THE MILLWALL squad are determined to go a “step further” next season and break the top-six barrier, according to Murray Wallace.
The Lions missed out on the play-off positions in May after an agonising 4-3 defeat to Blackburn on the final day.
It is the fourth year in a row the club have come close to landing a place in the Championship play-offs, which offers the reward of a place in the Premier League.
Wallace, 30, believes the squad will continue to get better and be “in or around” the second tier’s elite.
The defender told our paper: “We’ve been building each year and we want to go that step further.
“What can we do better, what can we do more, how can we improve? That’s the main things we’re looking at, regardless of who else is in the league. We can just focus on ourselves.
“So if we can look to improve every little thing that should stand us in good stead.
“We all know that if we keep improving we’re going to end up in and around those play-offs. We just missed out last season but let’s improve again and hopefully as long as we do things better we should improve our position.
The Championship promises to be as tough as ever this season with big clubs like Leicester, Leeds and Southampton dropping down while Plymouth, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday have all risen from League One.
But Wallace is undaunted by the challenge ahead.
“It does have a reputation for being a tough league,” Wallace said.
“And you’ve got some teams with big fan bases coming up from League One and you’ve got teams with big fan bases coming down from the Premiership and teams that were expected to go up last year didn’t make it.
“It happens every year, it’s a tough league every year so we’re ready for the challenge.
“I’m just looking forward to the start of the season. We’re excited for that first game back which is Middlesbrough away which will be a long journey – but it’s a good one to get out the way. Let’s hope we can start the season strong and go up there and get a good result.”
Millwall have four friendlies ahead of their return to competitive action.
A trip to Gillingham awaits on Saturday before the squad head to south London to take on League Two side Sutton United [July 18].
The Lions then take on Charlton [July 25] before facing Zian Flemming’s former team Fortuna Sittard [July 29] at The Den.