The Lion Roars Diary - May 2009

31st May Dave Martin is linked with a million pound move to Cardiff City. I know, don’t laugh.

29th May Tim Cahill looks forward to his second FA Cup Final, “Our cup final in 2004 was really the win in the semi at Old Trafford. Being in the final, Ray Wilkins and Dennis Wise told us 'just enjoy the day', and that's what we did. But we're on a different level at Everton, and we do have a realistic chance of winning. I think the biggest factor for us is believing it.”

28th May Heather Rabbatts leaves the club and says, “I will still come to watch games when I can, trying not to feel ill with the suspense, but I suspect I still will! It has been a real privilege to be part of a very special club." She will also continue to be paid to turn up at meetings and contribute far less than a large proportion of Millwall fans could.

27th May Millwall’s end of season clearout adds up to ten players: Laurie Walker, Lyle Taylor, Darren Ebsworth, Gary Bowes, Danny Spiller, Danny Senda, Lenny Pidgeley, Adrian Forbes, Richard Duffy and Ahmet Brkovic…

…Danny Senda denies being released, "I have had a one-to-one talk with the gaffer, who basically said if I can walk back into the football club fit and ready to go for the new season - then we will work something out”…

…Former Lions boss Mark McGhee is linked with the Celtic manager’s job after Gordon Strachan strops out. To think he wasn’t good enough for us!

26th May Millwall are forced to deny speculation that they are planning a £800,000 move for Bristol Rovers striker Rickie Lambert…

…Reserve team games are to be played at Dartford this coming season. The club have also arranged a pre-season friendly there on the 28th July, as part of the deal…

…Stock exchange news: The Company was informed on 26 May 2009 that Mr Graham Ferguson Lacey sold 425,782,000 ordinary shares in the Company and is now beneficially interested in approximately 20.91% of the Company's issued share capital.

24th May Millwall 2 – 3 Scunthorpe United: Millwall lose their last game of the season in front of a new Wembley record of around 45,000 Lions fans, family, and football tourists. The defeat condemns the club to another season in the soulless arenas of Third Division football. Although the Iron take the lead, the Lions hit back with a Gary Alexander double, including the best goal season at the new Wembley thus far. Scunthorpe equalise against the run of play before Alexander misses his easiest chance of the season, to cement his place into Millwall and Wembley folk-lore. With five minutes left, the kings of late goals succumb to the defensive frailties that Scunthorpe had already shown up this season and snatch a barely deserved winner.

21st May Kenny Jackett knows only too well what Play Off heartache is like, as he tells the Daily Mail, “It was a game that we dominated [when he was Swansea manager]. The final's a horrible place to lose. It was a tough feeling. The next season, it was hard to pick people up. We've been practising penalties in training”…

…Jason Price tells the Southwark News a little about his future, "I have had a good chat with Kenny, I'm sure we'll talk again after Sunday and see how things lie. He has told me that he understands that I am an older pro - and that he will give me the time off to be with the family when I need it. A couple of other clubs are interested and I will have a sit down and a chat with my family, to see where next season will take me."

19th May According to further speculation, Rangers and Sunderland are the latest clubs in for Zak Whitbread. He must be worth as much as Kaka by now…

15th May The Morison transfer is completed for a reputed £130,000 for a three year deal…

…Millwall’s opponents in the Play Off final will be Scunthorpe United: The only team to do the double over the Lions this season.

14th May Leeds United 1 - 1 Millwall: The Lions defend as if their lives depend on it, but apart from one smart first half save, Leeds have to wait for a penalty to be awarded that neither the players or the crowd appealed for. The thing is, David Forde saves penalties. Arrogant United striker Beckford, watches as the man he assaulted earlier in the season has the last laugh. The drama really unfolds just a couple of minutes later though, as Leeds secure their rightful and deserved place in the Championship - or so the media and Leeds would have you believe. Becchio's goal levels the scores. And it's just a matter of time before a second. And a second does come, but it is from Jimmy Abdou. Premier League referee Halsey, who never does this sort of thing in big four games, adds a total of 11 minutes on at the end of both halves, in an attempt to give Leeds as much of a chance as possible. Leeds would have however needed a couple of days to get past Craig and Whitbread…
…Millwall are going to Wembley…
…Kenny Jackett says, "To overcome Leeds, who are a very good team, over two legs is a very good achievement. It was one of the best atmospheres here tonight that I've been involved in and when their goal went in there was some momentum there and we came back from that very well"…
…Simon Grayson, who really did think they only had to turn up, is shell-shocked, "I thought we'd go on and get the winner, but now I'll sit down with the chairman. We had plans for Championship football and League One football, we know where we are with players and budgets."

12th May Stevenage striker Steve Morison confirms that he should be leaving for Millwall, "I'm just waiting for the clubs to sort out their side of it. I've done my bit. I've agreed what I need to agree and I'm waiting for the two clubs to sort out their sides of the bargain. We didn't get promoted so I can leave for £85,000 - I'm just waiting for Stevenage to give me the blessing."

