Lions Striker Neil Harris On His Penalty

Last updated : 27 April 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Lions goalscorer Neil Harris
Millwall frontman Neil Harris spoke to BBC Radio London about his side's 3-0 home win over Carlisle, Harris dicussing whether or not today could have been his last game at the New Den :


" It was special, you don't know, that could be my last appearance at the club. I wanted to make it as memorable as possible, not just for me but the fans here and everyone who has supported me over the last ten years. It was easy going into the game because it wasn't about me, the bigger picture was the club, we needed the points. We needed to get safe, we never presumed that we would be in this position in August but it's one of those things. The position that we have found ourselves in today is not right and it was up to us on the pitch to do something about it.

" Sometimes you just know that you are going to score, I knew that I was going to score. I was absolutely devastated at Bournemouth when I missed a few weeks ago. Anyone who knows me knows how much I think about the game and my morals and things like that. I don't take missing penalties lightly, I must have taken a hundred in the last couple of weeks in training. As soon as it was awarded I knew that I was taking it and I knew that I was scoring it. It was the important second goal, it enabled us to play, relax, and show what a good team we can be.

" I had the same feedback off the fans that I have had for ten years. The fans here demand a certain style of play and it's up to the players to produce that week in and week out, wear your heart on your sleeve and give the fans what they want to see. It's simple, results come, and there hasn't been enough of that this year. The fans to me have been unbelievable, for ten years they have supported me through thick and thin.

" When I have had barren spells they have never given up on me, they have always wanted me to play. All that I do is just go out there and give my best, good or bad, I've not always been the best player on the pitch but I've always given 100%. I think it was the same, you look at Keith Stevens, Harry Cripps, people like that, 100% every week, week in and week out.

" The last time I spoke to the manager (Kenny Jackett) officially was a few months ago and he said that there wouldn't be a contract for me next year. He's happy with the players that he has got and coming through and that would be it. Every day in training I've tried to, as I've always done throughout my career, I try to be the best player in training every day and work my socks off and that's all that you can do. I've asked for chances, I've wanted to play, I always want to play, I never shirk responsibility and you can only do what you can do. I believe that I have done everything in my powers to try to change his mind.

" I think that the back end of last season when we got on a great run, it seemed like the investment from America was coming in and it all looked really good. It was all set up this season for us to kick on and be in the top six and get back really where this club belongs, up in the Championship trying to build a stadium and pushing on. It hasn't happened for various reasons, the mainstay of the club is what happens on the pitch and we as a group of players just haven't been good enough this year.

" We have to take collective responsibility from top to bottom and make sure that from the start of next season, whoever is here, that the club is given the backing. The manager is given the backing to build the squad, that whoever is here then they have to produce on the pitch to get results to push the club forward. "