Millwall

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Defender Caleb Taylor says Millwall will "give it" to West Ham in what he expects to be a very intimidating atmosphere at The Den on Saturday.

The hotly anticipated 12:30 BST kick-off is the first Dockers Derby since February 2012 and sees the Hammers arrive top of the Championship after four straight wins, while the Lions are four points back in 11th.

Alex Neil has used 24 players in Millwall's opening seven league games as he juggles a lengthy injury list with 23-year-old centre back Taylor the only player to have played every minute so far.

Taylor told the BBC's EFL 72+ podcast: "I can't wait. It was one of the first fixtures we saw when they came out and the lads are buzzing for it and excited.

"We've had a lot of injuries at the start of the season which has not helped us, but the squad we have is still capable of getting a result.

"You know what The Den's like, it's such a good atmosphere, everyone will be up for it, we'll give everything we've got to hopefully get a win."

After back-to-back clean sheets to start the season, the Lions have conceded 13 across their past five league games, but Taylor is hoping to keep it tight against a West Ham side who have scored 16 goals in their past four.

"Me and (Jake Cooper) have got a good partnership going, we've conceded a few goals recently which is unlike us," he added.

"Saturday we'll try and be solid, they have some good players, come down from the Premier League, they have huge financial backing. We'll make it a good game and really give it to them.

"Since I've been here the atmosphere at The Den has just been incredible. I can only imagine what it's going to be like on Saturday, it's going to be proper intimidating. I'm really looking forward to it."

Millwall suffered play-off semi-final heartbreak against Hull City after finishing third last season, but Taylor credited Neil with helping his squad bounce back quickly.

"Last season was really disappointing, even though it was such a great season, the way it ended," he said.

"It was a massive hit for us but the gaffer is so good mentally he's turned us around and got us thinking forward - this season we're hoping to build on it and hopefully do better."

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by former Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town defender Luke Chambers to chat all things EFL in the latest episode of the 72+.

What next for Preston after they sacked Paul Heckingbottom? How far can Lincoln go after a strong start to the season?

Saturday sees Millwall face West Ham for the first time since 2012 and Lions defender Caleb Taylor joins the pod to talk their London derby.

Shrewsbury look set to be the latest EFL club with American owners as BBC Radio Shropshire's Nick Southall explains how Brad Friedel is involved.

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Miillwall manager Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 2-2 draw away to Middlesbrough as the Lions gave up a two-goal half-time advantage and had to settle for a point.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Image source, Opta

Middlesbrough host Millwall at The Riverside Stadium on Tuesday (19:45 BST) in a game between two sides that made it into last season's play-offs.

Boro are coming off the back of a thrilling 4-3 victory against Norwich while Millwall lost at Blackburn on Saturday.

• After their 2-1 defeat in April, Middlesbrough could lose back-to-back league games against Millwall for the first time since February 2013.

• Millwall are looking to enjoy back-to-back league wins away to the Middlesbrough for only the second time in their history, after achieving the feat in April 2014.

• Middlesbrough have only won one of their last six midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) home games in the Championship (D2 L3), although that was their most recent, beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in April.

• Millwall have won both of their last two league games played on a Tuesday, last winning three in a row on this day of the week in January 2019 (run of 5).

• Millwall's Alex Neil has only lost one of his seven managerial games away to Middlesbrough in the Championship (W3 D3), a 0-2 defeat with Preston in March 2021.

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after the loss against Blackburn. For a written selection of his quotes, click here

Image source, Opta

Blackburn will hope to end a four-game winless run in the Championship when they welcome Millwall to Ewood Park on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Rovers have won just one of their opening six games (D2 L3) and sit one point above the drop zone at this early stage of the season.

The Lions bounced back from two heavy defeats to Southampton and Wrexham with a convincing victory of their own last time out - beating Bolton 4-0 - and will be targeting a promotion push once again.

• Blackburn Rovers have won each of their past three league games against Millwall, last winning four in a row in November 1990.

• Millwall are winless in 10 league visits to Blackburn (D3 L7) since a 2-0 victory in November 2012 under Kenny Jackett.

• Blackburn have lost their previous two league games, last losing three in a row in April 2025 (run of 5).

• A victory for Millwall here will make this the first time the Lions have won as many as four of their first six games of a league season since 1997-98.

• Millwall's Alex Neil has lost five of his past seven league games against Blackburn Rovers (W2), including each of his previous four in a row.

