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28th
September The "box to box midfielder
who can put his foot in", as described by Willie Donachie,
spurns an opportunity to join the Lions in favour of mighty
Walsall. Dwayne Mattis is his name, apparently. Now where
did we put that Rothmans?
27th
September Millwall 1 Swindon Town 2:
When your luck's out… Cox converts a right wing cross
that catches both Simpson and Frampton out of position, and
despite a great Simpson goal, superbly set up by the outstanding
Fuseini, Jerel Ifil nets a winner against a tiring Lions side.
For 20 minutes of the second half Millwall play their best
football for months, but it's not enough. The fans are magnificent,
supporting their team and their efforts…
…Willie Donachie says, "I know I keep saying it
but it's vital to have big strong men in the team - that was
the difference today. If the other team has six players over
six foot and we only have three something has got to give."
He omits to mention that he has had a year to get 'big strong
men' in…
…Donachie also explains Ben May's (un)timely departure,
"He wasn't happy with how the crowd were treating him."
Football really does render you speechless at times.
26th September
Ben May is loaned to Scunthorpe United. It is a chance for
him to get away from the boo boys and prove them wrong. We
hold our breath in anticipation of an improvement to his 1
in 5 goal scoring rate.
23rd September In a unique twist
to ordinary events, Lions boss Willie Donachie gives the board
a vote of confidence, "I am very lucky the two chairmen
(Stewart Till and John Berylson) have tried hard to help me
- giving me funds to get players on loan and telling me if
I come up with the right players they will do so again."
22nd September Crewe Alexandra 0 Millwall
0: Despite dominating for large chunks of the game
and creating lots of openings the confidence lacking Lions
succumb to the bottom of the table curse and the barn door
remains firmly untouched, despite 23 efforts on goal. It's
a spirited display with more pace and guile, with Ali Fuseini
and Jay Simpson operating as good wing threats. The highlight
is Alan Dunne though, who shows his character at right back...
...Afterwards, Willie Donachie says, "It was a much better
performance. On the whole I was delighted with the effort.
It was an unselfish performance from the players. Obviously
there’s things we’ve got to work on, but it wasn’t
all doom and gloom before and it’s not all rosy now.
It’s a long season and the players know they need to
work hard. Everybody is encouraged, all the players think
that will turn the corner, confidence wise. It means a lot
to us to get out of the run of defeats. The performance gave
everyone a lot of hope.”
21st September Graham Kavanagh
continues his travels, this time turning up at Sheffield Wednesday.
This suggests he may have also been considered a Lions target
- again.
20th September
Manager Donachie clutches at some straws, "The strikers
know they're under pressure to score, and that doesn't help
them, Gary Alexander, Ben May and Chopper have all proved
they can score goals, but it hasn't been happening for them
so we've had to bring someone else in who can hopefully make
a difference. Will Hoskins has looked very bright and sharp
in training, and is clearly a bright intelligent player. But
it's all about what happens on the park on Saturday afternoon."
17th September
Watford’s Will Hoskins joins on a month’s loan.
He scored nearly 30 goals for Rotherham a short while ago.
15th September
Millwall 1 Walsall 2: Disaster of disasters. Another
home defeat as Willie’s ‘big strong men’
crumble to an easy defeat. Frampton equalises the Saddlers
opener, but the vistors go straight up the other end to reclaim
their lead. The boo boys had seen Dunne off and Douglas makes
his debut...
...Willie Donachie says afterwards, “Defensively we
lacked discipline and desire. We don't have enough people
who are strong and disciplined enough to do their defending.
It is a balance between passion and skill - we've got the
skill, but not enough passion.”
14th September
Leicester City allow reserve goalkeeper Rab Douglas to come
to The Den on emergency loan cover. Manager Donachie says,
“In Rab, we have acquired a very experienced replacement
who has played at international level.”
12th September
An official Stock Exchange notice says, “Further to
the authority given to directors at the Extraordinary General
Meeting
held on 28 March 2007 regarding the issue of Convertible Loan
Notes the Company is pleased to announce that Nash Fitzwilliams
have placed out Loan Notes totalling in value to £1,199,417.80.
These monies will be used for working capital purposes.”
We believe this means we have some new investors.
11th September
Willie Donachie moans about 15 year old goalkeeper
Sam Walker’s proposed £175,000 move to Chelsea
to the Daily Mail, "I can understand the temptation for
youngsters to go to a top flight side, but I've told Tom [Kilby]
and Sam they will learn much more by remaining here. Portsmouth
have made an offer to the club but I don't want to lose either
of them."
9th
September Jamie O’Hara extends his loan period
after his red card at Swansea effectively finished his month.
7th
September Brighton & Hove Albion 3 Millwall 0:
Brighton cruise to an easy win with goals from Hammond, Cox
and Martot. Hammond’s penalty came after Alexander is
harshly judged to have brought him down and Cox’s chip
was superb for the second, but the rest of the night borders
on the appalling. Manager Donachie gets the tactics and line-up
wrong again and Whitbread gets booed off the pitch after a
clumsy 90th minte red card...
...Willie Donachie says, “I felt we were the better
side early on, but when they got their dodgy penalty we fell
apart for twenty minutes.”
6th
September Remarkably, Ken Brown has got another job
in football. After spending his time at The Den not being
able to do it at all, he turns up at Brighton...
...After being briefed on the Paint Pot, John Berylson tells
the South London Press, "Even though losing cost us money,
the only cup I care about is the FA Cup." Who wants to
tell him?
5th September
After his last minute red card Jamie O'Hara is scheduled to
return to Spurs. Willie Donachie wants him for longer, "If
he is going to come in on a longer loan we want him to feel
like he is one of our players"...
...The Mirror reports that Portsmouth have been warned over
their pursuit of teenage pair Tom Kilbey, 17, and keeper Sam
Walker, 15. The manager was even forced to play Kilbey against
Swansea in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the David Amoo
affair.
4th September Swansea City 3 Millwall
2: A team full of youngsters against a more experienced
Swansea side was always likely to come a cropper, but it is
a spirited performance and there is a fair amount of skill
on show. O'Hara, Simpson and Hackett all play, and do well,
but despite goals from May and Simpson, an own goal by Zak
Whitbread seals the fate of the travelling Lions and Jamie
O'Hara is sent off in the last minute just to rub it in...
...The South London Press reveals that two of the transfer
deadline targets Millwall missed out on were Tomas Radzinski
and Paul Dickov. Shame.
2nd September Willie Donachie
reveals his displeasure at having to travel to South Wales,
"It is a tournament that nobody really wants because
there are too many games as it is."
1st September Millwall 1 Huddersfield
Town 2: A decent and fairly even first half in which
the Lions enjoyed the better chances. Robinson scored with
a header, but a Day error allowed the visitors back in. Dreadful
defending by Frampton and Shaw allows Kamara to score the
winner...
...Afterwards Willie Donachie says, "It was very disappointing.
Basically, in the second half they only had one shot. It wasn't
a very good goal. We were very disappointed with the defending.
Even in the first half I felt we played very good football.
We've just got to keep believing. I said to the players that
if we keep making those chances we won't be far away."
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