Billy Mitchell reveals just how long it took him to weigh up signing new Millwall contract

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Billy Mitchell has revealed just how quickly his negotiations over a new Millwall contract were wrapped up.

The midfielder, 20, still had more than a year to run on his previous terms when the Lions approached his agent in the middle of March.

“I came back after the Middlesbrough game and one or two days after that I got a phone call from my agent,” Mitchell told the South London Press. “He always checks in to see how things are and give me the lowdown on what he thought.

“I could hear in his voice that he had some good news. He told me Millwall were interested in agreeing a long-term contract.

“I pretty much called my dad and spoke to my mum and two grandads straight away. They were happy. It is perfect because they can still have me at home and come to the games. Obviously it was my decision, but they were fully supportive.

“About two or three weeks later my agent went in to speak to Steve Kavanagh [chief executive] and within two or three days the deal was sorted. It was pretty smooth – easy. Millwall wanted to keep me and I wanted to stay at Millwall. The discussions going on were purely financial, rather than whether I really wanted to be there.”

Mitchell, a boyhood Lions fans, did not feature this season until the 2-1 win at Reading in February.
He suffered a bad hamstring tear during the club’s training camp in Scotland and then had another problem to the same muscle when he was on the comeback trail. The fact he has put pen to paper has helped to finish the campaign on a far brighter note than it kicked off.

“I’m over the moon, particularly the way this season started off injury-wise,” said Mitchell. “There was a point, when I got my second injury, that I thought I might not play again this season.

“So to have come back in and made a pretty decent mark on the team in the few games I’ve played, I’m pretty happy.

“I feel like Millwall is the place to be at. We’ve got a good set of staff and a great set of players. The club is heading in the right direction. Hopefully we can get another top-10 finish this season.

“I feel like this club is going places and I want to be a part of that. It’s also having security, especially at a time like this, when there are going to be a lot of players out of contract. It’s nice to be able to plan ahead.”

Mitchell made his 21st Championship appearance in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Bournemouth. It was his 13th league outing of the campaign, just shy of double what he managed in the previous one.

“Experience is one of those things you can’t buy,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how many conversations that you have with the senior pros, it is something that just comes with time.

“I’m enjoying being in the first team now. When I started I was almost so nervous and feeling sick that it wasn’t really a pleasurable experience going out there. Now I step on the pitch and know I’m capable of playing at that level.

“I haven’t really experienced playing football in front of fans, to a great degree. Come the end of the season I’ll be touch and go on about 25 appearances and I wouldn’t say any more than half have been with fans there.

“I’m looking forward to getting the guys and girls back at The Den and getting it rocking. We all know what the place can be like.”