The Championship table since Millwall appointed Neil Harris | OneFootball

The fear of relegation was looming large before Millwallmade the decision to sack Joe Edwards two months ago, but the decision to welcome back Neil Harris has proved to be a masterstroke for the Lions.

Fortunes have turned around majorly at The Den, with the East London side confirming their status as a Championship club with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland last weekend; their third win in as many games.

It is a far cry from the team Harris inherited back in February; who sat just a point outside the relegation places in the second tier, with a return of just one point from a possible 21 spelling the end of Edwards’ reign over the club.

Here we take a look at the Championship table from February 21 onwards, and the magnificent work the club’s all-time top scorer has done since returning to the dugout in Bermondsey.

Neil Harris’ Championship record as Millwall manager

The league table makes for good reading for Millwall fans, with only three teams in the whole division picking up more points since the day Harris was appointed.

With a return of 20 points from his 11 matches in charge, the former Cambridge United manager has got his team picking up results in the manner of a playoff-chasing team in the final stages of the season; earning themselves valuable points to escape relegation in the process.

Six victories, two draws and three defeats shows just how resolute the 46-year-old has made the Lions in the past two months, with their home form something he will be taking immense pride over.

Bermondsey locals are yet to see their side turned over on their own patch since the change of management at The Den, with four victories and a single draw reinstating the place as one of the trickiest places to go and try to get a result.

That run has seen the likes of Watford, Cardiff City and Birmingham City all return empty-handed from their trips to the capital, while the most eye-catching result was a 1-0 victory over league leaders Leicester City a fortnight ago.

Results have been less impressive on the road, but Harris still managed to mastermind a victory over Southampton in his first match in charge; as he made the most of his side’s efficiency at set-pieces to see off Russell Martin’s side, despite having less than 20% possession.

That sort of siege mentality is exactly what Harris thrives off of, and has driven the belief back into his players after a morale-sapping run of results under previous incumbent Edwards, with the results being seen on the pitch.

The Lions are matching the likes of Ipswich Town and Swansea City for points since their big decision, with both sides also picking up 20 points in that time, while three teams have picked up a solitary point more.

Cardiff City - whom Millwall beat 3-1 earlier in the month - Norwich City and Leeds United have all mustered 21 points in their previous 11 games,, which goes to prove just how high a level the Lions have been performing at of late, with their recent showings proving just how well they could operate next season once Harris gets his feet firmly back under the table.

Neil Harris has transforms Millwall's defensive frailties in recent resurgence

A major factor in their recent resurgence has been their stinginess in defending their own goal, with a record of only nine goals conceded in 11 matches helping their fight for survival.

Only Swansea can top that level of defensive solidity with eight goals conceded - while Ipswich and Preston North End can match it - and shows how the Lions have whittled the game down to slender margins in order to get results on a regular basis.

Over half the teams in the division have scored more than Millwall’s 12 in that timespan, but the reliability on keeping the ball out at the other end has made games regularly hinge on key moments in games; hence having four 1-0 wins out of the six under Harris’ tutelage.

With Plymouth Argyle travelling to The Den at the weekend, before a trip to Swansea City to bring the curtain down on the 23/24 campaign, the Lions will be hoping to further improve their record under Harris before the season comes to a close, before kicking on even further in the next campaign.