2014-15 proved to be a season to forget for Millwall fans as their six-year stay in the second tier came to an end with relegation to League One.
With an experienced Championship custodian at the helm in the form of Ian Holloway, hopes were high that the Lions could achieve mid-table security at the least, having finished 19th the previous campaign.
Millwall made a bright start to the season, winning three of their opening five games. However, four defeats from the next five halted their momentum and the Lions struggled from thereon in.
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Holloway was dismissed in March after 14 months in charge, with the side second from bottom and eight points from safety. Former striker and club legend Neil Harris was installed as his replacement but he could not halt their slide.
Millwall won just two of Harris's 10 games in charge as they ended the season 22nd, six points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in 21st.
Five key results
Millwall 2-1 Blackpool, August 30, 2014: The first month of the season was an encouraging one for the Lions as they won three times, with the third coming against a struggling Blackpool at The Den. Scott McDonald got the hosts off the mark in the 33rd minute before Scott Malone doubled their lead in the second half. The Tangerines responded through Nile Ranger but Millwall held on for the victory, which moved them up to fifth in the table.
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Millwall 1-3 Birmingham City, September 30, 2014: Things began to unravel for Holloway's men in September, though, as they only picked up one point from five matches. Their fourth defeat in that run came at the hands of Birmingham City, who left South London with all three points courtesy of Clayton Donaldson, David Cotterill and Jerome Thomas. Having occupied a playoff place at the start of the month, Millwall were now 16th.
Norwich City 6-1 Millwall, December 26, 2014: Millwall won just twice following the Birmingham defeat and fears of a relegation scrap increased with this Boxing Day thumping at Carrow Road. Steven Whittaker and Cameron Jerome put the hosts 2-0 up inside 18 minutes, and a further four goals followed in the second half as Millwall caved in. The result left them three points outside the bottom three and looking over their shoulders nervously.
Millwall 1-4 Norwich City, March 7, 2015: Norwich came back to haunt Millwall again three months later as they recorded another comfortable victory over the Lions. Jonathan Howson gave the visitors the lead in the 38th minute before Millwall suffered another second-half collapse. Gary Hooper, Wes Hoolahan and Howson again netted to make it 4-0, before Lee Gregory swept home a consolation penalty eight minutes from time. The result proved to be the end for Holloway, who was sacked three days later.
Millwall 3-3 Derby County, April 25, 2015:
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Victories over Charlton Athletic and fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic gave Millwall's survival hopes a real boost. The Lions looked as if they would still come up short, though, and that proved to be the case when a 3-3 draw with Derby at The Den, coupled with Rotherham's win over Reading a few days later, consigned them to League One football next season.
Best Player - Nadjim Abdou
It was a forgettable season for those of a Millwall persuasion, but Abdou is one of the few players who shone in a struggling side. The defensive midfielder produced the goods on a consistent basis throughout the campaign and memorably got on the scoresheet in the 2-0 win over Wigan in April.
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Abdou will be a key figure if Millwall are to bounce back from relegation next year and he recently signed a new contract to extend his stay in South London.
Most Improved Player - Alan Dunne
Dunne is Millwall's longest-serving player, having been with the club since 2000. The experienced defender has been a fixture in the side since then but he was dropped midway through this season after some below-par displays. However, once he regained his spot in the team his performances improved and he re-established himself as a key member of the Lions backline.
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Despite the improvement, Dunne was one of 18 players released by Harris at the end of the season and said he was heartbroken to leave.
Best Signing - Lee Gregory
Millwall brought Gregory to The Den after he netted 31 goals for non-League FC Halifax Town in the Conference Premier during the 2013-14 campaign. Despite stepping up three levels, the striker performed admirably in the Championship, scoring nine goals in 39 appearances. He will be looking to build on his positive debut season next time around.
Best Goal - Ed Upson vs. Huddersfield Town
The midfielder showed his quality with this strike in the 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield back in September. After some neat play down the right flank, McDonald crossed the ball into the penalty area. Surrounded by three defenders 14 yards from goal, Upson met the ball on the half-volley and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net.
Must Do Better - Stefan Maierhofer
The big Austrian striker returned to Millwall in January on a free transfer from Wiener Neustadt. However, the 32-year-old struggled to make an impact, netting just one goal from his 10 appearances. When fit and firing, Maierhofer is a handful to defend against, so the step down a level might help him to regain confidence and goalscoring form.
End-of-season grade: E
Millwall were simply not good enough to stay in the Championship this season. With the exception of a few individuals, too many of their experienced players went missing when they needed them most and this was reflected in results. However, the supporters will be encouraged by the fact that Harris will lead them in League One next season and hopes will be high that they can make an immediate return to the second tier.
Steven Toplis
