MK Dons handed Millwall a modern-day hero that Lions supporters won't forget: View | OneFootball

Shaun Williams joined Millwall in 2014 and became a legend over the next seven years at The Den

Highlights

When Millwall supporters think of some of the modern-day club legends they've seen laid eyes on in recent years, Republic of Ireland midfielder Shaun Williams will almost certainly be one of them.

The Dublin-born midfielder joined the club in January 2014 from MK Dons, and in the next seven-and-half years he cemented his status as a cult-hero at The Den thanks to his performances as the Lions became a solid Championship side.

Now 37, Williams is yet to show any indication of calling time on his football career, despite recently leaving Gillingham upon the expiration of his contract, with the player's professionalism ensuring that he's still able to play at that age when many of his peers would have retired.

MK Dons handed Millwall a modern-day legend

With the Lions in the lower echelons of the Championship during the 2013/14 season, manager Ian Holloway looked to strengthen his side, and he moved to add Williams to his ranks, signing the Irishman from League One outfit MK Dons.

Williams made an immediate impact when he moved to The Den, and he came straight into Hollway's starting team, playing 17 games during the second half of the season as Millwall finished 19th.

It wasn't long before Williams became a fan favourite in South London, with Williams a hard-working, committed midfielder who could lead the side, and also had the talent to back it up.

In his first full season at The Den, Williams received two red cards in the 38 league games he played, showing he certainly wasn't a shrinking violet, but it was a poor season for the Lions, and they were relegated to League One.

Despite their relegation, the Irish international remained loyal to the club, and he played 43 games in all competitions during the 2015/16 season, helping Millwall reach the play-off final, but they were unable to get over the line, and they were defeated by Barnsley.

However, Williams played an important role in avenging their play-off defeat the following year by playing a pretty incredible 56 games during the 2016/17 season, scoring five times and registering nine assists as Millwall won the play-off final against Bradford to seal a return to the Championship.

Williams was one of Millwall's most consistent performers, and he helped the club become a stable, competitive Championship club who have remained in the division since their promotion in 2017.

The Irishman was a mainstay in Neil Harris' side in the seasons that followed, and was rewarded with a call-up to the Republic of Ireland side in May 2018, and he won three caps in total, scoring once.

The midfielder would get his first experience of wearing the captain's armband during the 2018/19 season, but the following season saw Williams get less first-team action, before even less during the 2020/21 season - playing 27 league games.

With his contract up at The Den in the summer of 2021, Williams left on a free transfer, and moved to the South Coast with Portsmouth.

His final game saw Millwall battered 6-1 by Coventry City, and while it was far from a fairytale ending, Williams will also be fondly remembered by the Lions' fanbase.

In total, he made 295 appearances for Millwall, scoring 25 goals and registering 28 assists - an excellent signing which saw him become a modern-day legend.

Williams spent a season at Fratton Park with Portsmouth, where he made 35 appearances, before he was reunited with former Millwall boss Neil Harris at League Two side Gillingham in the summer of 2022.

Despite being 35, Williams showed his durability, which made him a fans' favourite at The Den, by playing 47 games for Gillingham during the 2022/23 season, before he was rewarded with a new deal last summer.

That new deal also saw him handed the captain's armband, but after Harris departed in October, he struggled for playing time, and was subsequently released at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Despite now being 37 and without a club, Williams has shown no indication that he intends to retire, and he could certainly do a job for someone in League Two or perhaps in his homeland of Ireland.

If and when he decides to call it a day, he'll look back at his time with Millwall as the best spell of his career, and the club will always have MK Dons to thank for handing them a legend in 2014.