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Millwall hero Morison relishing Championship return with the Lions

Millwall manager Neil Harris and skipper Tony Craig celebrate play-off success
Millwall manager Neil Harris and skipper Tony Craig celebrate play-off success

Steve Morison is relishing another crack at the Championship after firing Millwall to promotion.

The veteran striker’s late goal earned the Lions a 1-0 win over Bradford in the League One play-off final at Wembley.

And he told Sky Sports 1: “It’s brilliant, we’ll celebrate tonight.

READ MORE: Morison slams Millwall pitch invaders ‘who ruined our big Wembley moment’

READ MORE: Late Morison goal clinches promotion for Millwall

READ MORE: Bradford 0 Millwall 1 – highlights and lowlights

READ MORE: How Bradford 0 Millwall 1 unfolded

“It’s fantastic, it’s where all the boys want to be.

“I’m sure the gaffer (Neil Harris) will do a great job in the summer, recruiting for next year, and we’ll have a great crack at the Championship.”

Strike partner Lee Gregory, whose header set up Morison’s clincher, said: “I’m buzzing, we said before we don’t care who scores as long as we win and get to the Champ.

“But Steve’s done it all season and I’m glad he got the goal – the silver fox.”

Steve Morison celebrates at the final whistle
Steve Morison celebrates at the final whistle

Manager Neil Harris, Morison’s predecessor as Millwall’s talismanic striker, described the experience as “awesome” as his team responded to the disappointment of losing out to Barnsley in last year’s final.

He added: “I’ve been a big part of this club for a long time, I played my best football here, and this tops it all off.

Hungrier

“My players deserve it. They’ve come back stronger and hungrier this year.

“There wasn’t a lot in it. Bradford were better in the first half. In the second, we played a lot more like Millwall.

“And when you need a hero, we’ve always got Steve Morison.”

A pitch invasion at full-time by Millwall fans slightly marred the occasion – Morison claimed “they are annoying me, they’ve ruined this for everyone”.

Djimi Abdou celebrates Millwall's win at Wembley
Djimi Abdou celebrates Millwall’s win at Wembley

Harris took a more moderate stance, though he acknowledged: “Do we want them on the pitch? No, it doesn’t feel right here at the home of football.

“But they came on in good spirits to celebrate with the club.”

Bradford manager Stuart McCall, though, was angry that the Millwall fans had been allowed to get on to the pitch.

McCall, along with players including Tony McMahon and Mark Marshall, was goaded by the pitch invaders.

And he said: “I have to say I’m very, very disappointed in the stewarding, to allow the fans across the halfway line to confront me and my players – because I was close to clocking a couple of them, that’s for sure.

“I think Wembley will have to look at that for next season.”

McCall was frustrated in defeat but said: “First and foremost, congratulation to Neil, his staff and his players.

“I just feel numb at this moment , there’s nothing I can say to the players or the supporters.

“We knew we were two tight sides and the odd goal would do it. We’ll just have to lick our wounds and come back stronger next season.”

Bradford had gone desperately close to a first-half opener when Billy Clarke’s shot was superbly tipped around the post by Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer.

McCall said: “Clarkey’s through, he dinks it and Archer’s made an outstanding save – that’s the thin line between failure and success.

“It wasn’t a bad miss, it was a fantastic save.”