NEIL DEPARTS A PROUD LION

IT’S been a footballing love affair of the highest order, but Neil Harris waved another emotional farewell to The Den this week with an impassioned message to the Millwall faithful.

- Hugo Varley

Despite his side falling to defeat against Sheffield United on Wednesday night, Harris was saluted from all corners of the ground at full-time as he left the place he has called home for much of the past three decades, following the announcement that he would depart the club this week.

The former striker etched himself into the very heart of Millwall folklore as a player, scoring a club record 138 times in two separate spells, before cementing his legacy even further by guiding the south Londoners to the Championship as manager in 2017 during a four-year stint in the dugout

The fourth coming of the ‘Millwall Messiah’ saw Harris save the Lions from relegation peril last season and compete in the top half for much of this campaign, though they were four without a win when he announced his decision.

It also came just a few days after he had a pop at some critical fans following the 1-0 home defeat against Coventry last weekend.

“You miss Romain, you miss Japhet and you miss Jake Cooper,” he stressed after losing to Frank Lampard’s side. “Three players that probably get in any Championship team.