NEWSATDEN looks at all of Millwall’s 23 opponents ahead of the 2017-18 Championship season.
Next up, Lucas Ball casts an eye over Alex Neil’s Preston North End.
Nickname: The Lilywhites
Manager: Alex Neil
Stadium: Deepdale (23,404)
Club website: www.pnefc.net
Nearest train station: Preston
Postcode: PR1 6RU
Title odds (Sky Bet): 50/1
Last meeting: FA Cup third round – Millwall 1-0 Preston (January 5, 2013, The Den)
Last season:
Position: 11th in Sky Bet Championship
Goals for: 64
Goals against: 63
Top league goal scorer: Jordan Hugill (10)
2017-18 transfers:
Ins: Declan Rudd (£966k); Josh Harrop (free); Sean Maguire (undisclosed); Kevin O’Connor (undisclosed)
Outs: Anders Lindegaard (released); Jermaine Beckford (free)
Simon Grayson left Preston this summer to join relegated Sunderland following David Moyes’ disastrous spell in charge of the Black Cats. Alex Neil was appointed as Preston’s new boss in early July after his sacking by Norwich City last season.
Preston have been relatively quiet in the transfer market. Josh Harrop – who became Manchester United’s 100th different scorer in the Premier League when he netted on his debut against Crystal Palace on the last day of last season, his only senior appearance – arrived before Neil after rejecting a new deal with the Red Devils.
Neil won promotion with the Canaries through the play-offs in 2015 when they defeated Middlesbrough. He will be hoping to build a side capable of replicating that feat at Deepdale, but it may take time to put his own stamp on the squad with Grayson having already made signings in this window, including the highly rated Irish striker Sean Maguire from Cork City.
Preston vs. Millwall (Saturday September 23, 2017)
Millwall vs. Preston (Saturday January 13, 2018)
Last time these two sides met was during Millwall’s run to the FA Cup semi-finals in 2013. A deflected Liam Feeney strike was the difference between the sides.
Graphic: @ShedCreative