Duncan Watmore makes joke after ‘getting stick’ for taking top off after scoring Millwall goal at The Den

Duncan Watmore has joked about his decision to strip off after scoring Millwall’s third goal in their 3-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday.

The former England U21 international earned a booking from referee Will Finnie for whipping off his top.

Watmore was in the right place to slot home Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s low cross in the third minute of second-half stoppage time at The Den. Back-to-back home victories, including one over automatic promotion-chasing Leicester, look to have extinguished fears of a drop into League One.

Former Lion Tim Cahill also used to celebrate by removing his playing shirt.

“It wasn’t planned,” said Watmore when asked about his decision to go topless in SE16. “It was more instinctive. We knew how important the three points were- you feel that pressure.

“So it was relief to score in the last minute and get the win tied up.

“Plus I’m also always trying to promote positive body image for pale ginger people! I got quite a lot of stick for it – people saying that I got sunburned in about 10 seconds.”

Millwall head coach Neil Harris brought on Watmore for Romain Esse after the half-time break.

Watmore, signed in the January 2023 window from Middlesbrough, scored his fourth goal of the campaign and third in the Championship.

“The message was to try and have a positive impact on the game – keep getting us forward,” said the Manchester-born attacker. “I like running forward and getting in behind – I like playing with energy. And we were winning at that point, sometimes if you sit back too much then you invite pressure on. I was always trying to do the opposite, bring the team on whenever I could.

“I could see from my line of vision that I was behind the ball, I was just trying to stay like that. It was a great ball by Brooke and such a powerful run before that. I enjoyed that one.”

Watmore also scored at The Den at the end of last month in the 1-1 draw against West Brom.

“I’m really enjoying playing there, under this manager and in this team,” he said. “The supporters have been brilliant.

“We’re definitely on a bit of a roll and have got some momentum. We just want to keep that going.”

So has he noticed any difference at The Den since Harris replaced Joe Edwards?

Millwall have taken 13 points from a possible 15.

“He has been massive for us getting that feeling back at The Den,” said Watmore. “He is a Millwall legend and knows what it takes – he has instilled that into the players.

“I love the atmosphere – when it is rocking.”

Watmore has scored seven goals and three assists in 48 games in a Millwall shirt.

“I never look too much into stats because I don’t think they ever tell too much of the whole story of how you are playing or what you are contributing to a team all the time,” he said. “But I am happy with those numbers.

“I’m playing as a winger where you have to do your defensive work as well. You have got to balance that off with getting forward and helping the team in that area.

“I just want to help the team. If that is scoring goals – great. But if it is doing the other side of the game defensively – great. You just kind of do what you’ve been asked to do.

“I’ve has so many bad injuries. That and bad form are part of the game. So you have got to keep persevering and not taking it for granted – next week you could be injured and out for a year, that’s happened to me a couple of times.

“I know how quickly it can be taken away. I suppose my focus is not on stats or trying to hit targets, it is to focus on each week and each game – not get too far ahead of yourself.

“Football is very up and down. People think you’re a good player one week and a bad player the next week. It’s not easy to stay level because you feel the highs, just like you do the lows.”