Injury blow for Millwall as midfielder set to be sidelined for more than two months

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Billy Mitchell is set to miss more than two months after the Millwall midfielder suffered a major hamstring injury.

The 18-year-old’s attitude and performances pushed him into the first-team picture under Gary Rowett last season.

But now Mitchell is expected to be out until around November time.

“He has looked so good for us in pre-season but we think it’s quite a nasty one,” Lions boss Rowett told the South London Press. “He certainly won’t be fit for a considerable period.

“We’re thinking it will be between 10-12 weeks. It was towards the end of our time in Scotland and the last run – typical Billy he wanted to do it all guns blazing and maybe overdid it.

“He looked really good and that might force us into the market in that area if we feel it is worse than we first thought.”
Ryan Woods is also not believed to be able to play in the Championship opener against Stoke City on September 12.

“It’s like anything – you take a loan player and they can’t play those two games,” said Rowett. “But we’ve got a lot of players looking good and desperate to play – particularly in that position.

“Lenny [Ryan Leonard] played some games at the end of last season and is desperate to have a big season. Thommo [Ben Thompson] played a couple of times there for us, Swansea away, and did really, really well. It was tough for him being injured last season. Willo [Shaun Williams] has looked as good as ever – even at his age. So I don’t anticipate any problems.”