‘He was one of top defenders in Championship’ – Former Millwall duo full of praise for Shaun Hutchinson

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Alex Pearce and Aiden O’Brien have both lavished praise on Shaun Hutchinson after his Millwall career came to an end last week.

The Lions announced on Friday that the Geordie centre-back, 33, will be released when his contract ends this summer.

Hutchinson made 257 appearances for Millwall and scored 14 times – including a crucial late winner at Bristol Rovers on the final day of the 2016-17 season which secured a League One play-off place.

The Lions went on to beat Bradford in the final at Wembley and have been a Championship side ever since.

Hutchinson and Bart Bialkowski’s departures once their deals have expired means Jake Cooper is the only player still on the books from the victory over the Bantams.

A free transfer after being released from Fulham in 2016, Hutchinson was recently named PFA Community Champion of the Year.

“Not many realise it but for a period he was probably one of the top defenders in the Championship,” Pearce, who has played more than 450 matches, told the South London Press. “He is an absolutely fantastic player.

“Before I joined the club I had an outside perception of him – but he is definitely one of those players that you don’t realise how good they are until you train and play with them, day in and day out.

“A lot of the time he was in the team ahead of me. I think the Millwall fans really appreciate what he has done for the football club.

“I know he scored that famous goal at Bristol Rovers but that is not his only moment – I think of all the tackles he made and the important goals he would pop up with.

“He was always a top performer at the club and the one who you were almost guaranteed a performance from. He has been an outstanding servant.

“The majority of times when I played with him it was in a back three. I was in the middle and he was on the right, which can be quite a difficult position to play in – especially when you get dragged out wide against tricky strikers and wingers. Hutchy was so mobile that he was able to deal with that kind of stuff – it was a massive attribute of his game. He was better on the ball than people gave him credit for, as well. He can bring the ball out and pass the ball, as well as being very good in the air.

“He was a proper leader. Not the most vocal, but he led in the way he played and setting the right example.

“Hutchy would come in and have a laugh with the boys, he’d do his work and then go home. You know when you played with him that he’d take care of his business and there wouldn’t be any problems with him. That is leadership, in it’s own way.”

Hutchinson had eight seasons with Millwall, only that first one in England’s third tier.

Aiden O’Brien, in the same Lions side that won promotion from League One, said: “He was by far the hardest player to play against in training. I used to hate it and love it when he was on my team – he was so aggressive and so strong. It was kind of almost impossible to beat him one-v-one if he closed down the area quickly, which he does.

“As a person he is terrific. I don’t think anyone would say a bad thing about him. He hasn’t got a bad bone in his body – a bit like Jake Cooper, harmless, really nice guys and work hard. It’s something you need around the changing room, to set examples for the young ones coming through.

“I wish all him all the best for whatever comes his way. I’m pretty sure he’s going to have a lot of takers.

“He has been a terrific player for the football club but it’s also off the pitch stuff, people don’t notice how important that is. Neil Harris would have done his due diligence on his character before he signed and everyone would have said exactly what I said.

“Having Hutchy around every day just energises the camp.

“I thought our season was done before he scored at Bristol. Out of nowhere you see a massive, fat head flying through the sky!

“That is another thing, put the ball in the air and he is an absolute monster. He might not be as big as you think when you are standing up against him but he is seven or eight-feet tall when he jumps.

“That was a moment to remember. That last-minute palaver gave us the energy and bit of a boost to get over the line that season.

“It’s not just that one – goal-line clearances, blocks, man of the match performances – he has been absolutely terrific. I’ve enjoyed playing with him. He is a top, top guy.”