MILLWALL columnist MATT LITTLE pays tribute to departing Den manager Kenny Jackett in his final blog of the season.

I’VE never known a Millwall manager to be as loved and as respected by so many of The Den faithful as Kenny Jackett.

When I heard my fellow Millwall fans sing the above in full voice after yet another game at The Den had failed to produce many shots, let alone a goal or a win against detested rivals Crystal Palace, I honestly believed he would challenge Bob Hunter’s record run of 15 years in the Lions’ hotseat.

Our failure to beat the Eagles that night brought to an end a second successive season of horrific home performances, in fact the worse in our entire 128-year history.

Yet there were no public calls for the manager’s head, just the same warmth we’d always shown a man we’d grown to think of as one of us.

And I think this is why Kenny Jackett was never on the receiving end of the infamous Millwall ire.

We had chased off other managers for far, far less, but other than grumble on the forums or in the pub, we never turned on him once.

Somehow we felt a personal loyalty to a man we’d been through so much with, certainly strongly enough not to turn our back on him without good reason.

So why did Kenny Jackett walk out on that kind of loyalty?

I believe it was a number of factors.

Millwall are a complicated club, I’d imagine being its manager is a bit like being the head teacher at a tough, inner-city school.

There’s so much going on that every day is a challenge.

I doubt many other football managers have to deal with so much baggage.

I'm sure that the most challenging non-football question Chris Powell gets asked most days is what he’d prefer in the morning - tea or coffee.

However, Kenny got us, he really did.

You only have to read the excellent book Family by Michael Calvin to see that.

But perhaps after nearly six years he felt burnt out.

I’m not suggesting he walked away because of having to defend us once again after the scenes at Wembley, but I’m sure being the public face of Millwall is an intense and exhausting experience.

Therefore with the club already feeling like it was struggling for fresh inspiration, perhaps it was the moment which started him contemplating that both he and the club needed a break from each other.

And if we are being totally honest, the last few months haven't been pretty.

In fact, the football has been dire going right back to last season.

Any other manager would have been sacked long ago.

The club felt stale and I even described home fixtures as being akin to a death march in this very blog.

We couldn’t even save ourselves when we needed just a single point, but instead had to rely on others.

Even if there weren’t calls for his head, a lot of fans were voting with their feet.

We’re a small club as it is, but the crowd against Palace was one of the lowest for this derby in our history and the 8,500 who turned up for Peterborough United was low, even for us.

I must admit I’d all but jacked it in myself, excuse the pun, as the football being served up was appalling, and I’d consider myself pretty dye-in-the-wool being a fourth generation Millwall fan and writing this blog for love, not money.

The good news is Kenny Jackett leaves Millwall in a much healthier state than the one in which he found us and has done wonders to get across the other side of this unique club to the media and wider public - that of a warm and genuine club to work for and be a part of.

Deep down I think it is the right decision for both the club and Kenny and I am hopeful this simply opens the door to another exciting chapter in the club's history.

The chairman certainly sounded bullish at the fans’ forum and has promised more funds to be made available for the club can push on to the next level, it will just be without Kenny.

Yet, while I'm sad to see Kenny go, it really is the end of an era.

I’m happy he was able to do it on his terms and that his legacy at Millwall will never be tainted by memories of the crowd turning on him, or the nasty spectacle of an acrimonious sacking.

Instead all the negative things about his time as manager will be eroded away by the ebb and flow of time and all that will remain in the minds of Millwall fans will be the fantastic memories he gave us - our first ever play-off win, three trips to Wembley and the season he did make The Den a fortress.

But most of all he will be remembered for being one of the most honourable and decent people any of us have had the good fortune to know.

I am certain I speak for all Millwall fans when I wish Kenny Jackett and his family nothing but the very best for the future, as there really only is one Kenny Jackett.

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