11th May Millwall issue a statement refuting the ensationalised newspaper reporting, "It is clear certain journalists were sent to The Den with their agenda already formed. Four spectators were arrested at the game and the Football Association will investigate the crowd trouble. The facts were not allowed to get in the way of a 'good story' and as such the events were portrayed in certain quarters in the most graphic terms that were factually incorrect. The only regrettable incident during the afternoon followed Millwall's goal when two fans managed to elude the stewards and taunt the Leeds goalkeeper. It appears that a cigarette was also thrown which made no contact with the goalkeeper, who may also have been pushed in the back. Millwall and Leeds United have worked tirelessly to overcome the problems they have faced over the years in this respect. Journalists and the media have a duty to play their part by reporting factually and responsibly"…
…The Met's Superintendent Peter Vincent also praised the conduct of the fans on the day, "I would like to take this opportunity to praise not only the police officers and club officials involved in this operation but also the fans whose behaviour in the main was very reasonable."

10th May Never let the truth get in the way of a story. Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail wrote, "FA set to investigate thugs who shamed Millwall." And, "Ilderton Road in south-east London was probably the best place to be on Saturday afternoon if you didn't fancy having your house burgled." Leeds goalkeeper Casper Ankergren proves to be a rather nasty individual, "There was something thrown at me," the Danish goalkeeper said. "It's very bad for football and Millwall should be punished. I was pushed in the back by one fan, too. I'm not sure what the security were doing as no-one came to remove them. Anything could have happened. I hope something will be done, because it is a disgrace to football". Oh, and a liar. There is loads more, but it doesn't deserve airing again.

TLR STATEMENT: OUR SINCEREST APOLOGIES: THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NEW ISSUE AT THE GAME TODAY BUT THE PRINTERS FAILED TO DELIVER IT ON TIME. IT WILL HOWEVER BE IN THE USUAL NEWSAGENTS FROM MONDAY.

9th May Millwall 1 - 0 Leeds United: Kenny jacket sets up cautiously, but it quickly becomes apparent that Leeds are at The Den to contain. The Lions dominate possession and have the best chances. Ankergren makes a great save from Harris, but the veteran Lions striker gets the all important goal…
…Kenny jacket is the only calm and collected person in the stadium and says, "We started quite nervously, but settled down. It's all set up and we know we've got to go to Yorkshire and play right to our maximum if we want to go through. These play-off games are very tight and this one is no different. It's very tight but there's no doubt that today has helped us slightly but we need a big performance to go through to Wembley"…
…Leeds manager Simon Grayson says, ""I said that if we we're still in the tie after the game today then we can turn it round and we still are in the tie. We know now what we've got to do. We've got 90 minutes to turn a 1-0 deficit into a positive for us and we've got players that are capable of doing that. We've got 37,000 at Elland Road on Thursday night, which is going to be some atmosphere and that isn't going to get us through the game but it will help"…
…A couple of blokes run on to taunt the Leeds keeper and a few more bundle the players after the goal, but seeing all the well known journalists in the press box, you know what's coming…

8th May Subject to interest from bloody west ham now, Zak Whitbread talks about leaving Liveerpool, "I needed to move on. Being around those players was very special but it doesn't feel real now. You take it for granted but I don't regret my decision to leave. I could have stayed and played 15 games in my career at this point or I could have left and played regularly for Millwall. It was an easy choice. Sometimes you have to make a step down to go back up and we can do that here - we feel we could be a Championship club."

6th May The first rally cry comes appropriately from the man that enabled all of this to happen; chairman John Berylson, ""Leeds have been a huge club for more than 30 years but that just makes it more of a challenge. And just like the fans of this club, I love a challenge."

3rd May The Lions Trust and the Leeds United trust issue a joint statement after the clubs reveal only 1,000 tickets will be available to each club's away fans, "The Lions Trust, in tandem with the Leeds United Supporters Trust, are calling on the managements of the clubs and police commanders involved to work with fans to make both matches the fantastic occasions they deserve to be. The difficulties of policing important football matches and the security problems that they impose is of course recognised and acknowledged. We have every confidence, however, that the Metropolitan and the West Yorkshire police forces have both the professionalism and experience to be able to handle what remain, after all, third-tier level football matches."

2nd May Carlisle United 2 - 0 Millwall: Gary Alexander hit the bar, and Millwall did not exactly roll over and die, but Carlisle had to win to stay up and we had players that did not need injuries for vital Play Off games. Hopefully, that sums it up…
…Joe Gallen talks about the game afterwards, "We did come to win the game, there was no waiting for the Play Off games." Okay, then…
…The defeat means the Lions will be at home for the first leg, which most would prefer anyway.

1st May Kenny Jackett quashes rumours that he will field a weakened side against relegation candidates Carlisle, "It could mean we play our away game in the Play Offs first."