Millwall striker Tom Bradshaw confident goal run is coming – and closing in on Championship career milestone

Tom Bradshaw has not had any luck in front of goal this season, but the Millwall striker is confident that is about to change.

Middlesbrough keeper Zack Steffen instinctively denied him at the weekend when the Lions attacker followed up on Andreas Voglsammer’s parried effort.

And Bradshaw also went close twice in the 1-1 draw at Rotherham United last week.

“It is just football, especially life as a striker,” the Lions’ number nine told the South London Press. “Last season everything I was touching was going in. This season, for whatever reason, it hasn’t quite happened.

“In the first game of the season I had a goal disallowed because Billy [Mitchell] was judged to be offside.

“At Rotherham I took a step just too early for a header which meant it was slightly behind me and I had to adjust.

“Then I saw Zian [Flemming] was lining up a shot – the number one rule for attackers is to shoot across the goal because if you do scuff it then there is half a chance that someone will be able to put it in.

“I gambled that he’d scuff it, but I gambled half a second too late and couldn’t quite get the connection I wanted on it.

“Against Boro I just tried to connect well, because the ball was bouncing towards me, and I wanted to go across the keeper because I thought he was going to try and cover his front post. Instead, just my luck, he stuck a leg out and managed to get good contact on it.

“I spoke to Benik [Afobe] about it and he said if I scuffed it, don’t catch it as cleanly, then it goes in.

“But it’s really positive these chances are coming up. In my head it is only a matter of time. I’m staying positive. The time to worry is when you’re not making chances and just fizzling out of games. I don’t feel that is the case. I’m confident and feel like I’m playing well.”

Bradshaw is only three matches away from 200 Championship appearances. He could hit the landmark when West Brom, and former Den favourite Jed Wallace, head to SE16 next weekend.

“I’m quite good on my stats, mainly on goals, but I didn’t know that,” said Bradshaw. “I started in League Two and worked my way up to League One.

“All along the way you have fans at clubs who say ‘he should be here’ or ‘I don’t know if he is good enough for the Championship’, to get close to 200 is a great achievement. I’m just enjoying my football.”

Bristol City at Ashton Gate is next for the Lions and Bradshaw has scored on his last two visits there, most notably the 2-0 win in December 2020 which saw Jon Dadi Bodvarsson play a rare blinder.

Bradshaw also netted the final goal in May’s 4-1 home victory against Nigel Pearson’s team.

Even if he doesn’t manage to open his account, the former Walsall and Barnsley player will help the Lions be a nuisance right from the front.

“I always try and bring high energy and the high press, alongside goalscoring, and that can play to your advantage if a manager trusts you on the defensive side of the game,” said Bradshaw.

“Those high-energy runs in the channels can be a real string to your bow and it is something I’ve really worked on over the last five years.

“Players have different strengths and weaknesses and you need a balance throughout the squad to be successful.

“We hadn’t played 4-2-3-1 for a good while but we have looked really defensively solid against Rotherham and Middlesbrough and been more threatening having four attackers on the field, not just counter-attacking.

“The stats don’t lie. Rotherham was a tricky fixture and Middlesbrough are still a really strong outfit, even if they aren’t having the greatest season, so to get four points out of six is a really good sign.”