the blocks with a late-night phone call that yields the following from Andy Ambler: "This is a chance for Kenny Jackett's emerging side to test themselves against Premier League opposition. "We are all looking forward to his squad showing off what they can do - though I think our players will be looking forward to it more than theirs will.  “I would like to think the TV cameras will want to be there because it is a long time since we played each other. "We have a very experienced security team who are used to staging these sorts of games and we will make sure the match passes off with as little disruption to fans and the community as possible."

11th August Millwall 4 Bournemouth 0:  Neil Harris takes the plaudits with a superb hat-trick to put Millwall into the League Cup second round. The stand-out goals are his second, a clinical finish to cap a lovely one-touch move, and his third straight out of the Marco Van Basten school of improvised angled long-range screamers. Gary Alexander’s opening goal, a volley from the edge of teh area, was none-too-shabby either, and Chris Hackett was involved in three of the four goals in an encouraging performance...

...Millwall clinch the signing of George Friend from Wolves on a one-month loan. The 21-year-old is yet another left-sided player, and can operate at either left back or left midfield... 

...Our Cup Final goalkeepper Andy Marshall completes the highly improbable move from Coventry to Premier League side Aston Villa. This time it’s not Steve Claridge’s fault.

10th August The Lancashire Evening Post reports that Preston North End defender Neal Trotman turned down a loan move to Millwall. North End boss Alan Irvine says, "There was an enquiry from Millwall asking about taking Trots on loan.  "I spoke to him about it, as I always do with any player when I get an enquiry. Trots told me he wanted to stay here and fight for a place in our team which is great”...

...Seventeen-year-old defender Omar Beckles is given first team squad number 32.

9th August  Kiernan Hughes-Mason steps off the subs bench to score a 21-minute hat-trick as Millwall U18s hammer Oxford United  U18s 9-0 in a pre-season friendly.

8th August Southampton 1 Millwall 1: Jimmy once again comes up with the goods in front of the live television cameras by producing an exceptionally powerful header from a hanging ball to cancel out Matt Paterson’s opener for the hosts... 

...The point was the least Millwall deserved, with Alan Dunne missing a penalty and Gary Alexander scoring a goal that was dubiously disallowed by the referee. The game turned on the introduction of Jason Price, who offered more attacking options in a 24-minute spell before succumbing to injury... ...Jackett says, “I felt that we responded very well because we could have buckled and folded having gone one-nil down here and we didn’t do that. We came back strong and perhaps in the last half-hour finished the stronger side”...

...Former Lions Chris Zebroski scores twice for Wycombe in their 3-2  opening day defeat at Charlton...

7th August Defender Mathias Doumbe, who had been on trial at Millwall, joins MK Dons. Apparently he had to choose between two two-year deals but opted for the franchise. Another Jackett target, winger Jason Puncheon, joins him at MK Dons... ...The Whitbread PR machine is in full swing with the defender telling S

outh London Press that his ambition to represent America in the 2010 World Cup will keep him motivated should he ever play for Millwall again...

...The same paper ominously links Jimmy Abdou with Leeds following their £6million sale of Fabian Delph to Aston Villa. If he is worth that much, what on earth would we get for Jimmy? 

6th August The Guardian newspaper does every opposition manager’s teamtalk for them and predicts Millwall will finish the season as League One champions.  Earmarking Jimmy Abdou as the One to Watch, the paper writes, ‘Never a profligate club, transfer activity in South Bermondsey has been even slower than usual, which may suggest Jackett's satisfaction with the squad that lost last year's play-off final. Only one or two signings from becoming genuine contenders’...

...The confidence appears to be catching as Steve Morison tells the Fans Forum, "I've scored 20-plus goals for the last three seasons and believe I will do so again."

4th August Zak Whitbread breaks his silence to declare, “It is out of my hands and up to the clubs to put the bids in, and if that doesn't happen I am 100 per cent committed to Millwall"... 

...A shadow Millwall side gets the better of Welling 3-2 in the final pre-season game... 

2nd August Senda will require an operation to repair the achilles tendon he tore against Boro.

1st August Plymouth trialist Mathias Doumbe plays the full 90 minutes at centre back against Middlesbrough in Sadlier’s benefit game...

...Fellow Pilgrim trialist Simon Walton is not taken on...