Gary Rowett returns back to the Bet365 Stadium as his Millwall side take on Stoke City

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Millwall boss Gary Rowett will return to the home of his former employers as his side hope to extend the gap between themselves and Stoke City and continue their winning run.

Rowett spent just under eight months at the helm in Staffordshire, spearheading the Potters’ demise following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Stoke supporters were optimistic heading into their maiden Championship season, despite finishing 19th in the topflight and putting an end to an impressive 10-year reign at the pinnacle of English football.

Paul Lambert had been relieved of his duties in favour of the 47-year-old who had experienced previous success at Derby County. He guided the Rams to the Play-Off semi-finals before signing a lucrative three-year deal at the  Potters.

The current Millwall manager recorded his lowest ever win percentage whilst in charge in Stoke-on-Trent (31%) – winning just nine of his 29 total encounters.

He was eventually sacked by his superiors after ruining his relationships with both the squad and the fans. He left the pre-season promotion favourites languishing in 14th with his final game in charge seeing his side held against League One outfit Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.

Furthermore, he is responsible for kickstarting City’s struggle with financial fair play regulations. Rowett spent £46 million in the summer of 2018 in an attempt to earn promotion at the first time of asking.

Two and a half years on from his appointment, only a pair of the former Birmingham manager’s acquisitions are still with the club. The injured Sam Clucas and sporadic starter James McClean are the only two that remain from Rowett’s spending spree.

Now his sights will be set on defeating his former employers and propelling the Lions closer to the Play-Off positions. Following Reading’s draw with Barnsley on Good Friday, both sides sit eight points off the top six; making a win crucial if they wish to keep their slim Play-Off ambitions alive.

Millwall will be further bolstered by the home side’s ever-growing injury list. Joe Allen, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Jack Clarke will all miss the remainder of the campaign, with the latter terminating his loan deal and heading back to Tottenham Hotspur for treatment.

The contest promises to be a close affair as the two teams have shown throughout their matchups in recent years. Stoke and Millwall have drawn 0-0 in three of their last four league encounters with one another.

Moreover, with Michael O’Neill’s side keeping three successive clean sheets and the visitors keeping two, it may only take one strike to decide a winner on Monday afternoon.

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