‘It just always baffles me’ – Millwall boss Gary Rowett would like to see common sense shown with Championship fixtures

Gary Rowett has joked that Millwall need a time-machine to ease some of their travelling burdens in the opening weeks of the Championship season.

The Lions head to Swansea on August 16 – a Tuesday night – before following up with a Friday night fixture at Norwich City just three days later.

Millwall have a long journey to Burnley on August 30, again a midweek fixture. The Lions also head to Rotherham United on October 5, once more not a weekend date.

Asked about his time-machine comment, Rowett told the South London Press: “It would probably be cheaper than flying!

“It’s not ideal – some of the away fixtures early on in the season – it just always baffles me.

“I understand the EFL have to make those decisions and there has to be an element of randomness about the way they are selected. But you look at the away fan, put yourself in their shoes, and you’re asking them to travel to Swansea on a Tuesday night, Norwich on a Friday night and there is are another couple of long midweek aways.

“It seems to make more sense to try to perhaps put those long journeys on a Saturday. I’m not an expert on how the fixtures are calculated and how they work but it always feels a bit unfair on the modern day fan who has to turn up, get the day off work, and spend nine hours in the car at great expense.

“It feels like we could make it a tiny bit easier. But as players and staff we’re paid to try and prepare, to recover as well as we can. That’s why we’re going to need those numbers in the squad – to make some changes within those games – because physically it is almost impossible to do that journey, do those games and retain the intensity that you’d want.

“We might have to think a little more closely about those games but it is a ‘welcome to Championship football’ in the first month. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Millwall’s EFL Cup tie at Cambridge United has been moved forward to August 2. Initially all the matches were scheduled to take place in the following week.

“We had the option and we all agreed the first week would be better,” said Rowett. “Normally that cup game is one where you can bed players in who haven’t played minutes [in the first league match].

“It didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to have a free week leading up to the first match and then another week leading up to the second match. We’re quite happy to play a cup game in there and get some minutes in, try to build some momentum and give players an opportunity. I’m pleased it has worked out that way.”