JAKE Cooper can’t wait for Millwall’s final-day play-off showdown against Blackburn Rovers – as he praised Lions fans for their backing in the push for the top six.
Millwall are aiming for the win that will secure their highest league finish since 2002 and a play-off spot, meaning that they could be just three games away from a place in the Premier League.
Cooper knows that it is undoubtedly Millwall’s biggest game since their return to the Championship in 2017, but that pressure is something they are going to embrace.
“It’s going to be a great occasion now on Bank Holiday Monday,” Cooper told NewsAtDen.
“We’ve got a sold-out Den and it’s going to be in our hands. It’s going to be a great occasion for the football club.
“It’s one we’re relishing and one we’re looking forward to. We can’t wait and we’re ready to get to that Blackburn game.”
The supporters will obviously play a big part. More than 1,200 of them travelled up to both Wigan and Blackpool. Monday’s game has been sold out since April 22, with fans desperate to see their team secure a place in the top six.
Cooper believes that they deserve a huge amount of praise for the way that they have followed the team throughout the season, especially when things have not gone their way.
“They’ve been brilliant,” Cooper said. “They’ve turned up in their numbers in the last few months. It’s been amazing for us and we knew the frustration they had coming into this weekend [at Blackpool] off the back of the Wigan game.
“We all shared that as a football club. We were just happy that we could repay them after a long journey to come up to Blackpool.”
Regardless of whether or not they achieve their goal, this season has been a big step in the right direction for everyone at Millwall. In recent campaigns, they have been the ones that have chased the teams in the top six, but they are now being chased, showing a marked improvement.
“That’s what it’s about, moving the club forward,” Cooper said. “We’re in a great position now with one game to go and we achieved something really special for this football club.
“That’s what the whole aim is about now. We’ve got one more game, this is probably a great time to find form off the back of a tricky run.
“I think it suits us knowing that our backs have been up against the wall and we can really turn it around now with these last two games. Hopefully we can take that into the Blackburn game.”
Image: Millwall FC