Exclusive: Millwall head coach Alex Neil to sign new contract.
Millwall manager Alex Neil has signed a new deal that will keep him at The Den for the “foreseeable future”.
The 43-year-old took over for Neil Harris in the dugout in December and led the Lions to an eighth-place finish, just two points shy of the playoffs. “I’m delighted and incredibly proud to sign this new contract,” Neil told the club’s website. “Since my first day, I’ve seen incredible dedication and camaraderie from everyone at the club, including players, staff, and supporters. “That unity has helped us build strong foundations for the seasons ahead, and to be a part of that journey is incredibly exciting.”
‘I’ve said many times – this club is special’
The Lions pushed their play-off challenge to the last day of the Championship season. Neil earned promotion to the Premier League with Norwich City in 2014-15 and led Sunderland to victory over Wycombe Wanderers in the 2021-22 League One play-offs. His debut match in command at The Den was a 1-0 defeat to Oxford United, followed by an FA Cup triumph over Dagenham & Redbridge 12 days later.
A total of 12 wins from 21 Championship matches under charge propelled the Lions into play-off contention, although they were narrowly defeated at Burnley on the penultimate day. “I’ve said it many times – this club is special,” replied Neil. “It’s only when you truly experience the work going on behind the scenes, speak with the fans, and work alongside the players and staff day in and day out, that you realise just how unique it really is.” Millwall chairman James Berylson characterised it as an exciting time to be a fan of the club.
“This new contract reflects our confidence in the direction we’re heading under Alex,” the manager added. “The progress we’ve made in the short period since his arrival has been quite excellent and bodes well for our long-term goals. “We have a clear vision of what we want to achieve with Alex as head coach, and he’s demonstrated the abilities we knew he had when we hired him – strong leadership and installing a real sense of belief throughout the squad and staff to fulfil our ambitions of propelling this club to the next level.”
‘Play-off push was no small achievement’ – analysis
Nick Godwin, a pundit for BBC Radio London Alex Neil came to Millwall with a lot on his plate. He had to successor club legend Neil Harris, who had opted to step down. He had to oversee the transfer of Romain Esse to Crystal Palace, who was arguably the finest player on the squad at the time. And he had to deal with the entrance of a slew of new players during the winter transfer window. The fact that he swiftly created an effective Championship team, significantly enhanced Mihailo Ivanovic’s goal output, and got them within a hair’s breadth of the play-off spots is no small feat. He’s now in a strong position to argue that Millwall can improve even further next season.
If additional money arrives at The Den, combined with the manager’s experience at this level, the club may finally be able to elevate its consistent top-half finishes in the Championship table to something even more outstanding.
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