Former Millwall talisman Jed Wallace will be ‘a lot calmer’ on second return to The Den

Jake Cooper is expecting his former team-mate Jed Wallace to be “a lot calmer” on his second time back at The Den as an opposition player.

The former Millwall winger was booed by home fans in October 2022, his first return after leaving that summer.

And Wallace celebrated in front of the Cold Blow Lane end after assisting John Swift’s opener – only for the Lions to fight back and win 2-1.

Wallace scored 42 goals and claimed 49 assists in 260 matches for the South London club.

The 29-year-old is skippering the Baggies this season and scored in their last action before the international break, a 2-0 home win over Bristol City.

“Jed is an emotional person and player,” Millwall centre-back Cooper told the South London Press. “ It goes both ways – he showed that emotion for this football club.

“It’s difficult, isn’t it? He got caught up in the moment. They were struggling at the time and it was a massive game for them – they needed the points.

“He was a bit over-emotional on that one. I think you’ll see a lot calmer Jed on Friday. Wearing the captain’s armband for them, he will be leading by example with his energy and enthusiasm. That’s the Jed you’ll see on Friday and not so hyped-up, I’d imagine.”

It was Lions head coach Neil Harris who signed Wallace, pictured right, permanently in the summer of 2017.

The attacker had been on loan from Wolves the six months before that and helped Millwall win the League One play-off final.

Harris said: “Jed’s qualities as a professional footballer, but also as a man, lend him to being captain of a changing room.

“His record in a Millwall shirt speaks for itself. But his characteristics, in terms of how he developed from a young man to a senior professional was also hugely admirable.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all that he is Carlos Corberan’s captain. He was heading that way here.”

Harris made a number of signings who proved superb value for money. Wallace moved for around £400,000.

Asked where he rates in terms of more than paying back his transfer, Harris said: “There is a lot of competition – pound for pound – where players have been excellent.

“When you look at Jed, Sav (George Saville) and Jake (Cooper), to a certain degree, we paid transfer fees but not huge ones, certainly not in the current market. Their value rose 10, 20 or 30-fold.

“You can talk about people like Shaun Hutchinson, who was a free agent and has given a longevity of service to the football club. His quality of appearances has been first class as well.

“You look at players who have been worthy of the transfer fee – Tom Bradshaw, Ryan Leonard and Murray Wallace, for example.

“Jed is certainly a player we signed with the hope of potential after an excellent loan period.

“Jed will play with his heart on his sleeve and play with emotion – our fans are exactly the same. It is why Jed was such a good fit in a Millwall shirt.

“The fans like to see the passion and the drive.”