Alex Neil insists Millwall will ‘fight to the end’ in automatic promotion battle

Boss Alex Neil issued a warning to Millwall’s automatic promotion rivals after a 3-1 win at Stoke guaranteed a Championship play-off place for the first time in two decades.

Camiel Neghli’s second goal in successive games put the Lions into a 20th-minute lead and Femi Azeez’s second-half rocket, aided by goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s mistake, doubled the visitors’ lead.

A Caleb Taylor own goal on the hour put the result in doubt but Josh Coburn made up for two earlier misses with his 10th goal of the season after 69 minutes to take Millwall three points clear of Ipswich and Southampton.

“We will fight to the end and see where it takes us,” said the former Potters boss, as Millwall sit second to champions Coventry with two games remaining.

“It is the biggest achievement the club has had in the last 24 or 25 years and we still have two games to play.

“We have our eye on what the next two games look like. We need to try and win those games and let’s see what happens elsewhere.

“The fact we are in the fight for automatic promotion is an incredible achievement for this team, this club and everyone connected with it.

“If we end up in the play-offs we will give it our best shot. There is so much to like about this team and I’m privileged I have this opportunity to coach them.

“For us to be on 79 points (Millwall’s second highest second-tier tally) with two games remaining has been a dream season for us in terms of what our expectations would have been.”

Neil was axed as Stoke chief in December 2023 after 16 months in charge.

Asked why he struggled to make an impact, Neil responded: “I have had a good time everywhere apart from here. You put your finger on that.

“I have had three promotions and now here we are challenging for promotion. Stoke need to find their own way in what they want it to look like.”

Stoke are 17th and manager Mark Robins admitted: “I am sick of teams who come here and look ordinary and take the points.

“This is a team going for automatic promotion so it gives me loads of food for thought.

“It has been poor for a while. Summer can’t come soon enough, that’s for sure.

“There are too many at the moment choosing not to give everything. I have got plenty to do.

“It was not good enough so you have to change things and change the way you go about it.

“It is a season that promised so much at the start and has delivered nothing. It is really difficult to get excited about.

“In the interim we have had decent performances in a season that hasn’t panned out to the level we wanted it to.”