Ally McCoist sends Middlesbrough 'mug' warning ahead of Millwall as Roy Hodgson previews Charlton visit

Millwall take on Middlesbrough on Good Friday in an enticing Championship promotion clash, and Scottish football legend Ally McCoist has fired a message to Boro.

Kim Hellberg’s side currently occupy the second automatic promotion position behind Coventry City but have Ipswich Town and Millwall breathing down their neck. Boro sit on 71 points with the Tractor Boys and Lions just two points behind.

Coventry City may have the pole position wrapped up on 80 points but it’s all to play for when it comes to the second automatic promotion spot. That makes this week’s clash at the Riverside Stadium a tantalising prospect.

One pundit relishing the battle in the second tier is McCoist and the 63-year-old has warned Championship rivals that they would be ‘a mug’ to not take the threat from Alex Neil’s side seriously.

Ally McCoist fires Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town warning

Speaking to TalksportBet via Teesside Live, McCoist said: “I need to be honest, I'm in a kind of no-lose situation here because I love Boro.

“I want all the North East teams, you know I love the North East teams, Newcastle, Sunderland in particular, and Boro. So, in an ideal world, I love the North East, but I also love Big Alan Brazil, he's my mate, and he's an Ipswich man through and through. So, the Tractor Boys back in the top flight absolutely would not be a disaster.

“You'd be a mug to rule Millwall out, by the way. They're obviously sitting on the same points as Ipswich.”

Another Championship fixture sure to make headlines this Good Friday is the visit of Bristol City to Charlton Athletic. The Robins are now under the management of veteran Roy Hodgson, who faces the Addicks for the first time in his long career.

Roy Hodgson on first Bristol City training session ahead of Charlton Athletic

Bristol City sit two places and three points above Charlton Athletic. Hodgson took charge of his first training session on Monday and, ahead of facing Nathan Jones’ side, admitted that it would take a while to get a fully grip of his team.

He said: "I expected what I got today. I have a certain status and a certain charisma, and I expected the session to go the way that it went, and I'm very pleased with it, but that sort of question you're asking, I'd have to say, give me at least a couple of weeks to see what they are.

"My fear taking over the job; I know I'm going to be happy working with them, I know I'm even possibly going to be able to do something positive with them in that respect, but we get players back on Thursday, one day before the game, and we have some very serious injuries. It's going to be very difficult, at least in this first couple of games, to get a clear idea of what this team could look like, going towards the end of the season."

In other news, 'We'll See': Charlton Athletic star addresses future amid Millwall and Leicester City links.