The Lion Roars Diary - September 2008

28th September Swindon Town 1 - 2 Millwall: Loanee Jermaine Easter, scores on his debut but is then sent off in stoppage time as the Lions beat Swindon to move up to fourth place. Grabban provided Easter with the goal scoring pass, Jack Smith levelled, but after Tony Craig headed against the bar Grabban scored with the rebound. Having already been booked, Easter was shown a straight red card just before full time for a needless foul on Smith. It was debatable, but they always are…
…Kenny Jackett echoes the view of fans, "My impression was that it was a harsh sending off", but is far happier with the victory, "I thought we were excellent in the first half but I knew that Swindon would come at us and have good periods of the game. It was a hard fought victory and very pleasing in many respects."

25th September The club's official website has some great news, as Mr Berylson is good to his word and provides Kenny Jackett with exactly what he wants, "Lions boss Kenny Jackett is poised to bring in two strikers to bolster his attacking options in the continued absence of Neil Harris and Tresor Kandol. Welsh international front man Jermaine Easter, 26, is set to join The Lions on an emergency loan deal from Plymouth Argyle on Friday, whilst former Watford, Stoke City and Burnley forward Gifton Noel Williams, 28, has been training with the squad and is likely to be offered a short-term contract. Easter, who came to prominence with Wycombe Wanderers after spells at Cambridge, Hartlepool and Stockport, has a healthy strike rate of 59 goals in 135 games and has won seven caps for his country. Willie Donachie had been keen to bring him to The Den during his spell in charge, but Argyle came in with a substantial bid to take Jermaine to Home Park. Islington-born Gifton made his name at Watford and has 74 career goals in 349 senior appearances to his name. Noel has spent the last couple of years playing in Spain with Real Murcia and Elche CF but is keen to return to English football."

22nd September Chris Hackett shows his appreciation of the faith Kenny Jackett has in him by signing a two year deal, "I'm delighted to get it all sorted, Now I'm looking to help the team get promotion. Millwall is a club going places - there's a good feeling about the place, and that's why I signed. I want to be part of a successful team. I'd like to thank the manager, my team-mates and the supporters - everyone's been great to me, especially since my knee injury."

20th September Millwall 2 - 0 Cheltenham Town: In another of those eleven men behind the ball games, the Lions get an early boost when Barry Hayles is sent off for elbowing Paul Robinson. Ten men behind the ball eventually proves one light as Gary Alexander scores a self earned penalty and Dave Martin scores a cracker to take the Lions up to fourth in the table...
...Kenny Jackett says, "It was a great win for us. Four consecutive League wins is an achievement at any level. This start to the season has given us something to build on"...
...Also at the game, along with the whole board and even the recently exiled directors, is Graham Ferguson Lacey. With the recent share action and the council visit, supporters speculate away...
...Earlier in the day Neil Harris and Tresor Kandol are guests on Soccer AM. The nerve problem that sidelines Harris doesn't stop him kicking a football on the show.

18th September Members of the board visit Lewisham Council for important talks about the regeneration scheme.

17th September Neil Harris could be out of action for more than a month with a nerve problem. He says, "In training on Friday I stretched for a ball and was in agony."

15th September The cheek of it! Clyde want compensation from Millwall for giving Tom Brighton a chance to earn money for nothing. FIFA are set to review the matter.

14th September The News of the World claims that Zak Whitbread may be a target for Everton. Zak replies, "I am not going to read too much into it. It's a great compliment - it's nice to be linked with big clubs. But I am just concentrating on playing to the best of my ability and helping Millwall get promoted."

13th September Leicester City 0 - 1 Millwall: An outstanding goal from Gary Alexander splits the two sides in a most revealing examination of Millwall's intentions for the season. The visitors are solid throughout. There is no real ambition to win; it is one of those - if we score - games. The defence is rock solid and City have no answers. It is the best performance since the previous smash and grab at Swansea last season. The only sour note is Tresor Kandol; sent off three minutes into injury time for being prompted to reveal whether he was a twat or not after a terrible foul. He was more than happy to stand up and be counted on that front…
…Kenny Jackett is obviously delighted, "I don't think many teams will come here and win this season. Leicester are a good side, they have a great stadium and some good players. They changed their system twice during the game, but we handled everything they threw at us"…
…Midfielder Matt Oakley adds his fourpence worth, "Everyone knows we got off to a good start and came up against a team who had done their homework, frustrated us, made it ugly and restricted us to making only a few chances. That is what teams are going to try to do to us because we are going to get a lot of points here as it is a great place with great supporters. They were always going to try to nick a goal and it gave them a little lift when we were probably the better side. When we did break, they stopped us, pulled us down, were willing to take bookings and got a player sent off at the end so you could see their game-plan." Good analysis mate. Oh, and tough tit...
...Tony Craig notches his 100th Lions cap in all competitions.

