Millwall midfielder: We can’t be satisfied with this season – but it has been really difficult campaign for number of reasons

George Saville has given his assessment of Millwall’s season as they head into their final three fixtures of the Championship campaign.

The Lions are six points clear of the bottom three and no longer look under any serious threat of dropping into League One.

Back-to-back Den wins over Leicester and Cardiff have staved off the danger and Millwall head to Sunderland on Saturday knowing that their Championship status for next season can be mathematically confirmed.

“The levels we have hit in recent times, you can’t say we are satisfied with what we’ve done,” Saville told the South London Press.

“With what has happened, on and off the pitch, with the chairman leaving us (John Berylson passed away in a traffic accident) and the change of managers – it has been difficult really.

“You get to the end of the season and we just try to get over the line, put that to bed and move forward.

“We missed out on the play-offs last year, hopefully stay in the division this year and then suddenly you get into next year and it doesn’t matter – you’re in the same position you were two or three years ago.

“It is really important for this football club to stay in this division.

“We can’t say we’ve had a successful season but it is about not damaging what has been done before.

“The league is only getting bigger. You look at the clubs coming up this year – Portsmouth – and then maybe Bolton and Derby. They are big clubs that have been in the Premier League. The Championship is getting harder and the money is coming in from next season (from the new TV deal).

“As players and clubs, when you drop down a league, it is not as easy to just bounce straight back up.

“The manager has come in and as a club we have pulled together as best as we can.”

See tomorrow’s South London Press for George Saville’s reaction to earning a contract extension at Millwall.