McNamara pumped for another packed Den – Millwall set for 18k-plus crowd for Norwich City clash

Danny McNamara can’t wait to be back at a packed Den tomorrow with Millwall expecting another nigh-on sell-out for the visit of Norwich City.

The Lions had 18,524 in attendance for the 1-1 draw against Sunderland at the start of February.

And they are once again set for a gate in excess of 18,000 for the fixture against the Canaries.

Millwall’s biggest turnout at their home, which they moved into in 1993, was 20,093 against Arsenal on January 3, 1994.

But both that match and also the 18,573 for another derby, this time with Chelsea as the opposition in January 1995, were both in cup competitions.

The recent Sunderland game is their largest league attendance at the stadium.

Norwich City, still in the hunt for a top-six finish, have sold both tiers of the away end.

Millwall would explore splitting that stand so home fans can also sit there, like they did for the 3-0 win over Peterborough United on the final day of last season, for their remaining matches. But that depends on the away team not bringing significant backing.

The only other fixture the Lions have in SE16 against a promotion competitor is Blackburn Rovers on May 8, the final action of the regulation campaign.

“We know it’s nearly going to be a sell-out so it will be brilliant to have the support,” said McNamara. “My message is for them to all come down and enjoy it. They give us a 12th man.”

Millwall edged another step closer to reaching the Championship play-offs with a 2-2 draw at Luton Town on Tuesday.

Right-back McNamara, an academy product who supports the club, was just three years old when they last made the top six in England’s second tier. Millwall drew 1-1 at home to Birmingham City before losing 1-0 at St Andrews. The Blues went on to defeat Norwich on penalties at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

But there is no danger of any of Millwall’s squad talking bullishly about their prospects of ending a 21-year wait for another opportunity to try and reach the top flight in the knockout section of the competition.

McNamara was left with mixed emotions after leaving Kenilworth Road with a draw. He combined down the right for Tom Bradshaw to stick away George Honeyman’s cross and make it 2-0 early in the second period.

“It’s a good point but bittersweet, really, because we were 2-0 up,” he said. “First half we weren’t good enough on the ball.

“We did much better in the second half – we were good on the ball and more composed.

“As the gaffer said at half-time: ‘Just make the extra pass and we’ll be out’. That’s what we did and it is where the goal came from.

“G did really well to keep the ball in. He stayed alive and put in a great ball for Bradders to finish.

“They (Bradshaw and Zian Flemming) are having a good little battle (to finish the club’s top scorer) but we don’t mind that. Get as many goals as they can and hopefully it helps us out.

“After the [second] goal we sat off too much. We’ve got to get a little bit tighter (for Luke Berry’s equaliser). That might come from tiredness, we’ve played a lot of games.”