Mihailo Ivanovic: Millwall promotion would cap off brilliant first season in England

Mihailo Ivanovic says it would be a dream come true to cap off his first season in English football by getting Millwall into the Championship play-offs.

The Serbian striker, 20, joined the Lions in the summer for a then-club-record fee from Vojvodina.

Ivanovic has netted 11 Championship goals this season and been a key player since Alex Neil took over from Neil Harris midway through the season.

The Lions head into tomorrow’s game against title-chasing Burnley with the chance of securing a top-six spot. Neil’s side must win and will be in the play-offs if either Coventry or Bristol City lose.

When was the last time Millwall reached that knockout stage bidding for a place in the Premier League? Ivanovic knows without prompting.

He told the South London Press: “I watched it all over the internet. Millwall haven’t been in the play-offs since 2002. Hopefully, we can make history and do something more than that. We will see.

“It would be a dream come true to do that in my first season in English football. Since I arrived, I fell in love with this club.

“It would mean so much to me if we could make the play-offs and do something. Of course it’s the most important game of the season. I’m excited and can’t wait. Everybody here can’t wait.

“It would mean the world for me. All of the boys are thinking about Saturday and we will do everything in our hands to win the game – then hope results go our way.”

The forward was in and out of the team under Harris in the Championship, scoring just twice before the turn of the calendar year.

But when former Norwich boss Neil replaced the Lions legend at the end of December, Ivanovic has not looked back since netting in the 3-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in the first round of the FA Cup.

He has scored nine goals in the league since, including decisive goals in 1-0 wins against Stoke, Portsmouth and Luton.

He said: “It would have taken me much longer to settle in without the group of boys we have in the team – with them, it was a lot easier.

“It took me one or two days to feel as though I was home with them. It’s really important for a football club to have good relationships with their players – this is a good club for that.

“It was that goal [against Dagenham] which maybe made every goal come now. It was a very important goal.

“It was hard in the beginning of the season, but since Alex Neil came in, we kept growing as a group.

“We’ve have had a good run of winning games at home now.”

Neil has used Ivanovic as the lone striker up top but also paired the Serbian youngster with Middlesbrough loanee Josh Coburn in recent months.

Ivanovic said: “He prefers to play with two up top. I think I link up well with Josh and we play pretty well together.

“He made us a good combination – one tall and one a little bit smaller.

“It suits us. I love playing with Josh – he’s an amazing player.

“He can jump and protect the ball a lot more than me. But I’m here to run into space and take the ball at my feet.”

Millwall are the only side to have beaten Burnley, Sheffield United and Leeds this season. Scott Parker’s Clarets last lost in the league against the Lions on November 3. But their 32-game unbeaten run does not faze Ivanovic.

He said: “It’s a pleasure to know that Burnley lost only two times this season and one was against us. Why can’t we do it for a second time?

“We have grown as a group since Alex came in. We have grown much better tactically – on the pitch we look so much better.

“It’s what has given us a chance to fight for play-offs until the end.

“It’s the perfect first season in English football.”