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28th December Millwall 1 - 1 Yeovil Town:
Yes, miserable festive period indeed, and a woeful performance
against a fairly awful Yeovil side. Some of the passing in
the second period was truly worthy of the boos it generated.
And it all looked so easy after just three minutes, when Paul
Robinson started what looked like it would be, an avalanche
of scoring…
…Kenny Jackett is rather exasperated by it all, "We
have now got to play like champions. Football's not an exact
science and there is no magic answer. We're just going to
work on it in training, because I know our players can play
better."
26th December Peterborough United 1 -
0 Millwall: It looks like the festive period is shaping
up to be a bit rough on the Lions, who succumb to an Aaron
McLean winner, in a contest dominated by the effect of a dodgy
red card for Tony Craig. Gary Alexander went closest for the
visitors, but Posh were fairly comfortable in a game of several
chances, but little goal threat…
…Manager Jackett reacts angrily to the dismissal, "I
was disappointed with the decision, I thought it was head
to head. The referee has just said to me he felt he led with
his elbow and it was a deliberate elbow. Video evidence will
show, and if it's how I saw it on the day we will appeal"…
…Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson is far happier,
"I think that's as good as we've been in a while in the
first half." Good for you, mate.
23rd December Out of nowhere,
Kenny Jackett is installed as favourite for the Charlton job.
Fortunately, we know that Phil Parkinson is going to get it,
to much relief. Why anyone would want to go to a doomed club
just three places above a promotion rival is anyone's guess
anyway.
20th December Millwall 0 - 0 Crewe Alexandra:
It would be harsh to describe the contest as a bore-draw,
but despite bombarding the Crewe area, it looks like a month
of Sundays would be a likely time-scale to break the deadlock.
By the end, boos ring out, as the huff and puff fails to blow
the Railwaymen's paper house down…
…Neil Harris does the press thing afterwards, but denies
pressure played a part in his misfiring progress in front
of goal, "The pressure's gone now for me. The pressure
was getting that goal last week"…
…Temporary Crewe boss Dario Gradi was happy with the
point, but bored with the football, "The players worked
really, really hard for that point, although I wouldn't want
to watch a second half like that all season."
19th December There are few
surprises at the company's AGM, including Graham Ferguson
Lacey unsurprisingly blocking a motion to raise monies via
another share issue. It would water his holding down so it
really was expected. Constantine Gonticas says, "This
blockage, far from helping, means we only have recourse to
more debt if we need money."
18th December Here we go…
The Southwark News has a chat with John Berylson about our
crowds, "We have not had conversations or any board meetings
about it, but our future is in the back of people's minds
- it has to be. I have raised a fair question a couple of
times; how many fans do we legitimately have? I hear of the
trips to Wembley and the FA Cup final and it sounds great.
We are providing a winning team now and I am still waiting.
I'm a million miles away from saying 'Let's move'. That's
not the plan, all my thoughts are on how we get more fans
into south London, our home."
15th December The speculation
continues with a suggestion that Kenny Jackett has enquired
about the availability of Jay Simpson. West Brom are also
allegedly interested in the youngster. It's obviously difficult
to work out whether last year's League One Player of the year
would prefer a return to lower Division football or a chance
to play in the top flight of World football. Hmmm…
…Jackett also enquires about Tresor Kandol, "I
understood he wasn't available for the FA Cup as part of the
loan agreement. Whether he now becomes available for the third
round for us because he is not going to play for Leeds, I
don't know. It is definitely something we will have to talk
about."
14th December The January transfer
window rumours start with further speculation that Zak Whitbread
will be joining his Dad at Blackburn Rovers.
13th December Walsall 1 - 2 Millwall:
Last minute goals ordinarily paint a picture of fortune, but
profligacy in front of the Walsall goal cost the Lions a bigger
and equally deserved win. Frampton scored the last minute
winner, but Neil Harris gets to reveal a T-shirt with the
message; "For You Dad" with his record equalling
strike. It could have been a message to any of our fathers...
