Zian Flemming and his club Millwall are very likely to play play-offs for promotion to the Premier League in May. The 24-year-old from Amsterdam made the winning 2-3 from a penalty tonight in the away game at Blackpool, which was therefore relegated to the third level in England.
It was Flemming’s 15th goal in 42 Championship appearances. Striker Tom Bradshaw scored twice tonight, making him the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in 40 games. Flemming made the switch to Millwall for 2.5 million euros in July last year, after he had played a major role in maintaining the Limburg club with twelve hits (and a save on the goal line against NEC on the final day) last season. Flemming previously had a good period at NEC with 13 goals in 25 matches, but that season was cut short by corona in March.
Millwall are now fifth in the Championship after 45 of their 46 league games, but the differences at the top of the Championship are still very small. Champion Burnley and number two Sheffield United are already certain of promotion to the Premier League, but the four clubs below will soon compete in the play-offs for the third coveted ticket to the richest league in the world. Former Feyenoord talent Gustavo Hamer is also still in the race for the play-offs with Coventry City.
Two seasons at the highest level
Millwall played only two seasons in England’s top tier in club history. The London club did that in the 1988/1989 and 1989/1990 seasons with Tony Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham as the feared attacking duo. In 2004 Millwall reached the FA Cup final with players such as Tim Cahill, Dennis Wise and Neil Harris, but in Cardiff Manchester United was 3-0 too strong due to goals from Ruud van Nistelrooij (2x) and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Millwall closes the competition on Monday 8 May with a home game against Blackburn Rovers. The team of coach Jon Dahl Tomasson now has three points less than Millwall, but will only play the penultimate league game at home against number three Luton Town on Monday evening (6.30 pm).
Luton Town and Middlesbrough are already certain of a place in the play-offs, but the battle for fifth and sixth place promises to be very exciting on the final day of the competition on May 8. In theory, even the numbers nine to twelve still have a chance to reach the play-offs.
Championship standings
1. Burnley 44 – 95 points
2. Sheffield United 43 – 85 points
3. Luton Town 44 – 78 points
4. Middlesbrough 44 – 74 points
5. Millwall 45 – 68 points
6. Coventry City 44 – 66 points
7. Sunderland 44 – 65 points
8. Blackburn Rovers 44 – 65 points
Millwall FC
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