Millwall boss Rowett targets staying in Championship chasing pack

Gary Rowett has talked about Millwall’s start to the season – and reckons it has been a familiar tale for the South Londoners in terms of recent Championship campaigns.

Zian Flemming’s double earned them a 2-0 win over struggling Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The Lions are four points behind sixth-placed Swansea City.

“Listen, if I looked where we were at this stage of the season in the last three years then I imagine we’re probably no better off than we are now – if not a few points poorer,” said Rowett.

“It’s about building consistency and not letting those wins affect you. It’s about bouncing back. You’ve just got to stay in the pack in this division.

“We haven’t got the budget or infrastructure to be greedy enough to say we should be in the top two. I don’t think that’s something we should say. That’s not to say we don’t want to get somewhere close, but I don’t think we should be saying that.

“What we should be saying is that we want to be challenging for that top six again, with a fair wind and a few people in form then maybe we have a fair chance of getting in that – just like Luton and Barnsley have done in recent seasons. That’s where I see us.

“A win and a draw in our last two games, one away and one at home, gives us a chance.

“It’s a marathon – but hopefully we don’t cramp up at 20 miles [which is what happened to Rowett in the London Marathon recently].”