Millwall's Championship push ends in play-off heartbreak after Hull win

Millwall finished third in the Championship but lost to Hull City in the play-off semi-finals, ending their promotion hopes for another season.

Final whistle ends Millwall's campaign When the referee blew the final whistle at The Den on Monday, it marked the conclusion of Millwall's season. Second-half strikes from Mo Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt gave Hull City a 2-0 aggregate win, sending the Tigers to the Championship play-off final at Wembley. This result means the Lions will remain in the second tier for at least another year. Despite Millwall's strong league finish, their promotion dream was cut short in the semi-finals. ## Hull's bench heroes sink Millwall Two goals from Hull players introduced off the bench sealed Millwall's fate in the play-off semi-finals. Within a minute of Alfie Doughty's introduction, he failed to mark Belloumi on the left flank, allowing the Algerian to score a crucial opening goal. Millwall, who had made three substitutions themselves, were already 1-0 down in the tie after 64 minutes of the second leg. Barry Bannan and Mihailo Ivanovic joined Doughty on the field just six minutes prior, but their late impact came too late. ## Manager reflects on tough end to season Alex Neil admitted his side's disappointment after the play-off exit, saying they had a great season but felt let down at the end. The manager told a broadcaster after the match: 'It's been a great season but at the moment all you feel is disappointment and frustration. You feel as if naturally you've let people down; the supporters, the hierarchy, things like that. That's part and parcel of being a manager.' Despite the frustration, he acknowledged the support he received from fans and club owners. ## Millwall's season in numbers Millwall finished third in the Championship with 83 points, surpassing the 82 points of the 1987-88 Second Division title winners, even though their campaign featured 44 games. No team this season matched their 18 clean sheets in the regular league, or 19 if the goalless first leg against Hull is included. The Lions also had moments they would later regret, such as Ryan Leonard's disallowed goal at MKM Stadium and a draw at relegated Leicester City that could have secured a crucial win. ## Key moments of the campaign A red card shown to Zak Sturge against Blackburn in March initially looked decisive, but it was later overturned as the referee had misjudged the situation. The Lions were 1-0 up when the card was given, but they eventually lost 2-1. Neil chose not to dwell on these incidents, instead praising the squad's performance and growth throughout the season. He reflected on decisions made, saying: 'Did I roll the dice too early? Did I go for it?' ## Positive season overshadowed by play-offs Despite the disappointment, Neil described the season as one of his favorites as a coach, citing the players' commitment, fan support, and club backing. He admitted: 'It's been one of my favourite seasons as a coach because the group have given me so much, the fans have got right behind the team, the owners of the club have given me nothing but complete support, so from that perspective I can only be thankful for that. I'm just sorry that we didn't do enough.' ## Hull advances while Millwall look ahead Hull City will face Middlesbrough or Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday, 23 May. Meanwhile, Millwall's focus shifts to next season, with the goal of automatic promotion or a stronger play-off push. Former Lions striker Steve Morison noted the club's consistent improvement over recent years: 'Every year, it's been year-on-year progression. The teams coming down are going to be huge in the Championship so they need to savour this moment.' ## Millwall's growth under Neil Morison added: 'I think they've shown they've consistently improved. What that looks like, I don't know, but they need to improve against teams that don't have the ball.' He concluded with a message to the fans, saying: 'From a Millwall point of view, you'd be gutted but proud of the football club.' The club's progress under Neil has been evident, even if the play-off exit stings.