Ipswich Town v Millwall
Monday 2nd April 2017 - 15:00
Portman Road
Pre Match Thoughts - Mike
So now we know, after weeks and weeks of wondering and second guessing what Marcus Evans will do it has finally been confirmed that Mick McCarthy's reign as manager of Ipswich Town will come to an end on 6th may 2018 following our last game of the season at home to Middlesbrough, it will see a stint lasting nearly Six years end with the completion of his contract. Mick always said he would walk away on his terms and he would have us believe that is exactly how it is, his decision to call a meeting last Wednesday and his joint decision with the owner that the time is right and enough is enough. I just could not see it going any other way if I am honest, the relationship with the fans is pretty bad now and there could be no going back, Evans stated he would do what was best for the club and in that respect this move is a no brainer for all concerned. Despite what some would have you believe Mick can leave with his head held high, it may have gone stale and become boring but when he walked into the club we were in a bad bad way and looking doomed to League One Football, as only Mick can he steadied the ship and got us to safety that first season, year on year he improved our final league placing which culminated in our Play Off season and very nearly backed it up with a repeat performance the following season, we can argue all day as to why he wasn't backed at the time but it is clear to me that the guy was let down badly by his employer, he won't come out and say it cus that is the measure of the man but a few quid at the right time and things could have been oh so different.
It's been pretty evident for some time that change had to come and that is what we are going to get, it is an exciting time for Town fans in a weird sort of way but for many it is also a time of caution, a change does not guarantee things will improve, whether that be league standing or indeed the much craved better entertainment, after all it will be the same Owner dishing out the same budget so the working constraints will be identical, what we will get is a new man with his own ideas and methods, hopefully some new faces to replace some of the dead wood, we should get a better atmosphere at home games, for a time at least, at the first sign of a sticky spell some will return to type and be anti all things ITFC, that is the way it goes and the nature of the fickle beast. Much will be spoken regarding the new manager and who it might be, loads of names are already being pushed to the fore, i even heard yesterday that the Cowleys had already signed an agreement, what tosh, this is a job that has always attracted a lot of interest and it will be no different again this time around, what I do hope is that we appoint a new man nice and early, even before Mick departs if at all possible, I am sure things are afoot behind the scenes as we speak. Me personally, I would like to thank Mick McCarthy for everything he has done for my beloved club, at a time when dark clouds were gathering he saved us, at a time when the trauma of previous managers was still very much affecting the way the owner was thinking he got on and did his job with the minimum of fuss and with One hand always very firmly tied behind his back, at a time when the natives got restless and decided that enough was enough he still did his damndest to get us closer to the top Six than we really had a right to be, all this against a backlog of growing hate from the minority who are always very loud and very opinionated and who do influence things more than they realise, so Mick you can walk away with your head held high and in the knowledge that some still believe you did a great job in trying times, I really hope that in the remaining home games he gets the type of support he deserves and not the jeers and boos that have become the norm of late, on 6th May I want Mick McCarthy to be able to take that lap of appreciation with his players who have stood shoulder to shoulder with him through thick and thin and be applauded and thanked for his efforts, that is the very least he deserves.
Moving on.....the last Eight games were always going to have a weird feeling about them for obvious reasons, it felt weird for Mick and it certainly felt weird for me at Birmingham on Saturday, a pretty even game was decided by a very dubious penalty decision which quite naturally went against us, aside from that there was little by way of top quality entertainment and if anyone deserved the victory it was Birmingham who clearly have so much still to play for but looking at them they may well be playing in a different league next season as they aren't great by any means. One of the criticisms often aimed at MM is his team selections and how defensive he sets us up, well he was at it again with Celina & Carayol both on the bench for the majority of the game, we had nothing to lose so why not go for it and entertain us hardy soles who braved the cold and rain again to support the boys ? I don't suppose MM is going to change his approach now so I wonder why I am surprised by it to be fair.
The easter weekend is completed with a visit from high flying Millwall who have been on a fantastic run of form and have pushed themselves very much into the play off mix, a win for them could well see them into the Top six if results go their way and they will be going for it big time and with a large travelling support behind them they will be a tough nut to crack. Every season a team comes out of the chasing pack with a late run and I am shocked to see that it is Millwall this time around, it does go to show that big budgets are not the be all and end all as they must have one of the smallest in the division so credit has to go to Neil Harris who has done a fantastic job with what he has at his disposal, he is like a god around those parts and has the full backing of the fans which really does help, it is just a shame it is this grubby club and its moronic fans otherwise most would be behind them in their quest to mix it with the big boys. I think Town will go some way to spoiling the party though and for me this has low scoring draw written all over it. Let's just get down to Portman Road in larger numbers and get behind the team whatever the scenario, many have got their wish and Mick is going so no need for anymore anti MM songs etc, let us show some respect in the games that remain. COYB'S.
The Opposition - Millwall
Millwall Rovers were formed by the workers of J.T. Morton's canning and preserve factory in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs in London's East End in 1885.