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after the Lions' 1-0 defeat by Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

Click the 'play' icon above to listen, or tune in on BBC Sounds.

Remember, this is your Millwall page so bookmark it, or if you're on the BBC Sport app or signed in on a browser, hit 'Follow' to add it to your MySport and get more news, analysis, stats and fan views - and also select the bell icon in the app to sign up for club notifications.

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Millwall midfielder Jenson Metcalfe and Bolton counterpart Josh Sheehan have had their red cards from Saturday's Championship meeting between the sides overturned on appeal.

The pair were dismissed after clashing late on in Millwall's 4-0 win over the Trotters which led to a melee involving players from both teams.

However, both clubs have been successful in appealing against three-match bans on the grounds of wrongful dismissal and both players will be available immediately for selection.

It means Metcalfe will now be available for Millwall's Carabao Cup third round tie against Newcastle United on Tuesday, while Sheehan is free to play for Bolton against West Ham in the Championship the same evening.

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Millwall returned to winning ways with a 4-0 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers in the Championship on Saturday.

It also marked a third successive defeat for the Trotters who have won just once since returning to the second tier.

Here is what some Lions and Bolton supporters made of the game.

Millwall fans:

Dennis: A creditable performance considering 12 first-team players are missing because of injuries. I just hope they manage to get through all the games they face in the next two weeks, including the EFL Cup game game against Newcastle United without any more injuries.

Gary: A brilliant reaction from the boys, as well as the fans - four goals, a clean sheet and back to winning ways but we can't get carried away. We just need to get to the international break without any further injuries.

Freddie: This is a great result for Millwall. However, the last two games I watched we were absolutely awful and if we are going to push for promotion again, we need to play with passion every game. We've got one of the most important games coming up in the next couple of weeks (West Ham) and we need to win that.

Danny: Well, after the two defeats that was Millwall's best match so far. Let's keep it up - come on you Lions.

The Kosher Lion: This was not a 4-0 game. Bolton carved us open and put some excellent balls across our six-yard box from their very tricky winger. The Championship is about putting the ball in the net, that's what counts.

Image source, Getty Images

Bolton fans:

Ross: Unless the team becomes more resilient and learns how to score goals they will be leaving the Championship this season.

Garry: Obviously a very sub-par performance. I hate to say it but we might have to get used to that sort of form this season.

Dave: Time to get real - we're in a relegation fight. We have to identify the six pointers. Never going to get much at Millwall who've got 10 years solid in this division so really we were cannon fodder.

Michael: Where did all this bad play come from? The Sheffield United game in the second half we should have battered them but again why not? Where has the leadership gone? Who will take the blame for lack of goals?

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after Saturday's 4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Both Millwall and Bolton Wanderers will be hoping to bounce back after two successive losses to pick up points at the Den on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Lions got off to a fantastic start with two wins but have failed to keep up their momentum, while Bolton's losses have both come at the slim margin of just one goal.

• Millwall have only won one of their last 11 league meetings with Bolton Wanderers (D4 L6), a 2-0 away win in April 2018.

• Bolton are unbeaten in five league visits to Millwall (W2 D3) since a 2-1 defeat in October 2012, with this their first trip since a 1-1 draw in November 2018.

• Millwall have lost 5-1 against Southampton and 3-0 against Wrexham in their last two league games. They last lost three in a row in December 2024, while they last did so by 3+ goals each time in May 1989 in the top-flight.

• Bolton have lost both of their last two league matches, last losing three on the bounce in April 2025 (4).

• Only three sides have faced fewer shots on target than Millwall in the Championship this season (12). However, only three sides have conceded more goals than the Lions this term (8).

We asked for your views on Millwall's mixed start to the new Championship season.

The Lions have gone from winning their opening two games without conceding a goal to losing their past two and shipping eight goals in the process.

They have also sold star winger Femi Azeez to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Millwall supporters have been having their say and here is a selection of their opinions:

Ken: Last year we couldn't score goals and this year seems to be the same so I can't understand why we have not bought a recognised goalscorer. We create chances but can't put them away.

Jim: I think we have been unlucky with injuries. I think a better reflection is the first two games. The past two is not a reflection of the team, so I'm not concerned, yet.

Steve: We have so many injuries which will inevitably hold us back. Once we have a full squad back we will be a match for anyone and will be challenging for the play-offs at the very least.

