Gary Rowett: Millwall fans have delivered with their backing of my team this season

Millwall manager Gary Rowett says that the club’s fans have delivered on their backing this season – ahead of another Den sellout tomorrow against Luton Town.

The Lions had a gate of 18,524 for February’s home match against Sunderland, the biggest turnout since 1995 and the third highest gate since the stadium was opened.

They then had 18,785 for the 3-2 defeat to Norwich City at the start of last month.

“Brilliant,” Rowett told the South London Press when asked about the demand for Luton tickets. “We’ve had two record-breaking crowds already this season and potentially a third one. Absolutely fantastic. We spoke about it previously, where I said for us to have a chance of doing anything this year – or finishing strongly – we need our crowd behind us.

“They have got right behind us when we’ve needed them the most.

“We have to go and perform and make that all worthwhile. We can’t guarantee us winning games, but it certainly helps the team and helps us get on the front foot. It helps that atmosphere.

“It’s fantastic and we appreciate it. We’ve got to go and do the business on the pitch.

“No home fans are just going to stay behind their team regardless. There is always going to be a disappointment (at some stage in a match). We’ve had it a lot where our fans have literally stayed with us and it’s made a big difference – I can think of games like West Brom and Coventry where we have ended up getting a late winner and maybe we wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t for the crowd getting behind us.

“It goes both ways. We have got to perform and give them something to cheer about, we understand that. But it is the Championship – we’re playing against good teams like Luton – there are going to be games where you have a 10-15 minute spell where it doesn’t go how you want it to go.

“That’s probably the stage where we need them the most.”