12th September Manager Jackett has been doing his sums on the club's website, "We have eight points from five games including seven from our last three. I would love that to be ten because if you average two points per game throughout the season that is promotion form."

11th September After getting the full support of gaffe prone chairman John Berylson, who had said that he would like the manager to stay for a decade, Kenny Jackett pledges his future to Millwall in the News Shopper, "It would be nice to be successful enough to stay at the club for that period. It is a terrific club and I would love to deliver the success the club deserves." We will remind him of that when a better funded club comes knocking…
…The Lions boss also comments on rumours that Ryan Smith nearly went to Leyton Orient, "There was no approach from Leyton Orient on deadline day. They made an inquiry about the same time he went to NEC Nijmegen but didn't follow it through. Obviously the Dutch one fell through too, but in the end nothing came to me in terms of an offer from either side. He has worked hard since he came back and his knee has been okay. Ryan did very well in the reserves, so I'm open minded about him." The door isn't shut after all then...
...In an effort to quash exit strategy rumours, Mr Berylson says, "I am looking into putting a family member on the board, maybe one of my children."

10th September Without rhyme or reason, allegedly, Millwall shares are subject of feverish activity. They rise to 0.03p with increases of 25% yesterday & 70% today. The market capitalisation also increases to £12.38m…
…An interesting aside features Motherwell's Mark McGhee as 6th favourite for the recently vacated west ham managerial job.

9th September News reaches TLR Towers that Dave Brammer is training with Crewe Alexandra. Boy, if the manager doesn't want someone he certainly lets them know! The Alex quickly deny their interest in signing the veteran midfielder.

8th September Making Gary Alexander's weekend performance even more impressive is this news in the Times, "The 28 year old missed the previous two fixtures after his wife Danielle lost the baby who would have been the couple's third son. I would like to dedicate the goal to my missus, he said. She is recovering now but it has been difficult. He was still my son even though he was still born. I will be thinking of him."

6th September Millwall 2 - 0 Hartlepool United: In an excellent performance that is measured and controlled throughout, the youthful Lions look like they have at last turned the corner. Neil Harris and Lewis Grabban are the show's main stars in a game dominated by the Millwall attack, as the former pulls all the strings, and the youngster scores one after just three minutes and sets up another for the outstanding Gary Alexander, who nods in after Arran Lee-Barrett's initial save...
...A naturally happy Kenny Jackett says afterwards, "Today was a very good win and a deserved one. It's good to get back to back League wins and eight points from five League games is something to build on"…
...Pools boss Danny Wilson is unhappy with his side's resilience, "There were too many areas where our decision-making was poor. We didn't get out of the blocks early on, and we were punished straight away. Then we were in an identical position for the second goal, and that's just inexplicable. After the early goal we were always on the back foot and we didn't take the chances that came our way. But we didn't deserve anything from the game"...
...Paul Robinson makes his 150th Football League appearance in the match.

2nd September Millwall 0 - 1 Colchester United: Pained as we might be to say it, there is little doubt that the better side won. On debut, David Perkins looked excellent in midfield, and scored the only goal of the game after eight minutes when he reacted quickly to fire in off the crossbar and David Forde. Although we recorded it as such, the stats are a little kinder on the Lions goalkeeper, claiming it wasn't an own goal. Karl Moore also hit the bar with a free kick, but wasn't quite as fortunate, as the Lions huffed and puffed their way out of a second Cup competition in a fortnight…
…An honest Lions boss says, "They just had a bit too much for us in all departments really on the night".

1st September Apart from Chris Day signing a two-year deal with Stevenage Borough, the word 'Millwall' didn't really feature on transfer deadline day. Ebbsfleet's John Akinde was the main rumour, but he went to Bristol City