Steve Kavanagh warns there is no escaping Millwall atmosphere ahead of FA Cup showdown

The Lions secured a huge win at Birmingham midweek.
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Giuseppe Muro15 March 2019

There is no escaping the change in mood at Millwall this week. Things were looking bleak after four straight Championship defeats, but a 2-0 win at Birmingham on Wednesday has completely altered the feeling ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton.

Manager Neil Harris, who has received criticism from fans, gathered the team in a huddle in front of the away end after the game at St Andrew’s and it felt like the result could be a significant moment in their season.

Chief executive Steve Kavanagh says: “It has been a difficult time recently, but the huddle demonstrated the togetherness between the players and the management but also the fans are an important part of that. That togetherness is what we needed to help us get a result on Sunday.

“We are not expected to win but that is what makes The Den so special on FA Cup days. There have been a number of upsets here over the years and they happen because of the team and because of the positive atmosphere fans create that the players can thrive in.”

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When The Den is full, Millwall fans can create an atmosphere like no other in English football and it is not a place many opposing teams enjoy visiting.

Lions striker Steve Morison claimed two years ago that England left-back Ben Chilwell did not want to take throw-ins there because of the stick he was getting while playing for Leicester.

Everton came unstuck in the fourth round and Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester all lost at The Den in 2017.

The noise levels help give Millwall an edge, but against Everton some fans overstepped the mark. The 3-2 win was marred by racist chanting and the club were charged by the FA. Millwall, though, hope this weekend’s headlines will all be about another giantkilling.

“We want a positive atmosphere but we do not want anything that crosses the line,” adds Kavanagh. “It is important our fans remember that and remind people around them.

“The whole club was hurt by the events of the Everton chanting. It was disgusting, disgraceful and has no place in football or society.”

Brighton supporters have found themselves a regular target of homophobic abuse from opposing fans, but Millwall have taken steps to ensure there is none of that on Sunday, writing to every fan who has a ticket to remind them homophobic chanting is against the law.

“Society is going through tough times,” Kavanagh says. “With everything that is going on and with the FA charge hanging over us, we know certain people will be looking for a negative headline. The fans need to make sure we do not give them one.”

If Millwall play anything like they did against Birmingham, their direct and physical style will trouble Brighton.

“It has been a tough season but we have to stick together,” says Kavanagh. “The unity of Millwall, and I include the fans in that, is the bedrock of our success.”

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