Tom Bradshaw gives verdict on his Millwall scoring return – and reckons Lions have best team spirit

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Tom Bradshaw is pleased to have scored his first goal since Gary Rowett took charge at Millwall – and says his current haul is a good return considering the major injury he suffered last season.

The Lions forward faces his former club Barnsley on Saturday at The Den and bagged his eighth goal of the season in last weekend’s 1-0 victory at Derby County.

Bradshaw missed nearly all of last season due to cruciate knee ligament damage.

“I’m happy with the return,” he said. “Hopefully I can keep scoring.

“Especially after last season – having a whole one out – you don’t know how sharp you’re going to come back.

“It’s a long time out of football and you don’t know what the reaction of your body is going to be.

“I went a few weeks without scoring. It’s nice it’s my first under the new gaffer – that’s a little monkey off my back.

“It was such an important goal for the team. It’s the cherry on the top when the goal you score gets you the win.

“The atmosphere we’ve got in the changing room is better than any team I’ve been in. It’s such a close-knit squad. I know people sometimes say that to the press anyway, but it genuinely is.

“It shows through whenever anyone scores or we win – everyone celebrates together. We’re all mates in there as well as team-mates.

“We’ve got a really good atmosphere and that helps in football.”

Millwall are unbeaten in seven matches and have won three on the road in that period and drawn the other.

“We went such a long time away from home not being able to get a win and struggling to get a point,” said Bradshaw. “I can’t say exactly what has changed but to get three wins and a draw from our last four away games is an unbelievable return.

“All season we’ve done brilliantly at home and somehow we’ve been able to transfer that to our away form.

“It’s a great recipe for going up the table. Long may it continue.

“We knew they’d [Derby] come out all guns blazing [in the second half].

“More credit to us that although we didn’t have as much control we stayed solid and didn’t concede. We ground out the 1-0 and that’s sometimes what you’ve got to do away from home.”

Bradshaw scored 18 goals in 85 matches for Barnsley before his move to Millwall, which was a club record before Ryan Leonard’s transfer from Sheffield United.

“A lot’s changed since I was there, a lot of the lads have moved on,” said the 27-year-old. “I’m looking forward to it.

“Hopefully I can get on the scoresheet again.”