Exclusive: David Prutton defends Macaulay Langstaff over transfer from Notts County to Millwall FC | OneFootball

Macaulay Langstaff lit up the lower leagues with his goal-scoring prowess, but his move to the Championship has not gone as planned.

Macaulay Langstaff’s rise from a non-league phenomenon to the Championship was built on a reputation as a ruthless goalscorer.

After shattering National League records and firing Notts County to promotion to the Football League, his move to Millwall in the summer of 2024 was seen as the natural, if ambitious, next step.

However, life at The Den has been anything but smooth. The prolific striker, who once dominated the lower leagues, has struggled to make an impact in the Championship, raising questions over whether the step-up has been too much, too soon.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, EFL pundit David Prutton has dismissed any suggestion that Langstaff should regret his decision, offering a staunch defence of the striker’s move.

Macaulay Langstaff should be “admired and appreciated” for career so far

Prutton was full of praise for the striker’s journey and personality: "Now, having spoken to Macaulay, having done interviews with him, the infectious nature with which this man plays football, the very varied route that he’s taken to where he’s got to - both are things he should be utterly admired and appreciated for. An infectious personality, and quite a clear ability to score goals."

His first and only goal for the Lions came in September, but with managerial changes and squad rotation affecting his playing time, some have questioned whether his move was the right one. Prutton believes such a jump was always going to present difficulties.

"It is a jump though - it’s a jump as much as perhaps a layperson would look at the EFL and say part of it is much of a muchness - that’s absolutely not true. The pressure in the Championship and the lens in which players are focused on and looked at means we do look at a player that's scored bagfuls across his career so far - and then say, 'come on then, what have you got?'"

At 28, Langstaff is not considered a young prospect, and the scrutiny on him has been intense. However, Prutton insists that struggling to replicate his Notts County heroics immediately should not be held against him.

"Time, I would suggest, isn't necessarily on his side, being 28. However, I don't think jumping a couple of divisions and not quite hitting the heights that he’s set is any stick to beat him with.

"Millwall, as we've seen, have changed managers, and sometimes that can hamper a player’s progress. The manager that brought you in has a shiny new toy - can potentially make way for someone who either doesn't know how to deploy you or needs time to work out how to deploy you."

Langstaff was reportedly the subject of transfer interest in January, but no move materialised. Instead, Millwall bolstered their attacking options with the signing of Aaron Connolly, impacting the pecking order in the squad.

"Given what Millwall have had this term, that concentration is being safe first and foremost. Secondly, it’s consolidation. I think potentially there was a chance for him to move around in January which didn't come to fruition.

"They then bring other players in - Aaron Connolly is one that springs to mind - which means that the pecking order changes somewhat."

David Prutton: “I don’t think he can regret” underwhelming Millwall move

Despite these challenges, Prutton is adamant that Langstaff has nothing to regret about his move. From a financial perspective alone, the striker has undoubtedly improved his situation.

"I don’t think he can regret it. From an ex-pro’s point of view, and to talk about financials for a second, I presume his wages jumped. I presume his options jumped off the back of those. That change in his financial situation - and I also think if there is a need to move around, he’s jumped a couple of divisions, which means he may be able to find someone else in the Championship, maybe someone in the top end of League One, and the career then moves in a slightly different direction.

"I think for a player to make that jump, to have the ambition, the balls, and the excitement, which he quite clearly does when you speak to him - and I can’t stress highly enough what wonderful company he is - I think fair play to the player. You know what? 'I’ll give it a go, I’ll put myself through that, I’ll put myself to the test, and I’ll put myself up there to be judged.' I think there could be a player in there who may prove us wrong."

Despite Langstaff’s struggles to replicate his prolific Notts County form at Millwall, his career is far from being defined by this challenging spell.

Whether he fights for his place at The Den or seeks a fresh start elsewhere, his decision to test himself in the Championship reflects his ambition.

With the right system and support, the goalscoring instinct that made him a lower-league sensation could yet translate to success at this level.