Millwall hope the return of a familiar face can inspire an upturn in fortune

So often when Millwall needed a lift at any point in the decade between 2009 and 2019 it would be Steve Morison that they would turn to. Now, he arrives at the Den in the away dugout as an opposing manager looking to claim three points.

Across three spells at the Den, the centre-forward made over 300 appearances and scored 92 goals including 23 strikes in his debut season and a League One play-off final winner in 2017. But he was equally capable of galvanising both team-mates and supporters with tireless hold-up play and by battling ferociously with opposition defenders.

He returns to southeast London with Millwall once again in need of inspiration just seven games in to the current Championship season, however on this occasion Morison will be hoping his former employers’ frustration lasts until at least the final whistle on Saturday.

Morison, now manager of Cardiff City, make his second return to the Den after retiring as a player with Millwall on a run of four games without a win. With the team having failed to score in the last three of those matches, pressure is building on Lions’ boss Gary Rowett to ensure that optimism generated by a positive summer does not dissipate entirely.

Zian Flemming was one of the greatest sources of transfer window excitement for Millwall supporters over the off-season, and although his first start for the club ended in defeat at Burnley in midweek, both those in the stands and his manager will be hoping that he can prove to be the difference-maker the side have been lacking in the wake of Jed Wallace’s departure for West Brom.

Fleming scored 24 goals and registered 11 assists across two seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie with Fortuna Sittard, and although his impact since arriving at the Den for a reported £2.25m has been limited by injury, plenty of excitement still surrounds the 24-year-old.

Deadline day signing Callum Styles will also be available for selection after completing a late loan move from Barnsley on Thursday evening, and with Mason Bennett the only long-term injury absentee, Rowett has a strong squad at his disposal as he looks to get Millwall’s season back on track.

Cardiff were also handed a boost on the final day of the transfer window as they completed the permanent signing of Callum Robinson from West Brom. The Republic of Ireland international became the Bluebirds’ 17th signing of the summer as Morison looks to enact a stylistic overhaul of the playing squad in what is his first full season in charge of the club.

Their form so far has been steady if not spectacular, with impressive performances and victories against Norwich City and Birmingham City punctuated by underwhelming displays such as their 2-0 defeat to fierce rivals Bristol City a fortnight ago.

The general consensus, until the arrival of Robinson, had been that for all new arrivals in the Welsh capital, Cardiff still lacked firepower upfront, and the early season struggles of former Crawley Town frontman Max Watters did little to dispel such suggestions.

However, Robinson hit double figures for goals in two of his three full seasons at Preston North End, and still provided 16 goal contributions in a West Brom side that largely underwhelmed last term, meaning he could be the man to provide a clinical edge to the patient passing approach his new manager has tried to introduce.

Following their difficult recent run, the onus will be on Millwall to take the initiative against an opponent they have lost to just once since December 2012. Although it could well be that their former frontman and his brand new centre-forward make it another afternoon to forget in what is fast threatening to become an underwhelming season.

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