Millwall defender Hutchinson has personal reason for Movember campaign and outlines his injury return plan

Shaun Hutchinson is targeting a return to action at Sunderland on December 3 and says the Championship shutdown after this weekend will help with his rehab.

The experienced centre-back was forced off at half-time in last month’s 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion at The Den after injuring his hamstring.

The league shuts down after the Lions’ trip to Preston North End tomorrow to coincide with the start of the World Cup in Qatar.

Hutchinson, who is doing Movember with some of his team-mates to help raise awareness of men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, expects to be back available to Millwall boss Gary Rowett at the Stadium of Light.

“We knew I wasn’t going to be fit for Preston but I’d be fit for Sunderland,” said the Geordie defender. “So anywhere getting back between that was the option. Obviously there can be setbacks that happen between now and then but its coming on well.

“If the games continued as normal then I’d probably be looking to get back a lot earlier than Sunderland. The games have dictated the timescale rather than the injury itself.”

Millwall were unbeaten in five matches – four straight wins – when Hutchinson had to be replaced against the Baggies. The 31-year-old has made 223 appearances for the Lions.

“It always happens when I start to feel good and that the balance in the team was right,” said Hutchinson. “I started to go into the games confident and there was a good atmosphere around the squad.

“We were looking a real threat. So when the injury came along I was just devastated. It came at a time, not that there is ever a good one, that I probably least needed it.

“We needed the run [unbeaten] and it’s helped us get back to more what we’re all about. I know we haven’t won the last three but we’ve had that defensive resilience about us – the determination, work-rate and effort of knowing what it’s like to play for this club.

“Maybe we came away from that a little bit at the start of the season. Although we’ve not won the last three there have been promising signs that we’re going in the right direction for what we are as a club and how we’re going to pick up results in this league.”

Hutchinson’s last appearance was in a cracker at The Den.

Jed Wallace riled up the home support by animatedly celebrating his assist for John Swift’s goal.

Callum Styles levelled and Baggies centre-back Kyle Bartley was dismissed just before Tyler Burey’s 90th-minute winner.

“It was strange because it actually turned a bit into a Jed Wallace game,” said Hutchinson. “That’s just testament to how much impact he made on the club.

“Yeah, okay, he ended up getting the reception he did – a few fans were booing because of the emotions from everything that was going on. But let’s not forget that people who get booed are normally ones who had an actual impact at the club. The ones who don’t tend to get left alone.

“The atmosphere was great, as it was for the Watford game as well. It definitely spurred us on.

“It was looking like it was going to be a 1-1 and then they had a man sent off. As they [the fans] always do at The Den, they just spurred us on to get over the finish line to get the three points. Hopefully we can keep putting in performances like that and get the crowd really going. We’re not just saying this but when the fans are like that we generally do pick up more points when the atmosphere is like that.”

Hutchinson has missed six league matches in total this campaign.

A groin problem led to his 48th-minute replacement in the 2-0 victory over Cardiff City at the start of September. The former Fulham and Motherwell man strapped the armband back on for the 1-1 draw at Rotherham on October 5 which marked his return.

Asked about his latest setback, Hutchinson said: “As I was running I felt a little nick in there. The younger me would probably have tried to be in denial, play through it and make it worse.

“I kind of knew there was damage there. As much as it was frustrating I had to put my hands up and say: ‘I’ve injured myself here, I need to come off’.

“We went on to win the game and the three points, which was the main focus.”

Hutchinson’s absence has also had a knock-on effect for Jake Cooper. Hull’s attempts to nullify the aerial prowess of the giant centre-half inside their area were risky but went unpunished by referee John Busby.

“People have been watching us and have seen how much of a threat and a handful he can be,” said Hutchinson, who came to Saturday’s stalemate. “It think it might’ve been West Brom who had a guy grabbing him and another guy winning it [the ball]. Teams are watching that and seeing it as a way to have success.

“I know when I’m playing I try to block the men that are blocking him – I’ll work on ways to get him free because, if he is free, then nine times out of 10 he’s going to win the header.

“Teams can try and block him and grab him but we can also block them before that – it has turned into a bit of a battle. It’s also a compliment to us because we are doing it and teams are trying their hardest to prevent it.

“It happens up and down the country. When something is working and someone is a threat, the other team will probably work extra hard on that.”

Hutchinson’s fundraising push has a personal touch with his father-in-law diagnosed with prostate cancer six months ago.

Scott Malone, George Honeyman, Mason Bennett and Danny McNamara are also growing their facial hair until the end of November.

“I’ve not got a great beard so I’ll probably struggle,” said Hutchinson. “I might need to get a pen and put a few dots in mine to make it look a bit thicker. I’ll get nowhere near Scottie’s level. I don’t know if he started before the month but his is very, very impressive.

“If it helps 10 or 20 people go and get checked, or they have symptoms they are not sure about, then it will have been worth it – it helps a lot if men can catch these things early.

“We’re in a very fortunate positions where as footballers we have a platform to shine a light on it.”

The initial target of £1,000 has been achieved.

“Anything else now is a bonus,” said Hutchinson. “It was not just about how much money we could get for doing this. The main goal is that it is a different way to raise awareness and hopefully get people talking.”

People can donate by searching ‘Millwall Football Club’ on uk.movember.com.