HUDDERSFIELD Town boss Neil Warnock would back Millwall in a play-off semi-final as he praised the club ahead of the Championship clash at The Den on Saturday.
Gary Rowett’s Lions are in sixth place, four points ahead of Norwich City in seventh. With nine games left for all sides, there are arguably up to 10 teams competing for the four spots, from Middlesbrough in third down to Sunderland, who are eight points behind Millwall, in 12th.
Warnock has a different fight on his hands, with the Terriers in 23rd place, with a six-point gap to 21st-place Cardiff City.
Warnock, who has said he is in his last job at the age of 74, won his first game in charge – 2-1 at home to Birmingham City – after taking over from Mark Fotheringham, but his side are winless in their last five, with three defeats.
They did, though, show the typical spirit of a Warnock side by taking a point against the Canaries in their last game.
Warnock joked about Huddersfield’s away kit as he looked forward to what is likely to be his last visit to the away dugout at The Den.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been to the Den playing in pink! I don’t think I’ll be wearing it myself,” Warnock told local media in Huddersfield.
“They make it hostile. I know they get a lot of stick, but they are a brilliant community club. They play to their strengths and if we don’t match them on that, they will bulldoze us.”
There is sure to be some back and forth between Warnock and the home support, but the veteran manager is relishing it.
Warnock said: “I think their fans appreciate that I give them a bit back. It’s one of those places you have to prepare yourself mentally because if you don’t, you will get destroyed.
“If they get in the play-offs, I don’t think many teams will want to play them over two legs.”
Warnock is wary of the Lions’ threat from dead balls. On Huddersfield’s official website, he said: “Millwall is going to be a challenge, it’ll be different to the game against Norwich but still challenging. They will play with a lot of strength and we have to be prepared mentally and physically to match that or it will be extremely difficult.
“They are brilliant when it comes to long throws and set pieces, which we have been a lot more positive about lately, so we need to continue with that.
“The fans will be there on Saturday, even with the train strikes and the obstacles – they will be there. The fans who turned up against West Brom were amazing and we need that again.”
Image: Millwall FC