Neil Harris’ first 5 signings as Millwall manager

Having experienced the job temporarily previously, in 2015, Neil Harris became permanent Millwall boss.

Harris would go on to manage 245 games at the club between March 2015 and October 2019, taking his total tally of matches in charge of the Lions to 248.

During those years, Millwall had some great times, with Harris winning 103, drawing 64, and suffering defeat 81 times.

Those results saw Millwall reach and fail in the 2015/16 League One play-off final, before winning them the following year and gaining promotion to the Championship.

Then, in the second tier, Harris guided the club to an eighth place finish, before things dipped dramatically in 2018/19 with the club ending the season in 20th.

Early the following season, Harris was sacked and replaced by current Millwall boss Gary Rowett.

Looking back, though, who were Harris’ first five signings at the club, and what are they up to these days?

In this article, we find out!

Mahlon Romeo

The first ever signing made by Neil Harris at Millwall was bringing in defender Mahlon Romeo to the club.

Romeo signed for Millwall on the 5th May 2015, having been on trial with the Lions.

Despite making just 18 league appearances in his first season at the club, Romeo would go on to establish himself as a regular under Harris, and by the time Romeo had departed the club permanently in 2022, he had made 221 appearances for Millwall.

These days, Romeo is at Cardiff City, whom he joined on a free transfer after leaving Millwall upon the expiry of his contract last June.

The 27-year-old featured 33 times in the Championship for Cardiff last season, and is contracted to the Bluebirds until the summer of 2025.

Jordan Archer

Goalkeeper Jordan Archer was Neil Harris’ second signing as the permanent Millwall boss.

Archer had been on loan at the club during the 2014/15 campaign, and his move was made permanent in the summer of 2015.

Archer instantly became the club’s number one shot-stopper, going on to make 49 appearances for the Lions in the 2015/16 season.

Archer would eventually depart Millwall permanently in 2019, going five months without a club before signing for Oxford United in December of that year.

Since then, Archer has gone on to have spells at Fulham, Motherwell and Middlesbrough.

Currently, Archer is on the books at QPR having joined them in 2021.

He is firmly down the pecking order at Loftus Road, though.

Joe Martin

Neil Harris’ third signing as Millwall boss was Joe Martin, who signed for the club on the 23rd June 2015.

The left-back had previously been at Gillingham, and would go on to spend two seasons at The Den.

During that time under Neil Harris, Martin made 67 club appearances.

In July 2017, he departed Millwall for Stevenage, and went on to play for the likes of Bristol Rovers and Northampton, too.

These days, Martin plays for National League side Ebbsfleet, whom he joined back in the summer of 2021.

Tony Craig

Tony Craig turned out to be Neil Harris’ fourth signing as permanent Millwall boss, returning to the club for his third spell at the club.

Craig came in as an instant starter, even skippering the side, but his 2015/16 campaign was hit by a knee injury that would see him miss plenty of football.

He was back in time to feature for Millwall in the League One play-offs as they were defeated by Barnsley in 2016, but as you can see in the above image, Craig and Millwall ensured they were the victors in the 2017 play-off final.

In total, Craig made 322 Millwall appearances throughout his career.

Now 38-years-old, Craig has been playing for National League side Dorking Wanderers since February, initially on loan and joining permanently this past summer.

Steve Morison

Neil Harris’ fifth signing at Millwall was Steve Morison, another player returning to Millwall having previously been on the books at the club.

Morison played for the Lions between 2009 and 2011, on loan in 2013/14, and then again permanently under Harris between 2015 and 2019.

During all of those spells, Morison made an incredible 336 club appearances, scoring 92 goals and registering 65 assists.

After leaving Millwall in 2019, he would go on to play briefly at Shrewsbury before hanging up his boots and turning to management.

Beginning his managerial career as Cardiff City under-23’s boss, Morison became senior Cardiff boss in October 2021 until September 2022.

In June 2023, Morison made the decision to drop down five divisions to the seventh tier to become manager of non-league side Hornchurch where he remains at present.