Millwall manager, Neil Harris, has cleared the decks at The Den during the summer months after he oversaw a very disappointing campaign from The Lions in last season’s Championship.
Millwall’s results and performances saw a sharp decline as they finished in 21st place and just 4 points above the relegation zone, so Harris has moved quickly to remove any players that aren’t buying into his hard work ethic and footballing philosophies.
Departures from the club include forward Steve Morison, but new signings Matt Smith and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson should bolster a forward line that also includes a fit-again Tom Bradshaw.
In addition, loan signing, Connor Mahoney, will provide much needed creativity on the flanks for the hosts.
It was a poor finish to last season in the Championship for Millwall who were made to sweat on their second tier status following a run of 7 matches without a win in the season run-in.
Manager Harris will therefore be hoping his side can rekindle the sort of form which saw The Lions beat the likes of Derby County and Birmingham City on the road, along with their home win over West Brom.
Preston North End finished in 14th place at the end of last season’s Championship campaign and although they briefly flirted with possible play-off aspirations, the Lancashire club regressed to a more realistic league position.
An encouraging and impressive spell of results from mid-January through to mid-March saw Preston put together a 13-match sequence without defeat, but injuries and the churn of Championship football saw Alex Neil’s side eventually run out of puff.
The visitors ended their season with just 1 win from their final 8 matches of the season, so Neil will be demanding more of his players this time around, albeit on a shoestring budget.
German defender, Patrick Bauer, has arrived at the club to further solidify preston’s defensive line while journeyman striker, David Nugent, has come full circle and arrived back at the club where he started his career. The latter may be utilised as more of an impact player off the bench this season though.
💻 If you can’t make the trip to The Den for the opening day of the season, we will have full coverage on https://t.co/ea2qfPGPF2 and iFollow PNE this weekend.Full details ➡️ https://t.co/YcxcWlcInh #pnefc pic.twitter.com/shiaxjeGz3— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) August 1, 2019
💻 If you can’t make the trip to The Den for the opening day of the season, we will have full coverage on https://t.co/ea2qfPGPF2 and iFollow PNE this weekend.Full details ➡️ https://t.co/YcxcWlcInh #pnefc pic.twitter.com/shiaxjeGz3
Joint leading goalscorer from last season, Callum Robinson, has moved across the border to join Sheffield United, so the likes of Stockley, Moult and Maguire will need to step up this term.
There’s a feeling of cautious optimism at The Den after the clear-out, and with home advantage, Millwall could sneak the points here.