Meet the opposition | Millwall
As Swansea City prepare to lock horns with Millwall, we take a closer look at the Lions.
What's their story?
Millwall are in their tenth-straight season in the Championship having secured their place in the second tier via the play-offs in 2017.
They have been mainstays of the second tier, having spent just two of the last 14 campaigns in League One.
The Lions haven’t been in the top-flight of English football since the 1989-90 season; the closest they have come to a return was when reaching the play-offs at the end of last season, where they lost to Hull in the semi-finals.
They famously reached the 2004 FA Cup final, but were beaten 3-0 at the Millennium Stadium by Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
How's their form?
Millwall have made a strong start to the Championship season, sitting in the play-off positions having won four, drawn two and lost three of their opening nine matches.
They earned a 1-0 away win at Preston North End at the weekend as they look to cement another play-off push this season.
Who's the gaffer?
Alex Neil is the current head coach of Millwall after joining the club in December 2024 on a long-term deal.
Born in Scotland, the 43-year-old began his playing career at Dunfermline Athletic before going on to represent clubs such as Barnsley, Mansfield Town and Hamilton Academical.
He began his first steps in management with Hamilton Academical before steering Norwich City to the Premier League in 2015, then later joining Preston North End.
Subsequent spells at Sunderland and Stoke City followed before he became the Lions’ new boss with over 350 Championship matches in the dugout under his belt, and he has done a fine job in south-east London.
Who's the captain?
Jake Cooper is the current club captain of Millwall, having become a mainstay at the heart of the Lions defence.
The 31-year-old initially joined the club on loan from Reading in January 2017, but after an impressive spell in which he helped them win promotion to the Championship, made the switch permanent that summer.
Cooper went on to play a crucial part of the 2018-19 Championship season going on to win Manager's Young Player of the Year award for the second year running. He also went on to feature in 136 consecutive matches before a shoulder injury disrupted his form.
He has since gone on to make over 400 appearances for the Lions, with the eventual hope of guiding the club to their first-ever promotion to the Premier League.
Who are the key men?
Forward Lyndon Dykes joined Millwall in August, becoming the club's ninth signing of the summer transfer window.
The 30-year-old started his career in Scotland and counts Queen of the South and Livingston amongst his clubs north of the border, before a move south took him to Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 2020.
After spending four years with the R’s, he stablished himself as one of the top strikers in the second tier, netting 16 goals in his maiden season before going on to earn his first senior caps for Scotland.
The goals continued to flurry for club and country the following season which resulted in a move to Birmingham City - where he helped the Blues to promotion back to the championship in the 2024-25 season.
A short spell at Charlton Athletic followed before he went on to represent to Scotland during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has gone on to score four goals in 10 appearances so far this term.
Alfie Doughty is another key player for Millwall having joined the club last summer from Luton Town.
The 25-year-old joined The Lions on a long-term contract ahead of the 2025-26 season, bringing versatility with his ability to play in a number of positions on the left-hand side.
Doughty made his way through the youth ranks at Charlton Athletic before spells at Stoke City and Cardiff City, then Luton Town.
Under the guidance of Rob Edwards, Doughty made over 100 appearances and won promotion to the Premier League in his second season with The Hatters, where he featured 37 times, missing just one match upon the club's return to the top flight.
Despite an injury-hit campaign so far, he will look to become an important figure for the Lions over the rest of the campaign.