Millwall avoided relegation because of lucky goldfish
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Millwall have completed their great escape and secured Championship survival thanks to a lucky goldfish.
The Lions put up a 4-4-0 record in their final eight matches of the season to somewhat miraculously finish four points clear of the drop.
And their fine run of form began when life-long supporter Tommy Pratt, who is friends with Millwall players Alan Dunne and David Forde, bought a goldfish at the beginning of April.
Pratt was inspired to get his new pet after meeting celebrity therapists The Speakmans in order to cope with his fear of flying.
He told the Southwark News: "I had a very bad fear of flying.
"The Speakmans showed me a film about a girl who'd fallen in the sea and had an irrational fear of fish - she couldn't go near a fish and chip shop. It made me understand my fear.
"Dunney and Fordey asked me how I got on, so I replied: 'may the fish be with you'. They thought I'd been put into a trance!
"The next day, we got a goldfish - and since then, before every game, I have been texting Dunney and Fordey saying 'may the fish be with you'.
"Gary Alexander was also texting the boys the same thing - and so was Greg Wallace from MasterChef because he's a big Millwall fan too."
From that point on, Millwall didn't lose a single match and staved off relegation on the final day.
Dunne added: "The fish has been everywhere with us - it came out to dinner a few weeks ago.
"It became funnier and funnier after every game because we were still unbeaten and the fish was still alive and going strong.
"The fish has been our lucky mascot."
Ian Holloway's men beat Bournemouth 1-0 last weekend to stay in the Championship.
Pratt said: "Everyone would have thought we were raving mad if we'd come out with this eight games ago, but something has definitely worked.
"Whether it was the fish or Dunney and Fordey's pure Millwall blood, who knows? They were fighting in the trenches and the fish was watching over them."
Asked about the lucky fish, Holloway joked: "Maybe we should get some Koi carp for the training ground!"
Here is @alandunne and Tom's son Dylan with the fish, which has an unbeaten record as #millwall's unofficial mascot: pic.twitter.com/2MwZJ3NRpN
— Alex Aldridge (@accordingtoaldo) May 8, 2014The Lions put up a 4-4-0 record in their final eight matches of the season to somewhat miraculously finish four points clear of the drop.
And their fine run of form began when life-long supporter Tommy Pratt, who is friends with Millwall players Alan Dunne and David Forde, bought a goldfish at the beginning of April.
Pratt was inspired to get his new pet after meeting celebrity therapists The Speakmans in order to cope with his fear of flying.
He told the Southwark News: "I had a very bad fear of flying.
"The Speakmans showed me a film about a girl who'd fallen in the sea and had an irrational fear of fish - she couldn't go near a fish and chip shop. It made me understand my fear.
"Dunney and Fordey asked me how I got on, so I replied: 'may the fish be with you'. They thought I'd been put into a trance!
"The next day, we got a goldfish - and since then, before every game, I have been texting Dunney and Fordey saying 'may the fish be with you'.
"Gary Alexander was also texting the boys the same thing - and so was Greg Wallace from MasterChef because he's a big Millwall fan too."
From that point on, Millwall didn't lose a single match and staved off relegation on the final day.
Dunne added: "The fish has been everywhere with us - it came out to dinner a few weeks ago.
"It became funnier and funnier after every game because we were still unbeaten and the fish was still alive and going strong.
"The fish has been our lucky mascot."
Ian Holloway's men beat Bournemouth 1-0 last weekend to stay in the Championship.
Pratt said: "Everyone would have thought we were raving mad if we'd come out with this eight games ago, but something has definitely worked.
"Whether it was the fish or Dunney and Fordey's pure Millwall blood, who knows? They were fighting in the trenches and the fish was watching over them."
Asked about the lucky fish, Holloway joked: "Maybe we should get some Koi carp for the training ground!"
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