Millwall FC: Neil Harris had "expectation" striker would deliver for him - 77 goals said he did | OneFootball

Lee Gregory scored 77 goals in 238 Millwall appearances, truly living up to the billing that Harris expected of him

Millwall's current manager, Neil Harris, is a Lions legend who is the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 138 goals, which he scored across two separate spells.

His journey at the Den began back in 1998, where he would remain until 2004, when he joined Nottingham Forest on a permanent deal, following a loan stint at Cardiff City.

The most memorable occasion of Harris' first stint as a Lions player came when he was named in their lineup for the 2004 FA Cup final alongside fellow club icons such as Tim Cahill and Paul Ifill.

His time with Forest ended in 2007, when he made his Millwall return, and would remain with the London club for a further four years, before moving to Southend.

Following a spell as caretaker boss, the Englishman first took the managerial reins on a permanent basis in South Bermondsey in 2015, and led his side to League One play-off final victory in 2017 with a 1-0 triumph over Bradford City, courtesy of a late Steve Morison strike.

The Lions have remained in the Championship ever since, while Harris left in 2019, before returning last February, following the sacking of Joe Edwards.

Edwards' disastrous spell in charge had left the Den outfit under serious threat of relegation, but Harris guided the club to a comfortable 13th place finish in the end.

One of the players who has defined Harris' managerial career to date is former Lions striker Lee Gregory, who first arrived at the Den from non-league Halifax Town in 2014.

Lee Gregory delivered on Neil Harris' expectations at Millwall FC

The Lions defeated Shrewsbury Town 2-1 away from home on the opening day of the 2015/16 League One season, courtesy of strikes from Morison and Gregory, who would strike up a partnership and an understanding of one another.

Following Gregory's goal, Harris admitted: "With Lee Gregory, we've put an expectation on his shoulders to score goals also, so for him to get off the mark is really pleasing."

During the 2015/16 season itself, the striker certainly delivered on that expectation, as he notched an impressive return of 20 goals in 44 third tier appearances.

The striker's impressive exploits in the final third guided his side to a top six spot, but they would ultimately fall to defeat at the last hurdle, with a play-off final defeat to Barnsley.

However, neither Gregory nor the Lions appeared too downhearted by their Wembley defeat the following campaign, as Harris' men landed yet another top-six finish, with their star forward scoring 18 goals in 40 League One outings this time around.

The London outfit returned to the national stadium one year on from their Barnsley heartache, to take on Bradford this time, and they emerged victorious.

Perhaps it was in this high-pressure fixture when Gregory delivered on his expectations to a higher degree than ever before, as he assisted Morison's 85th minute winner with a perfectly directed header into his strike partner's path.

Such a well crafted goal contribution led the Lions to the Championship, where the former Halifax man would also prove his worth just over three years on from his time in non-league.

In fact, during the 2017/18 second tier campaign, Gregory scored 10 goals, which he further complemented with four assists, while Harris' side finished within three points behind the Championship top-six, just a season on from winning the League One play-offs.

Such an unlikely feat would not have been possible without the notable attacking services of Gregory, who would go on to produce an even better return of 10 goals and seven assists during the 2018/19 season, which turned out to be his last in Lions colours, before he moved on to Stoke City.

Lee Gregory is a modern-day Millwall icon for his exploits at The Den

Right up until leaving The Den in 2019, Gregory consistently delivered the goal scoring expectations Harris placed on his shoulders back in 2015.

In total, the hotshot scored 77 goals for the Lions in 238 appearances, while supporters will always thank him for his efforts which won the club promotion to the Championship in 2017, and so nearly landed a play-off spot in the second-tier just one year later.

His double figure haul in 2018/19 was also equally important, as the Lions avoided relegation back to League One by just four points, while they have remained in the Championship ever since.

The forward not only delivered the goals his manager expected, but is also a huge reason as to why Millwall are the solid second tier outfit they are today.