Championship boss fires big warning to Leeds United and pair with example as landscape changes

Leeds are heading back to the Championship for the first time since 2020 following this season’s relegation which will mean renewing rivalries with Rowett’s Millwall side who have been in the second tier since 2017.

Leeds are being joined by Southampton and Leicester City in dropping to the second tier and Rowett has cited next season’s trip to Elland Road as a particularly difficult new addition to Millwall’s fixture list.

Rowett, though, has also warned that the Championship will not care about “reputations” and expects the usual almighty scrap for promotion despite the additions of Leeds, Southampton and Leicester.

“They are all very good teams and very strong clubs,” Rowett told the South London Press.

"Leeds is always a very difficult place to go. Southampton are quite a young squad with the likes of Che Adams and Adam Armstrong who have played and done well in the Championship. Leicester is a club I played at for a while – it’s incredible to see them back in the Championship after being so good and winning the title.

“You don’t know (how those clubs will perform). There are so many things that happen. Clubs trying to stay in the Premier League have to change course and change direction away from where they were. They are all very different clubs to the ones they were in the Championship.

“It is going to be strong and certainly they are three teams who are going to be big ones in the division but it’s no different to Watford this year, it’s no different to other teams who have been there and wanted to get out. It’s a tough old league – it doesn’t really care about reputations. What you’ve got to do is earn your right to get out of this league. It’s a very difficult league to get out of, as we know.”

Sizing up the prospect of the trip to Elland Road, Rowett declared: “It’s a game that certainly Millwall fans look forward to. Elland Road is a difficult place to go and the atmosphere can be electric – the same as at our place.

“The club has got a good record against the likes of Leeds but I certainly don’t enjoy a team coming down and a poor moment for them – regardless of which team it is. At the same time there are some big clubs to go and play and compete against. It’s certainly going to be another interesting and difficult season.”