Mark: The number of injuries is totally unacceptable. Something is going badly wrong in training or the medical department. I am not too concerned yet as it is only four games but would like to have kept the home record going for more than one game! Good luck Femi and thanks for everything.

Louse: No pace, no width, no full-backs and a massively unbalanced squad. Untold injuries - what do they do in training? The manager has to be asked questions after two heavy, abysmal defeats.

Henry: Before the season kicked off, I was sceptical of replicating our strong performances in recent seasons. I thought I was made to eat humble pie in the first two matches, but the last two have restored my original view. I expect us to finish mid-table still, but it is a real shame as my heart said we would kick on, but my head said we would have a mediocre season.

Tim: We would have a half-decent side if we kept players fit. Thirteen first-team players injured - why? Is the training wrong or are they unfit?

Millwall head coach Alex Neil admits the injury suffered by midfielder Casper de Norre against Wrexham is "not good".

The 29-year-old was substituted just before half-time in Wednesday's Championship game, when the score was 1-0. Millwall ended up losing 3-0.

"I thought the big turning point was when we lost Casper," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"It's not good. Senior players know their bodies and he's definitely felt a pop of some kind.

"He comes off, and Derek [Mazou-Sacko] is not really quite ready to play – he was probably due to get about 20 minutes. That's why Camiel [Neghli] came on initially and then we put Derek on later on.

"The two young lads in the middle [Daniel Kelly and Jenson Metcalfe] then started to cramp. Josh Coburn was starting to struggle with his heel.

"We ended up having to make wholesale changes, and the difficulty you've got with that is that the understanding throughout the players on the pitch is diluted.

"When you come up against an experienced team like Wrexham, it makes it a difficult task.

"It's frustrating because we're probably down to our last third of the squad in terms of trying to get a team on the pitch and trying to be competitive at the level."

Neil, though, is hoping to welcome back Tairyk Arconte and Kyrell Lisbie to the squad for Saturday's game with Bolton and could include Romain Esse in the squad after he was re-signed from Crystal Palace.

"We'll see where he is, if he's available and ready," Neil added. "I don't think he's done loads over the pre-season so we need to be careful."

Image source, Getty Images

Last season's surprise package in the Championship were Millwall, who missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the campaign before losing to Hull City in the play-off semi-finals.

Some familiar faces have left the club, including winger Femi Azeez to Brighton, while the Lions have also been busy strengthening their squad.

Two impressive wins to start the season have been followed by heavy losses to Southampton and Wrexham.

So, Millwall fans, are you expecting another promotion challenge this season or will other teams overtake you in the scramble to finish in the top eight?

Send us your views here and check back later to read some of the thoughts of supporters.

And remember, this is your Millwall page so bookmark it, or if you're on the BBC Sport app or signed in on a browser, hit 'Follow' to add it to your MySport and get more news, analysis, stats and fan views - and also select the bell icon in the app to sign up for club notifications.

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"They don't lose often but when they do lose, they seem to get a bit of a pasting unfortunately."

Millwall fan and journalist Alex Grace is not far wrong.

A 5-1 humbling at Southampton on Saturday was a first loss of the Championship season for the Lions - and just a 20th defeat in 72 league games since Alex Neil took over as boss in December 2024.

"It does seem to be when the wheels come off, they can come off quite badly for whatever reason," Grace told BBC Radio London.

Of those 20 league losses Millwall have suffered under Neil, five of them (25 per cent) have been by three goals or more.

"But it's making sure they respond and they've done that quite well so far in the Alex Neil tenure," Grace said.

"He doesn't allow them to dwell. He doesn't get too high when they win and he doesn't get too low when they lose.

"There's always the next game and playing on Wednesday night [at home to Wrexham] is key because they want to get the response done and get it out of their system as quickly as possible."

So how have Millwall fared in the five league games directly following those defeats by three goals or more?

Well, it's relatively positive news for Lions fans because Millwall are unbeaten in such games, having won three and drawn two.

Millwall host Wrexham at The Den on Wednesday evening (19:45 BST) and we will have live text coverage on the BBC Sport website.

You can listen to Alex Grace's full interview below or on BBC Sounds here.

And remember, this is your Millwall page so bookmark it, or if you're on the BBC Sport app or signed in on a browser, hit 'Follow' to add it to your MySport and get more news, analysis, stats and fan views - and also select the bell icon in the app to sign up for club notifications.