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After a late fitness test of my own, I drove to the Macron stadium for the early morning coach to the Lions’ Den, otherwise known as Millwall.
Following a full English breakfast at Watford Gap, we were treated to a tour of central London, watching ‘Escape to Victory’ as we crossed Tower Bridge, to avoid the traffic around the World Athletics Championships at the London stadium.
Millwall are the EFL Family Club of the Year, 2017 and evidence of this was seen, as a group of local youngsters lined up to welcome our coaches with traditional gestures.
Visiting coaches are parked next to the turnstile entrances at the New Den and the nearest recommended hostelries for pre-match refreshments are back in Bolton. So, we had to make do in the ground, with some excellent Angelo Poretti beer at a breath-taking £4.60 a pint and a distinctly average sausage roll from the ‘Pie Factory’ at £3.30 each, served by the usual friendly, cheery bar staff.
The general view was that we needed to get something from this game and get our Championship points tally off the mark.
The first half was a nervy stalemate with precious little to get excited about.
However, the half-time team talks had some effect as both teams came out in the second half and went for it.
They edged in front and we brought Filipe Morais on. Gary Madine won a free kick after another attempt at swapping shirts and Filipe Morais won the argument with Gary Madine to take the free kick and scored with a superb chip over the wall.
It was a well-deserved point and a fair result. At the end, it was the Bolton fans making all the noise.
It’s early days as Phil Parkinson tries to sort out his best team and tactics to cope with the higher level of football we will face.
Already it is clear we need to up the pace, especially in midfield as we will not get the time on the ball we enjoyed in League One. Some players will have to improve and new players need to blend in. This will take time but the early signs are hopeful.
Source
Following a full English breakfast at Watford Gap, we were treated to a tour of central London, watching ‘Escape to Victory’ as we crossed Tower Bridge, to avoid the traffic around the World Athletics Championships at the London stadium.
Millwall are the EFL Family Club of the Year, 2017 and evidence of this was seen, as a group of local youngsters lined up to welcome our coaches with traditional gestures.
Visiting coaches are parked next to the turnstile entrances at the New Den and the nearest recommended hostelries for pre-match refreshments are back in Bolton. So, we had to make do in the ground, with some excellent Angelo Poretti beer at a breath-taking £4.60 a pint and a distinctly average sausage roll from the ‘Pie Factory’ at £3.30 each, served by the usual friendly, cheery bar staff.
The general view was that we needed to get something from this game and get our Championship points tally off the mark.
The first half was a nervy stalemate with precious little to get excited about.
However, the half-time team talks had some effect as both teams came out in the second half and went for it.
They edged in front and we brought Filipe Morais on. Gary Madine won a free kick after another attempt at swapping shirts and Filipe Morais won the argument with Gary Madine to take the free kick and scored with a superb chip over the wall.
It was a well-deserved point and a fair result. At the end, it was the Bolton fans making all the noise.
It’s early days as Phil Parkinson tries to sort out his best team and tactics to cope with the higher level of football we will face.
Already it is clear we need to up the pace, especially in midfield as we will not get the time on the ball we enjoyed in League One. Some players will have to improve and new players need to blend in. This will take time but the early signs are hopeful.
Source