Millwall boss Neil Harris explains why Alex Pearce was his pick for captain in win over Birmingham City

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Millwall boss Neil Harris has explained his thinking behind giving the captain’s armband to Alex Pearce for tonight’s 2-0 win at Birmingham City.

The experienced centre-back, on loan from Derby County, was once again preferred in central defence ahead of Shaun Hutchinson.

Asked if it was an easy decision to make changes – with four switches from the weekend’s 2-1 reverse at Bolton – Harris said: “It’s never an easy decision to leave people out and put people in.

“Pearcey offers great leadership and great qualities as a man.

“Pearcey has been patient. He has played in a couple of games and we’ve had a couple of clean sheets. He was one of our better performers at the weekend.

“Once I wasn’t going to play Willo [Shaun Williams] three games in a week and I wasn’t starting Stevie [Morison], Pearcey is a natural leader in the heart of our defence alongside two young players in Jake [Cooper] and Mahlon [Romeo].

“He was a good one to handle the pressure of being captain and even thrive off it – and he did.”