Manager Neil Harris has taken a small break from planning Millwall’s return to the Championship next season, and reflected on the year that got us back there.
Having tasted both Play Off agony and ecstasy at Wembley as a player before experiencing agony once more but this time as a manager last season as we failed at the hurdle, Harris admitted that last year’s experience had created a burning desire in the group not to be successive losers, and ultimately it proved that pain was an extremely powerful motivator.
Speaking to the official site this week, Harris reflected on the loss to Barnsley at Wembley Stadium.
‘The most influential thing was seeing Barnsley lift that trophy and celebrate with their fans a year earlier. That’s why I had to watch Barnsley celebrate, as difficult as it was. It was the experience as a young manager, and my players as a young group, needed to move forward. We kept referring back to it over the past twelve months and my mindset was always to see my players lift that trophy.’
With a fantastic run in the FA Cup including a few scalps across the campaign, and then Play Off success over Bradford, Harris went on to say.
‘Our FA Cup run was a terrific achievement. We beat Bournemouth, Watford and the Champions of England in Leicester – that’s three Premier League teams. But that run was never our main goal. The Play-Off Final is what defines your season. We had 90 minutes to define our season and I believe if we hadn’t beaten Bradford in the Final our season would have been a failure.’
Adding.
‘That’s why when the final whistle went I just felt relief for all of us. Then the celebrations started and to watch my players celebrate on the pitch was surreal. That is something they will remember forever.’
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