Millwall defender Wes Harding happy to dream about Premier League showdown with Arsenal

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Wes Harding grew up as an Arsenal fan and he doesn’t see anything wrong in visualising facing the north London giants as a Millwall player.

The 26-year-old defender signed for the Lions last month after allowing his Rotherham United contract to expire.

Harding’s roots are in the East Midlands – he was born in Leicester and trialled with his hometown club before academy spells with Coventry, Aston Villa and Birmingham – but the team he follows are in the capital.

“My dad didn’t really support anyone, so I picked my team off watching on the TV,” Harding told the South London Press.

“Just growing up and seeing players like (Thierry) Henry and (Patrick) Vieira, they just looked so good, didn’t they?

“It would be a dream to play against Arsenal. It’s good to have certain aspirations – to want certain things to happen. But, at the same time, I try and be level-headed – focus on the here and now.

“When I was younger all I wanted to do was be a footballer. Even when I got to 18 and was offered a professional contract, it is not playing in front of people in a stadium.

“Once you get there, you want to do even better. You also have to appreciate what you have and where you’ve come from.”

Harding made the senior breakthrough at Birmingham City and his switch to the Lions re-unites him with manager Gary Rowett and first-team coach Paul Robinson.

“He (Rowett) gave me my first pro contract at 18 and I went away with the first-team on pre-season – when Robbo was the captain,” recalled Harding, whose Den deal runs until the summer of 2025.

“It was nice being in and around it. I was too young to be a first-team player but I got a sniff of it.

“Robbo was a real leader – a good professional and example, especially for the young boys coming through. He was vocal but respectful off the pitch. He was someone we looked up to.”

Harding played 140 times for Rotherham, winning automatic promotion from League One and the EFL Trophy in the 2021-22 season.

He featured 46 times in all competitions last season as the Millers achieved Championship consolidation.

“I look back on my time there  fondly,” he said. “The first year we were in the Championship. I was so disappointed to go down, but I knew we had enough quality to go back up.

“We won the Papa John’s Trophy that year as well, it was nice to get some silverware. To stay up last year was big for the club because I don’t think they had done it in so long. I made really good, long-time friends there.

“It was perfect for me to go there and play a load of games. Now I want to kick on again. I see Millwall as a big club and where they finished last year – so close – I want to help them make the difference.

“I had a couple of options but this was the best and most serious.”

Harding can play right across the backline and that versatility was undeniably part of the reason why Millwall moved for the Jamaican international.

“Any footballer would say they want to play one position but I understand that managers do like reliable players who can play in more than one,” said Harding.

“I like the fact I can do that but then sometimes I don’t – if you have gone from one position to another position in space of two games. But as long as I’m playing then I’m happy.”

Millwall’s defence has been one of their biggest strengths since they won promotion from League One.

Rowett went with the experienced trio of Jake Cooper, Shaun Hutchinson and Murray Wallace as his starting back three for the final friendly tune-up against Fortuna Sittard with Joe Bryan and Danny McNamara occupying the wing-back slots.

Harding, a devout Christian, might have to bide his time.

“Jesus is my Lord and saviour,” he said. “I’m thankful that leaning on him takes away my stresses and anxieties.

“Football is a very turbulent place to be – even at high times you can feel low. He is the one consistent thing in my life. I’d literally share it with anybody – that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. It’s only through him that I can have true peace.”