All of a sudden, the three teams that it’s been assumed the two automatic promotion winners would come from are looking vulnerable and Southampton, who must have resigned themselves to the Play Offs after their late, late defeat at Ipswich in what may well have been the Championship’s match of the season, are thinking they are in with a sniff of a top two finish.
None of Leicester, Leeds or Ipswich managed a goal, let alone a win, in their midweek games, with the first named, who must have been believing they were over their recent wobble, going down to a single goal defeat to a Millwall side that had lost to Rotherham and Huddersfield in their previous two matches.
It should follow therefore that, having seen off the team that are still most likely to finish top of the league I believe, Millwall should be able to virtually guarantee their safety with a win over an erratic Cardiff side that has been pretty feeble in losing on their last two visits to the New Den.
However, there are plenty of reasons to make disparaging comments about this Cardiff City team, but it does not pay to under estimate them if you’re about to face them on your own ground (it’s another thing completely if you’re facing them at Cardiff City Stadium!). Cardiff may not play anyone, bar Huddersfield, off the park when they play away from home, but they have a welcome knack of finding a way to win on their travels – can they manage what would be a tenth league away win tomorrow?
Until recently, Cardiff v Millwall matches were banker draws, but I think I’m right in saying hat the last five games between the teams have had a winner, maybe it’s time to have another draw?
Here’s seven questions on Millwall players from every decade going back to the sixties, I’ll post the answers on here on Sunday.
60s. This striker’s goals for a famous old amateur club that played at Green Pond Lane attracted the attention of a nearby Football League club and the goals kept on coming at a regular enough rate to persuade a big First Division club to sign him. In truth, however, the most notable thing he did in his year or so with this team was to get sent off for violent conduct against their most bitter rivals in an era when dismissals were much rarer than they are now. Seven goals from eighteen league matches was not that bad a return and he next moved away from his home area so to speak to sign for a river side club to the north who were also in the top flight at the time. Again the goals came at what would be considered a very healthy rate these days, but less than sixty league appearances in more than three years rather told it’s own story, so Millwall, then in Division Three, took him on. It was a good decision as he was to play just short of a hundred and thirty games for them in the next four years with his goals coming at a rate of just over one every other game. Now in his mid thirties, he had a very brief (one game) spell in the motor city with a club he later coached and as a manager, he was a three times title winner in Nairobi of all places, who am I describing?
70s. With a surname which brought to mind a TV series from the sixties in which the title character had to change his name, this midfielder’s career did not amount to much. He started off with Millwall and one of the sixty odd appearances he made for them in a five year period came in a losing cause at Ninian Park about halfway through his time with them. When he moved on it was for a short spell with a team that was not as notorious then as they would become a few years later and he finished up playing for a team that are currently battling to stay in the National League – he never left London during his career, but who is he?
80s. DDT use diaries v Millwall full backs of the 80s, which one to read? (5,6)
90s. One half of ancient TV duo meets Miss Roberts.
00s. Which Millwall footballer from this decade shares his name with an Olympic gold medal winner who is also father to a BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner from the twenty first century?
10s. Place where character from Greek mythology came into contact with an imitation Freemason?
20s. Which member of the current Millwall squad is the first player born in this century to represent his country?
Answers
60s.Len Julians started his career with Walthamstow Avenue and signed for Leyton Orient in the mid fifties. In 1959, Julians moved to Arsenal and was sent off in a north London derby game when he kicked Spurs centre half Maurice Norman. Moving on to Nottingham Forest, Julians returned to London to sign for Millwall and was a regular scorer in the team which went a record breaking fifty nine home league games without defeat. Julians played a game for the Detroit Cougars after leaving and also coached that club for while – in the eighties he managed Gor Mahia to three Kenyan league titles.
70s. Officer Dibble was one of he main characters in the brilliant cartoon series Top Cat (later changed to Boss Cat in the UK because Top Cat was a famous cat food brand). Chris Dibble was a midfielder who played in the woeful Millwall side that were somehow only beaten 2=1 at Ninian Park in March 1979. Pearce went on to play for Wimbledon and Wealdstone.
80s. David Stride.
90s. Ben Thatcher.
00s. Mark Phillips is a defender who played for Millwall between 2000 and 2008. Princess Anne’s former husband Mark Phillips who won a Gold Medal as part of the British something to do with horses team at the 1972 Olympics, is the father of Zara Phillips who was (tugs forelock) voted Sports Personality of the Year in 2006 for something to do with horses.
10s. Paris Cowan-Hall – someone who is not initiated as a freemason, but tries to pass himself off as one is known as a cowan.
20s. Irish international Michael Obafemi who is on loan to Millwall from Burnley for the rest of the season.
