Exclusive: Millwall striker Gregory on his goal target, being subbed on a hat-trick and a change of forward partnership 

Lee Gregory is on his best scoring start to a Championship season – and admits he won’t be happy if he doesn’t quickly hit double figures this season.

The Millwall frontman got 10 goals in the 2017-18 campaign but had only netted twice before getting the opener in a 3-1 win over his boyhood club Sheffield United at The Den in early December.

Gregory’s brace in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Ipswich Town puts him on six in the league – and he was also awarded the Lions’ consolation in their EFL Cup defeat to Fulham.

But the hard-grafting striker is not sitting back and admiring his improved scoring stats.

Lions manager Neil Harris told the South London Press earlier this week that Gregory was one of the top-performing forwards in the Championship.

“I’ll give him his £50 later,” joked Gregory. “I’m enjoying my football at the moment. The boys are great, the club is great and hopefully now we can continue getting a good couple of results and make things look a little better in the table.

“I’ve got to go past that [his total last season]. I’m not going to say when and where, because people hold you to that. But I want to get past the 10-mark fairly sharpish. Hopefully the next few games I can surpass that.

“Everyone has a number in their head before the start of the season. I’ve got a number in my mind and I’m well on course to hitting that target.”

Gregory’s only league hat-trick for the Lions came in a 3-3 draw at home to Derby County in April 2015.

His number came up in the 75th minute on Saturday – Tom Bradshaw replacing him – to ensure the wait for a Championship treble continues.

Gregory had twice latched on to Jake Cooper headers to convert from close range.

“I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t happy when he [Harris] took me off. I told the gaffer I wasn’t happy but at the end of the day he is in charge and you have to stick to what he does.

“As soon as I got my second I thought ‘right, the hat-trick is coming’. I had a bit of time to get it after I scored but I could’ve done with that extra 15 or 20 minutes. It would’ve been nice, but there you go.

“I got most satisfaction from my first goal. It’s always nice to get a second but the first one is important to get the boys going and off the mark.

“You put the ball in the air and there’s only one guy going to win it every time – and that’s Coops, probably because he is about 8 foot tall. It works, so that is why we keep doing it.”

Gregory’s future might not be nailed down – his contract runs out in the summer – but you wonder if the respect and esteem he is held in at Millwall, both in-house and by supporters, can be a factor in persuading him to commit again to Millwall.

There have been a number of standing ovations even on blank outings for the striker when he has run himself into the ground.

“I never change my game,” he said. “I just work hard, give 100 per cent and the fans appreciate that. I appreciate the support I get. That’s the standard I’m going to give every week.

“As a striker you get looked at on your goals, people look to see if I’m scoring or not. But the rest of the team and people at the club see what I am doing out there. It’s nice to be in a club and people appreciate what you do rather than people saying ‘he’s not scoring, he’s not scoring…he’s not scoring’.

“I’ve got no idea why [his goal ratio is up significantly]. I was playing well last season but not getting the goals. Sometimes you’re in form and sometimes you’re not. At the moment I am.”

Gregory’s recent partnership up top has been alongside Tom Elliott. But he makes the point that you write off Steve Morison’s influence at your peril – the club captain bagging a vital winner over Wigan last week.

“They are both the same kind of players – big, strong and they are going to win the challenges. Moro just has that bit more experience and is clever with stuff. Tom is a great guy, on and off the pitch. I’m happy for him.

“But Steve is still there, coming on in every game and lifting the lads. You’ve seen in games that we need Steve. His goal against Wigan was massive. Last season he was doing all the dirty work and wasn’t getting the goals. So it was nice for everyone else to do the dirty work and for him to come on and nick a goal. Hopefully he’ll get a few more this year.”

Millwall managed only their second clean sheet in the Championship this season as they kept the Tractor Boys out.

“We’ve been starting games well and letting in a goal which gives you a mountain to climb,” said Gregory. “They haven’t been clearcut chances, either terrible goals, little mistakes or like Jed’s own goal [against Wigan]. How has that gone in? You think the luck is not with us.

“But you also make your own luck in this game.

“The lads are working hard and hopefully we will get the result we want at Brentford on Saturday. It is a big game, a nice derby for us.”

Photographs by Keith Gillard