Next Game – Millwall (away)

Last updated : 13 February 2004 By Tony Scholes

Neil Harris
It has been a complete joke, fuelled by our inept Football Association, that left us right up until Wednesday night not knowing whether we had a game or not. Our football authorities are such that had Millwall lost at Telford they would have been able to play their league game on Saturday yet had it been a draw it would have left us and Reading with no game even though our league game was scheduled for this Saturday.

The main problem has been the pitch at Bucks Head, Telford and having seen the goals from Wednesday’s game on television I am somewhat relieved it is Millwall we play, at least it will be played on a decent surface. Anything could happen at Telford on a pitch resembling the beach at Blackpool.

Milllwall, like ourselves, are unbeaten since 28th December and have won through to the 5th round with victories over fellow 1st Division side Walsall and then Conference club Telford.

Like the Clarets they have hardly made much money out of the competition as yet and just over 12,500 have seen their two ties so far and that is less than have seen us beat Mansfield and Gillingham.

In the 3rd round they came from behind to beat Walsall 2-1 in a game that left Saddlers’ boss Colin Lee fuming and pointing the finger at his counterpart Dennis Wise.

Walsall scored as early as the 12th minute but by half time Millwall led with goals from Kevin Braniff and Tim Cahill.

It all went downhill for Walsall in the second half with two players sent off after incidents involving Wise.

Lee said after the game: "We have tried to appeal before, but we are not Manchester United. It seems all the managers are thinking the same and it's not worth confronting the officials anymore."

And so on to Telford where the pitch took centre stage. The two clubs will not consider themselves to be the best of friends after this fiasco with Millwall complaining bitterly about the timing of the first postponement and Telford accusing Ray Wilkins of sticking his nose in and influencing the referee on the second postponement.

It was finally played on Wednesday and Millwall always looked the likely winners once Paul Ifill had put them in front. The win was confirmed just seven minutes from time when player/manager Dennis Wise added the second.

They were able to include Danny Dichio at the last minute when he returned from West Brom after a deal was agreed. He is back currently on loan with the permanent deal, an initial £200,000, set for completion.

Millwall lined up: Willy Gueret, Robbie Ryan, Darren Ward, Kevin Muscat, Matt Lawrence, Paul Ifill, David Livermore, Dennis Wise, Tim Cahill, Danny Dichio, Neil Harris (Kevin Braniff 73). Subs not used: Andy Roberts, Marvin Elliott, Peter Sweeney, Mark McCammon.

The Lions have had about as much good fortune as we have in the FA Cup in recent years and this is only their second appearance in the 5th round in the last 18 years. The last occasion was in 1994/95 season when they went down 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers.

We are currently assuming that any replay should it be required will be played on Tuesday 24th February although you never know with our Football Association.

Click HERE to see all Millwall’s results this season.

Past Results in the last 20 years

Season

Div

Ven

Result

Att

Scorers

a

1983/84

3

a

0-2

6,707

h

1-0

5,088

Biggins

1984/85

3

a

1-2

5,376

Hird

h

1-1

3,586

Overson

1994/95

1

a

3-2

7,375

Winstanley(2) Robinson

h

1-2

10,454

Shaw

1996/97

2

a

1-2

9,281

Nogan

h

1-0

9,840

Weller

1997/98

2

h

1-2

8,834

Cooke

a

0-1

7,582

1998/99

2

h

2-1

8,526

Cooke(2)

a

2-1

7,407

Cooke Davis

1999/2000

2

a

1-1

8,601

Cooke

h

4-3

14,890

Cox Cooke Davis Cook

2001/02

1

a

2-0

11,903

I Moore A Moore

h

0-0

16,131

2002/03

1

h

2-2

11,878

West(pen) I Moore

a

1-1

6,045

I Moore

2003/04

1

h

1-1

10,435

I Moore

Click HERE to see more results against Millwall.