
Pay on the day at Millwall
Posted: Thursday, April 5th 2018
Friday, April 6th 2018
Lee Johnson believes the club has come a long way in 2017/18 and is determined not to let City’s season “fizzle out”.
City have held a play-off position for the majority of the campaign, only dropping out of the top six in recent weeks following a difficult run of results.
However, with six games to play, the Robins sit just one point out of the play-off picture and come up against two of their closest rivals, Millwall and Middlesbrough, on successive Saturdays in crucial showdowns away from home.
Citing the old football cliché, Johnson insists he is fully focused on one game at a time, but insists there is still every determination in the City camp to turnaround recent form and clinch a top-six finish.
“It’s not time to fizzle out – we want to get going. Come on, let’s go and enjoy it,” he told BCTV.
“Look at what we’ve done as a football club this season: the run we’ve had, the support we’ve generated, the playing style and some of the football we’ve played, the fact we’ve got young players coming through and knocking on the door, the success in the community – there have been so many positives.
“We have to look forward. In any game, you assess the good, the bad and the ugly. We’ve certainly done that [for the Easter games] but there has to be a point when you draw a line in the sand and move forward - and the time is now.
“We have to encourage the boys to go and put in a big performance against Millwall. I’m enthused and excited by the game because it’s a good ground to play football.
“The New Den is a place fuelled with banter and is highly-charged. I’m buoyed by the fact we’re taking around 2,000 away fans and I believe it’s the kind of game we need.
“I certainly don’t think it will be fatal for either side because there will still be five games to play after this one. However, every point and three points at this stage of the season is so important.”
WHAT HE SAID
“Neil Harris is a good, young English manager who has got his side playing the Millwall way. He’s played there before and knows what the fans demand."
In many ways there are similarities in the two dugouts this weekend.
Johnson comes up against Neil Harris. Both are young English bosses now managing at clubs they played for in the past.
City’s head coach added: “It will be a tough game because they’re in good form. They’ve been on a fantastic run.
“Neil Harris is a good, young English manager who has got his side playing the Millwall way. He’s played there before and knows what the fans demand.
“That Millwall team has played together for around two years and they’ve got good cohesion. They haven’t added too many, but the ones they have brought in have added a sparkle to the team.
“They’ve got good quality, but so have we.”
Hordur Magnusson (knee) and Callum O’Dowda (ankle) will be assessed before the team travel to the capital, while Matty Taylor (hernia) returned to training for the first time this week.
The fixture is pay on the day for visiting supporters.
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