Neil Harris: Returning Millwall manager sets sights on 'reinvigorating fans'

Neil Harris previously managed Millwall from 2015 to 2019

Returning boss Neil Harris says he hopes his fourth stint at Millwall will be as "unbelievably successful" as his first three as a player and manager.

The 46-year-old was named the Lions' new head coach on Wednesday, shortly after the club sacked Joe Edwards following a run of four wins in 19 games.

Millwall are just one point above the Championship relegation places and Harris said his job was to galvanise the players and fans and keep the club in the division.

When asked his thoughts on the saying "never go back", he said without doing so he would never have become the club's 138-goal record scorer.

"The goal is to stay in the division this year," he said, with his side set to play promotion-chasing Southampton on Saturday.

"My biggest job is to reinvigorate a fanbase and galvanise the players into being a good Millwall team and to do that as quickly as possible.

"What I can promise is no one cares more about this football club and no one has more desire for this football club to succeed than me.

"We've got good players and the team, for whatever reason, has lost its way the last few weeks results-wise."

Harris played for Millwall from 1998 to 2004, helping them reach the 2004 FA Cup final, and returned from 2007 to 2011, before becoming the club's manager in 2015 until 2019.

He was appointed Cambridge United boss in December and said he first spoke to his former club on Tuesday, before having more formal conversations about succeeding Edwards at Millwall after he was given permission to speak to the club on Wednesday.

He thanked the U's for allowing him to return to Millwall, saying Cambridge were "the most professional club" and he left with a "heavy heart".

Harris, who led the south London club to promotion to the Championship in 2017, added: "I feel like it's the right time for me [to return to Millwall] and my family and I think most people agree it's the right time for the club.

"Our season is not going to be defined by what happens on Saturday but we need to start the building blocks now."

Millwall sacked former Chelsea and Everton coach Edwards after four defeats in a row and his last match in charge was a 2-0 home defeat by fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.

The Lions are one point and one place above Queens Park Rangers, who face bottom-of-the-table Rotherham at home this weekend.