It might seem like a long shot, but with just two games left in the season plus the playoffs, Millwall`s promotion from the Championship is still a real possibility. This club, unlike almost any other in English football, boasts a fanbase that revels in the disapproval directed at their team. Imagine them in the top flight – the 2025-26 Premier League season would certainly be one of a kind.
While still improbable, the prospect of Millwall`s promotion became more tangible after Easter Monday. Coventry City and Bristol City, who were holding the last two playoff spots, both suffered defeats against teams fighting relegation. Middlesbrough, also vying for a playoff spot, returned empty-handed from their match against Sheffield Wednesday. Meanwhile, Alex Neil`s Millwall delivered their part of the bargain, bouncing back from a tough loss at Blackburn with a convincing 3-1 victory at Norwich.
They still need some luck to go their way. With only two games remaining, they are three points outside of sixth place with a worse goal difference. They need either Coventry or Bristol City to drop points in both of their remaining matches. If Middlesbrough wins their remaining games, Millwall would need both fifth and sixth place teams to falter. All this while also needing to win against Swansea and Burnley in their own final fixtures.
Impressive Victory Over Norwich
Based on Monday`s performance, overcoming these challenges is not beyond the realm of possibility. Millwall has now won five of their last seven games at a crucial point in the season where momentum is incredibly valuable in the Championship. Their performance against Norwich naturally sparks thoughts about what could happen if they reach the playoffs and succeed at Wembley.
`Their playing style is like grassroots football at the professional level,` commented CBS Sports analyst Nigel Reo-Coker, who understands firsthand how difficult it is to play away at Millwall. `They would inject an electric atmosphere and an underdog spirit. As their chant says, “No one likes us, we don`t care.” They are a club proud of their working-class roots and outsider status.`
`They thrive on being the underdog, facing adversity, and feeling like they are against the world. The atmosphere they would bring to every Premier League game would be absolutely electrifying, truly indescribable – you`d have to experience it in the stadium.`
In purely footballing terms, Millwall would offer a fascinating contrast to many other teams in the league. In an era where football often revolves around inverting full-backs, ball-playing center-backs, and prioritizing possession above almost everything else, Millwall serves as a reminder that a team`s identity can be built on more than just intricate passing and coordinated plays.
They might be capable of playing `keep ball,` but it wouldn`t feel like Millwall. Their on-field style reflects their club`s off-field identity. While the hooliganism stereotypes are now outdated, the Lions take pride in their traditional approach, going against the grain and getting under the skin of their opponents.
When everything clicks, The Den becomes a cauldron of noise.
Norwich had the second-highest average possession in the Championship leading up to this game. Millwall`s response was straightforward: `You want the ball? Keep it. We won’t need it for long.` Their strategy involved targeting their tall forwards, getting the ball out wide, and winning individual battles. When executed as effectively as it was on Monday, Millwall`s football is both exciting to watch and incredibly difficult to play against.
Their high-pressing frontline forced a mistake from Norwich within the first eight minutes, a clumsy pass that you wouldn`t expect to see in Millwall`s training drills. A series of crosses then rained down on the Norwich goal, with Femi Azeez`s cross appearing to strike an unsuspecting Mihailo Ivanovic. The Den erupted in cheers, celebrating their `big Serbian.` They know what they appreciate in these parts, and this wouldn`t be the last time they showed their admiration for the 20-year-old from Novi Sad.
Despite Norwich`s possession, they struggled to break through Millwall`s defense, failing to register a shot until Josh Sargent`s wide curler after half an hour. A Shane Duffy header from a set piece briefly gave them hope before halftime, but they were never likely to win a set-piece battle against Millwall. Ultimately, that would be Norwich`s only shot on target. The impressive Azeez had earlier scored a corner in the first half, and the 6ft 2in Ivanovic added a second for himself and Millwall`s third in the second half.
As news of other results filtered through, the anticipation in The Den was palpable. Two more wins, and who knows, perhaps a return to the top flight for the first time since their brief spell between 1988 and 1990.
What Would They Bring to the Premier League?
Given the reputation of Millwall`s traveling fans, some in the Premier League might be apprehensive. However, it`s important to note that the club has worked hard to distance itself from the worst elements of its fanbase and to engage with the communities in South London who previously wouldn`t have considered entering The Den in the 1970s or 80s. Their community trust is award-winning, dedicated to promoting inclusion in Southwark. The club has evolved alongside its Bermondsey neighborhood; while the approach to The Den might seem intimidating, the area around it is now a mix of craft beer spots, burger joints, and the ubiquitous sound of Oasis on the speakers.
Nevertheless, some of the rough edges remain. As Jean-Phillipe Mateta, who was not only kicked in the head by goalkeeper Liam Roberts but also subjected to relentless chants afterward, can attest, Millwall`s humor can be cutting. On Monday, every Norwich throw-in was met with boos, and a misplaced pass drew almost as much joy as an own goal. Few grounds revel in schadenfreude quite like this one.
In the Premier League, this might become even more intense, especially when West Ham comes to town. Their rivalry with Millwall is one of the fiercest in English football, dating back to the days of dockworkers competing for work and local dominance. At its worst, as seen in the 2009 riots where 20 people were injured, the on-pitch action seems almost secondary. However, those who have played in this derby understand its significance.
`I remember a massive police presence, a raw, electric atmosphere, and a deep, passionate rivalry – one of the greatest in English football,` recalls Reo-Coker, whose West Ham team lost 1-0 at The Den in 2004. `It`s a game of pride, even hatred. Both clubs would probably say they don`t care about the rest of the season as long as they win this one match. The pressure on the players to perform was immense; everyone knew it.`
`Of course, it`s heavily policed and segregated because of the intense animosity.`
`The noise was constant, non-stop singing. It was like grassroots football but at a professional level – pure, raw passion. Every tackle, every throw-in mattered. It was emotionally charged, an electric atmosphere for 90 minutes where you desperately didn`t want to be on the losing side.`
The Met Police might not share such fond memories of the derby, nor would they welcome another season with Millwall facing Leeds, a fixture known for its historical hooliganism. The last Chelsea vs. Millwall match in 1995 required mounted police intervention. Crystal Palace`s next visit after the Mateta incident would also be highly charged.
Millwall in the top flight would certainly bring complications, and for now, it remains an unlikely outcome for the 2024-25 season. However, if it were to happen, the Premier League would undoubtedly experience something unlike anything it has seen before.
