MILLWALL’S starting XI at Crawley this weekend could give some indication as to the side that will line up in the first League One game of the season against Oldham on August 6.
Lions boss Neil Harris confirmed more of his senior players will be involved at Broadfield Stadium on Saturday against the League Two side.
A Millwall XI are taking on Dulwich Hamlet at the same time, with that side set to feature some of the next batch of young players hoping to emulate the likes of Ben Thompson and Mahlon Romeo this season. Folkstone Invicta striker Harry Smith, who is on trial with the Lions this week, could also play.
Harris will continue to give as many players as possible game time against Crawley and Dover next Tuesday. Millwall fans will likely have to wait until Tony Craig’s testimonial against Brentford on July 30 for a firm idea of Harris’ preferred first-choice side.
“You won’t see my first XI at Crawley on Saturday,” Harris said after Tuesday night’s win over Dartford. “But you will see more players with experience playing. We have one game at Dulwich, where the youngsters will play, and another at Crawley, where more senior players will play.
“You’ll see different players and different partnerships, whether that be centre-halves, centre-forwards, etc.”
One of the players who has made a positive impression again in pre-season is Kris Twardek. The former Czech Republic international gave hints of his talent last summer before a toe injury kept him out for three months to disrupt his progress.
Twardek came on in the 55th minute of the 3-0 win at Dartford on Tuesday night, and his contribution impressed his manager.
“I thought Kris Twardek played well,” Harris said. “Wide players can blow hot or cold, but we gave him a contract extension at the end of last season, so we have high hopes for him. The aim for all the players that played the last half hour is to push through to the first team.”
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