Exclusive interview with Bart Bialkowski: My wife helped me come to terms with losing number one spot at Millwall

Bart Bialkowski has revealed how a chat with his wife Inez helped him finally come to terms with the fact he is no longer regarded as Millwall’s number one.

The 36-year-old goalkeeper is back between the posts for the Lions but only landed a recall after a quad injury sidelined summer signing Matija Sarkic.

Bialkowski won back to back Player of the Year trophies in his first two campaigns at Millwall – as well as pipping David Raya to the 2019-20 Championship Golden Glove award. But he lost his spot to George Long in September 2022 and then saw Sarkic arrive from Wolves for a seven-figure sum in the summer transfer window.

Bialkowski could have been a free agent last summer but signed a new contract at the end of January. So did he consider leaving to secure first-team football?

“I’m going to be honest with you, the first couple of months were tough for me mentally,” Bialkowski told the South London Press. “I couldn’t really accept the second-choice role.

“It wasn’t easy when I got dropped after so many consecutive games.

“I was 35 at the time, and one evening my wife and I talked about things – our future and about the situation I’m in. We kind of came to an agreement.

“She said to me: ‘You have done so well in football. You are 35. There are so many players out of contract without a club – or dropping down the divisions – just appreciate every single day, because you just don’t know how many more years you’re going to carry on. Just enjoy the moment, being in and around a fantastic club with great people’.

“After that conversation it was much easier for me. I’m not saying I accepted the role, being second choice, but I accepted the situation and the willingness of the club to give me another contract.

“I have still done everything pretty much the same as when I was playing, in terms of preparing right for the games.

“Over the summer we have signed another keeper in Matty, so I kind of knew I’m going to probably be second choice again. But that’s okay, like I said, things happen in football. You’ve just got to be patient, work hard and wait for your chance. Unfortunately for Matty he got injured pretty early on and I’m back in.”

Bialkowski learned a lesson about staying in top condition as a youngster on Southampton’s books.

“I was first choice at 18 years old, playing in the Championship and I did my cruciate,” he recalled. “Southampton signed Kelvin Davis, who went on to become an absolute legend for them and played so well. I thought that no matter how well I trained I was not going to play.

“A couple of days before a game he got injured and I stepped in – I was shocking. I had a nightmare.

“It was down to my lifestyle. It wasn’t the best. I was eating crap food, not caring about my recovery and other stuff. Since then I have lost probably 18 or 20 kilos – it was a big turning point for me.

“From that point I said: ‘In or out of the team, you have got to do it for yourself and be ready’.

“That is my approach. I’m trying to do everything right on the training pitch because injuries, illnesses and drops in form happen.”

Bialkowski did start for Millwall in a 3-0 win over Rotherham on New Year’s Day but had lost his place after a 2-0 reverse to QPR at The Den just less than four months earlier.

Asked if he understood the reason behind being dropped, Bialkowski responded: “No, I didn’t accept to not play. I remember the gaffer pulled me before the Blackpool game and told me his reasons.

“I said: ‘Yeah, that’s okay, that’s your decision’. Me and the gaffer get on so well – he is a top guy. He said to me: ‘Just come and see me in the midweek, after the game’. We had more time to talk about things.

“We didn’t have a great start to last season and after that we started to win games and were performing well as a team, so it was hard to watch it from the sides – as a professional footballer you want to play. All the hard work you put in on a training pitch, you want to show it on a matchday.

“But it is not all about me. It’s all about the team. I said to the gaffer: ‘The team come above myself – I’m a team player. I want the team to do well’. I was still cheering the boys on and doing all the right stuff’.”

Bialkowski reached a milestone of 100 Championship clean sheets after his shutout at West Brom, with Rotherham also blanking in last week’s fixture in SE16.

“I didn’t know that but it’s nice,” said Bialkowski. “After the Rotherham game I mentioned to the boys that I’d forgotten how nice a feeling it is to keep a clean sheet. To have 100 in the Championship is not bad.

“The first half at West Brom we were dominant – they didn’t trouble us at all. But, then again, they are at home and have good quality players  – we kind of knew they’d come out at us and try to put pressure on our defence with the crosses, shots and chances.

“The second half was tougher but we defended so well. Credit to the boys. In the end it was a good point but mixed feelings as well, with the missed penalty – that happens.

“Nil-nil away from home, sometimes you have to take the positives out of the game and move on.”

On the horizon, November 29 to be exact, Bialkowski is set to head back to Ipswich Town. He had five seasons with the Tractor Boys, making 178 appearances, only leaving once they had been relegated to League One.

Now they are only behind Championship leaders Leicester City on goal difference and knocked Wolves out of the EFL Cup in midweek.

“I said when they got promoted that they were going to be the dark horses,” said Bialkowski. “I’ve watched them play last season. It is probably easier for them to play in the Championship than it was in League One.

“Credit to them and their manager, they are playing really good football and scoring goals. I’m really looking forward to that game – I’ve played a few friendlies against them before but not a proper match.

“It’s a long season, it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.”

Millwall are 11th and only two points behind Sunderland and Leeds, in fifth and sixth.

“We have started better than last season and we were so close then to reaching the play-offs,” said Bialkowski. “We’re in a good position to attack it. I believe in this team and I believe we can do it.”