Millwall

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Bristol City and Millwall begin their Championship campaign with a meeting at Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Michael Skubala era at the Robins began with an ignominious home defeat to Walsall in the EFL Cup first round last weekend while the Lions edged QPR on penalties to reach round two.

City's 4-1 win over Sheffield United last season was their first on opening day since 2020 while Millwall's 2-1 success at Norwich was their third victory in the first league game in four years.

• Bristol City have lost five of their past seven home league games against Millwall (W2), as many as in their previous 39 matches (W17 D17).

• Millwall did the league double over Bristol City last season; only twice before have they won three successive meetings with the Robins in the Football League (4 in January 1932, 3 in September 2021).

• Under Roy Hodgson, Bristol City finished last season losing two of their final seven games (W3 D2), winning as many games as in their previous 14 (D3 L8).

• Millwall earned more points away from home than any other side in the EFL Championship last season (41 – W11 D8 L4), with the Lions unbeaten in their past nine league trips since a 2-1 defeat at Coventry in January (W6 D3).

• Only Coventry City (29) and Southampton (28) scored more goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) than Millwall in the EFL Championship last season (26), with their eight from throw-ins more than anyone else.

Millwall manager Alex Neil is targeting another tilt at the Championship play-offs - but admits it will depend on the outcome of the transfer window.

Neil's side finished third last season, losing to Hull City in the play-off semi-final, and have since signed eight players, although only three have previous Championship experience.

"I think to ask them to come in and surpass 83 points and third in the table is a big, big ask. I think we need to be a little bit more realistic with that," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"However, we've got a core of players who were fundamental last year in getting us there so I think, certainly at the start, they'll do a lot of the heavy lifting and we're hoping the new lads that we've brought in can develop into top players.

"Everybody, at the moment, will be aiming to get into those play-offs and then if you can go one further, then great. But if we can get into the play-offs, that'd be a good aim for us.

"It depends what happens between now and the end of the window."

Preston, Millwall and Stoke are interested in a move for Hull City right-back Cody Drameh, 24, who has a year left on his contract at the MKM Stadium. (Sky Sports, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

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Former Bristol City and Fulham defender Joe Bryan has announced his retirement from football.

The 32-year-old left-back made 464 career appearances for six clubs, including 44 in the Premier League for Fulham, and scored two of his 32 goals in the 2020 Championship play-off final.

He was released by Millwall in the summer and has opted to hang up his boots.

"Whilst not the perfect ending everyone hopes for, I am at peace with the decision to retire and move into a new phase of my life," Bryan wrote on social media, external.

Bryan emerged from the academy at his hometown club Bristol City, spent loan spells at Bath City and Plymouth Argyle, and went on to play 230 times for the Robins in both the Championship and League One.

He helped City reach the semi-finals of the League Cup in 2017-18, scoring against Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

In August 2018, Bryan was close to joining fellow Championship side Aston Villa but instead chose to join Fulham in the Premier League.

He stayed with them for five years, through two relegations from the top flight, and played 119 times.

After a loan spell in France with Nice, Bryan joined Millwall in 2023 and played 81 times for them in the Championship.

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Millwall defender Danny Batth has admitted the chance to reunite with Alex Neil was a huge factor in his choice to join the club this summer.

Batth, 35, signed after leaving Derby and worked with Neil at Stoke.

He says Neil's impact on the dressing room is something he hopes can spur the club on.

"We had a great time together," Batth told BBC Radio London.

"I understand what he expects on a daily basis, the togetherness he brings to a dressing room. It was a really important factor."

Batth won promotion to the Premier League during his time at Wolves, and hopes to help Millwall go one better after they finished in the play-offs last year.

"I hope to have an impact in that area. The club has been building over a number of years, the manager has added to that with his experience and tactical awareness.

"You can see in training the ability and togetherness. When you've got both of those, you've got every chance of being at the right end of the table. It is a new season, it'll be competitive."

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New Millwall winger Kyrell Lisbie has described joining the club from Peterborough United as a "dream".

Lisbie, whose father Kevin played for Charlton, has joined the Lions for an undisclosed fee and is excited to be returning home to London.

"It has been an amazing couple of days," Lisbie told BBC Radio London.

"I want to give myself the best opportunity to hit the ground running. I got a call from my agent at the end of the season saying Millwall were interested. It was amazing.

"Being a London boy, hearing Millwall want you is the stuff of dreams."

The 22-year-old hopes he can help the club build on last season's play-off spot in the Championship.

"I was desperate to sign here, the persistence they showed, putting in multiple bids, showed me what I needed to know," he added.

"Seeing from afar that they were games away from the Premier League, the aim is promotion. Knowing I can be a part of that is exciting."

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Gillingham have signed winger Sheldon Kendall on a season-long loan deal from Millwall.

The 18-year-old has made three senior appearances for the Lions and featured as a substitute in their victories against Newport County and Coventry City in the Carabao Cup last season.

He becomes Gillingham's 11th signing of the summer transfer window so far.

"I can't wait to get started. I can play either side, I'm very direct and I look to take people on," Kendall told Gillingham's website., external

Millwall's 25-year-old winger Femi Azeez is a target for Hull City after the Nigerian international scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 35 games last season. (Football League World), external

For more EFL transfer rumours, read Tuesday's full gossip column here.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with your club's latest news.

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Kamarl Grant has returned to Bromley for his third loan spell with the club following their promotion to League One.

The 23-year-old defender began his senior career with Sheffield United before joining Millwall in 2022, and since then he has been loaned out to Dagenham & Redbridge and Blackpool as well as having two spells at Hayes Lane.

He has made 58 appearances for the Ravens across those two previous stays, scoring two goals, and he helped the club to promotion to the English Football League in 2024.

Grant came through the youth system at Crystal Palace and, after his release by the Eagles, played for Kinetic Academy, where his performances alerted Blades scouts.

He made three appearances for Blackpool in League One last season after moving to Bloomfield Road for the second half of the campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall midfielder Rafiq Lamptey has joined Chesterfield on a season's loan.

The 19-year-old played in a trial match for the League Two Spireites against Irish side Bohemians last week.

Lamptey, the younger brother of QPR defender Tariq, was on the verge of the Lions' first-team squad last season before suffering a knee injury.

The versatile teenager, who can play at right-back as well as central midfield, signed a long-term contract with Millwall last season.

Bolton Wanderers, Millwall, Wrexham and Middlesbrough are all interested in taking Ipswich Town's new Dutch goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen, 22, on loan. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

For more EFL transfer rumours, read Monday's full gossip column here.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with your club's latest news.