In April 1889, a resolution was passed for Millwall to drop 'Rovers' from their name and they were now playing under the name Millwall Athletic, inspired by their move to their new home The Athletic Grounds. Millwall Athletic reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1900 and 1903.
Millwall moved to a new stadium, named The Den, in New Cross, South London in 1910.
Millwall, who had now also dropped 'Athletic' from its name, were invited to join the Football League in 1920 for the 1920–21 season through the creation of the new Football League Third Division.
In the 1925–26 season Millwall had 11 consecutive clean sheets, a Football League record, which they hold jointly with York City and Reading.
In the 1927–28 season Millwall won the Third Division South title and scored 87 goals at home in the league, an English record which still stands.
Millwall were the tenth best supported team in England in the pre-war years, despite languishing in the Third Division for most of the 1930s. Millwall were one of the most financially wealthy clubs in England.
The loss of so many young men during the Second World War made it difficult for clubs to retain their former status. This was especially true for Millwall, who appeared to suffer more than most. From being one of the country's biggest clubs before the war, Millwall were reduced to one of its smallest afterward.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s Millwall's form was poor, and they were relegated into (and became a founding member of) Division Four.
Later in the decade, Millwall established a record of 59 home games without defeat (43 wins and 16 draws) from 22 August 1964 to 14 January 1967. During this spell, Millwall played 55 different teams, kept 35 clean sheets, scored 112 goals and conceded 33. The record was eventually broken by Liverpool.
Millwall missed out on promotion to Division One by one point. By remaining unbeaten at home in Division Two for the 1971–72 season, Millwall became the only club to go through an entire season without losing a match at home in four different divisions Millwall hosted the first game to be played on a Sunday against Fulham.
George Graham managed Millwall from 1983 to 1986, and during that time he guided the club to a Football League Group Cup win.
John Docherty In his second season as manager, Millwall won the Second Division championship and gained promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time in the club's history in 1988 where they stayed until the 1990 season.
Mick McCarthy guided Millwall to third place in the new Division One at the end of the 1993–94 season, and then went on to manage the Irish National team. Tthis was their first season at a new ground, at first known as The New Den.
In 1997 the club experienced severe financial difficulties that resulted in them being placed in financial administration and eventually falling to the old Division 2 until 2001 when they were promoted back to the Championship.
Between 2005 & 2006 Millwall had 6 managers come and go, ending back down in League 1 in the process. In 2010 they gained promotion back to the Championship via a Webley playoff final.
Kenny Jackett celebrated five years in charge of the club in November 2012, including a 13-game unbeaten run and flirting with the play-offs, however Millwall finished poorly, narrowly avoiding relegation on the last day of the season. Their poor league form coincided with reaching the semi-final of the FA Cup for the fifth time in their history. Kenny Jackett resigned on 7 May 2013. He was Millwall's fourth-longest serving manager.
After a month of searching, Millwall appointed Steve Lomas as their new manager on 6 June 2013. Millwall sacked Lomas on 26 December 2013, after winning only five of his 22 games in charge. Neil Harris and youth team coach Scott Fitzgerald took over as joint caretaker-managers. Millwall appointed Ian Holloway as their new manager on 6 January 2014, with the club sitting 21st in the table. He was given the priority of maintaining their Football League Championship status, which he achieved.
The following season, Holloway was sacked on 10 March 2015 with the team second from bottom in the Championship, and Neil Harris was reinstated as caretaker manager until the end of the season. He was unable to ensure survival, however, as Millwall's relegation to League One was confirmed on 28 April. Harris was confirmed as Millwall's permanent manager the next day. In his first full season in charge, Harris led Millwall to a fourth-place finish in League One and a play-off final at Wembley, which the Lions lost to Barnsley.
In the 2016–17 FA Cup, Millwall reached the Quarter-finals for the ninth time in their history, knocking out Premier League opposition in three consecutive rounds.
Millwall made it to the League One play-off final at Wembley for the second successive year. They were promoted back to the Championship following a 1–0 playoff final victory over Bradford City.
The Manager – Neil Harris
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
Media Watch - K L Blue
Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – Currently in 13th place with 52 points
6 Mar Sheffield Wed 1 - 2 Ipswich Town
10 Mar Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Sheffield Utd
13 Mar Ipswich Town 0 - 3 Hull City
17 Mar Bristol City 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
31 Mar Birmingham City 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
Millwall Last 5 Matches - Currently in 8th place with 61 points
3 Mar Millwall 1 - 1 Sunderland
6 Mar Hull City 1 - 2 Millwall
10 Mar Millwall 1 - 0 Brentford
17 Mar Barnsley 0 - 2 Millwall
30 Mar Millwall 2 - 0 Nottm Forest
Fixtures of Interest that may affect Towns Standing on the Table
QUEENS PARK RANGERS VS NORWICH CITY FC
FULHAM VS LEEDS UNITED
Match Referee – Stephen Martin
IPSWICH TOWN 1 MILLWALL 1
