Millwall 2 West Brom U23's 0, Checkatrade Trophy Group stage 1 30/8/16, att: 2,054 and about 80 travelling

History will tell what this was all about

There was a cry before this game about boycotting this tournament as the belief is that it is a back door method for the Premier League to have a 2nd division. The crowds were low everywhere and our 2000 I think was the fifth highest of all the Stage One 29 games. The highest crowd count was at Sheffield United which was 3.632 and the lowest was at Fleetwood which was a massive 392

I went because I wanted to

And so did these few

These trophy competition is group staged and we are in the same group as West Brom, Gillingham and Luton.  Luton won their game at Gillingham 2-1. I have a confession to make, I accidentally went wearing my slippers thinking I had my pumps on, that's a first by me and I can't imagine many have done the same. I only noticed half-time when I was outside having a smoke (fag not pipe), I tried to hide them after that but then thought " what's done is done"  I think I got away with it.

The game was ok and West Brom made a game of it but we were a cut above and our young players looked better than theirs. More first team experience I presume. Two of our older players scored the goals with Jimmy Abdou banging one in from close range after a run into the penalty box and Steve Morison whacking home a 75th penalty.

Millwall: King, Craig, Williams (Thompson 65m), Wylde, Romeo, Nelson, O'Brien (Morison 65m), Abdou, Twardek (Worrall 65m), Philpot. Chesmain
subs not used Archer, Webster

Goals: Abdou 62m,   Morison 75m pen
___

West Bromwich U23's: Rose, Wilson, McCourt, Donnellan (Elbouzedi 46m), Fitzwater (Piggott 88m),  O'Shea, Sweeney, Smith ( Pritchatt 78m), Harper, Wright, Nabi
subs not used: Palmer, Wilding, Forss, Melbourne

Bradford 4 Millwall 0 and we take 615 poor souls on a piss poor night on and off the pitch

14/1/15
Sometimes in life shit happens and when it does it can be far more worse than Millwall getting stuffed by a league one club in the FA cup but after this display nothing matters any more, we can kiss Chelsea goodbye. I'm going to bed.

Next Day

John Berylson is to refund the cost of the match ticket to the 456 travelling "Wall" who bought their tickets in advance. Hopefully this money is taking out the players pay, if not it should be.

The Culprits: Forde,  Dunne,  Shittu, Beevers( sent off six minutes in),  Briggs,  Abdou,  Chaplow, Upson,(Webster 46),  Gregory,  Fuller(Woolford 22),  Martin(Gueye 62)

This done me, Scott McDonald played up front in the first leg and scored a goal. For this game he was on the bench. I presume he was being saved for the Ipswich game.