...Kenny Jackett says, "I'm very pleased for Neil, and
with him, and not just because of his goal today."
12th December After a week of
misquoting, Tony Cascarino claims he did not get asked to
be Millwall manager, in the South London Press, "I was
talking about how tough the manager's job is the other day
on the radio, and maybe when I said I had had a job offer
it came over wrong - because with Millwall there was no sitting
down and talking about it, just that remark by Jeff."
11th
December Scott Fitzgerald's young
Lions defeat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 at Hillsborough to march
on to a FA Youth Cup fourth round tie at Plymouth Argyle.
10th December
In a panic, as his team's promotion hopes take a battering
with an injury to striker Beckford, Leeds boss Gary McAllister
makes noises about calling back loan players. He doesn't know
he can't recall Tresor Kandol until the end of January.
9th
December An press release we have
been waiting a long time for: "Millwall's League One
match at Leeds United has been switched from Saturday 7th
February to Monday 9th February (7.45pm). The game at Elland
Road will be televised live on Sky."
6th
December Millwall 3 - 2 Bristol Rovers: In arguably
the best quality football match of the season, the Lions emerge
as victors in a close run contest with a side that has a handy
knack of snatching draws away from home. Not this time though.
Tresor Kandol set things in motion to back up an excellent
individual performance. Rovers' 18 goal marksman Ricky Lambert
tried to get them back into the game, but a cracker from Gary
Alexander seals the points. The match highlight is a case
of mistaken identity, as the referee Graham Scott sends off
Jimmy Abdou and then changes his mind, when he realises that
all black people do not look alike - Yes, he thought it was
a second yellow, when he had in fact booked Tresor Kandol
earlier…
…Manager Jackett says afterwards, "It was an open
game and at 2-1 I always felt we needed a third to get us
over the line. Our forwards did well and obviously it's good
to score three but we were up against a very good footballing
side today. Tresor Kandol did very well - he was a real threat.
For his second goal he read the situation well but still had
a bit to do and it was an excellent finish. He could have
had more than two today - you want your centre forwards there
on the end of chances…
…Oh, almost forgot - the win took the Lions into the
automatic promotion places.
4th December
Adam Bolder extends his loan spell for a second month. Paul
Robinson says of the QPR midfielder, "Since Adam came
here we haven't conceded a goal. He's been brilliant - a real
calm, experienced head in midfield. He gives great protection
to the back four and is a good passer of the ball"…
…After the Chancellor of the Exchequer reduced the
VAT rate from 17.5% to 15% Millwall declare their way of passing
the savings on to customers. Andy Ambler tells the South London
Press, "Rather than reducing ticket prices by a few pence,
which would be a nightmare at the turnstiles, we are having
kids-for-a-quid offers at games such as the Crewe one on December
20. There will also be bring-a-friend-for-fiver offers. Current
season ticket holders paid the full 17.5 per cent VAT so cutting
turnstile prices would also be unfair to them. We want to
reward those who have been loyal to us already. We hope these
match day ticket offers will more than compensate for the
VAT saving. The club shop has already reflected reduced VAT
rates"…
…Kenny Jackett also reveals his frustrations about
the continued absence of Danny Spiller, who sounds as if he
is sadly coming towards the end of his short Millwall career,
"It is the third time he has had problems in that area
since I came to the club. He will see a specialist on Friday
about his hip. It is very upsetting for him and for us that
it should have happened again"...
...Port Vale boss Dean Glover discusses Dave Brammer's future,
"He may be a free agent in January. We've done a deal
with Millwall in that we don't pay them until he plays again.
So he's still our player. As for January, we'll have to see
what line Millwall go down and whether they decide to pay
him up." What remarkable value Brammer has proven.
2nd
December The home match with Swindon
Town is rearranged for Tuesday 13th January because of the
club's continued involvement in the FA Cup. We haven't got
to write that very often since 2004.
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