Millwall supporters 'disgusted' as Good Friday trip to Middlesbrough handed tricky kick-off time
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Alex Neil’s Millwall side have seen their kick-off time for the trip to Middlesbrough altered to fit broadcast plans.
Millwall supporters have shared frustration over the latest Championship scheduling changes with Lions away fans handed a tricky journey for the Good Friday clash with Middlesbrough.
The fixture had been due to kick off at 3 pm on Good Friday with fans already handed an early journey up to the North East. It has now been brought forward to 12:30 pm to allow the fixture to be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
A statement from the club on Wednesday confirmed: “Millwall's Sky Bet Championship trip to Middlesbrough on Good Friday will be shown LIVE on Sky Sports Football. The Lions travel to the Riverside Stadium on Friday 3rd April, with kick-off now brought forward from 3 pm to 12.30 pm. Tickets for the visit will go on sale soon - check millwallfc.co.uk for further information.
“As a reminder, selections for matches will now be announced weekly, based on a four-week rolling basis. For example, next week’s announcement will cover the period around the weekend of 11th April.”
Millwall fans frustrated by Good Friday fixture change
According to Trainline, there are six trains that would get fans to Middlesbrough in time for the match, the earliest departing at 5:48 am and the latest at 8:33 am from Kings Cross. The price for an adult return ticket ranges between £80 and £122.
It means that Millwall fans have been handed three early kick-off away fixtures in a row. The Lions face Hull City at 12:30 pm this weekend before travelling to Ipswich Town for a same time kick-off on March 21.
Reacting to the news, one fan wrote on social media platform X: “Great consideration for fans there from Sky.... It is a Friday so technically the game could go ahead at 3 pm but no doubt they want to fit several games in live on the day. Could have selected Coventry / Derby as the early game with majority of fans for both sides being far more local to the destination.”
Another wrote: “There is no 3 pm black out on Good Friday. They could've televised this and kept it at 3 pm. Instead, they've actively chosen to make us do a 580 mile round trip for a 1230 kick-off, meaning a 3 am alarm. The contempt they show for match going fans is disgusting.”
In other news, Millwall set for 'excellent' injury boost ahead of Hull City and Derby County.