Home or away on opening day of 2018-19 Championship season? Millwall boss has his say

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Neil Harris would prefer a home game to kick of the new Championship season – and reckons plenty of opposition sides will not relish the prospect of coming to The Den.

The Lions will be looking to kick on after an eighth place finish in their first campaign back at the level, with the fixtures for the 2018-19 season announced tomorrow morning.

“I think they’ll be a lot of opposition managers and players not looking forward to coming to The Den next year – that’s for sure,” said Millwall boss Harris.

“It doesn’t tend to make a difference in terms of the fixture list, but I’d always want to play at home for the first league game.

“That’s just because it takes away any travelling plans – last-minute injuries and illnesses go out of the equation.

“There will also be the familiarity of being at home the week before for Jimmy Abdou’s game.

“Otherwise it will be an away game before the League Cup tie at home.

“There are so many big clubs with a wealth of riches and experience at this level. The fans are going to be excited.”

Millwall are at home to Gillingham in the League Cup.

“That is brilliant, we couldn’t have a better game,” said Harris. “We could’ve played Charlton, that would have been even more local. But being at home, first and foremost, was important for me.

“To play a high-profile local derby is good. You are always going to rotate the team and this is a really competitive fixture for players to look to come in and impress or that need minutes.”