Ian Holloway has urged Millwall’s fans to stick with their team after Norwich City romped to a 4-1 victory at The Den to leave the Lions eight points from safety.

The Canaries broke the deadlock seven minutes before the break when Jonathan Howson unleashed a long range screamer which flew past David Forde.

The advantage was doubled on the stroke of half-time as the Canaries were awarded a penalty.

David Forde did well to push away Graham Dorrans’ drive, but as Jerome attempted to meet the loose ball he was tripped by Alan Dunne and Gary Hooper made no mistake from the spot.

Wes Hoolahan made it three 12 minutes after the break after substitute Michael Tonge gave the ball away.

Things went from bad to worse on the hour as Jerome carved open the home defence again before teeing up Howson for a simple tap in.

Dorrans hit the post and Jerome saw a curling shot headed off the line by Dan Harding as the Canaries threatened to run riot.

But it was Millwall who scored next with eight minutes remaining as Diego Fabbrini was felled by Gary O’Neil and substitute Lee Gregory converted the penalty, a small consolation on another desperate day for the Lions in front of their own fans.

Holloway told the media afterwards the reason he didn’t come out of his dugout for most of the game was because he felt his presence would prove a distraction.

But his mood from seven days ago and the 2-1 defeat at Rotherham was definitely more determined as he was asked what his message was for the fans who right now don’t have a good word to say about him.

Holloway replied: “I’ll tell you what, Millwall are going to be fantastic because they are a fantastic football club.

“They’ve been here since 1885 and sometimes they have ups, sometimes they have downs but every one of them normally sticks with their team, providing they try hard.

“All I ask them to do is stick with your team.

“Will I be manager of this club in five minutes, two weeks, six years like Kenny was? Who knows.

“When I first came the chairman wanted to give me a lot longer contract. I said ‘I don’t think that is fair on you Mr Chairman because all sorts of things can happen’.

“And I’m glad I said that now for him because at the end of the day he deserves a fantastic football club – and this is a fantastic football club.

“At the minute it is struggling, it is toiling and everybody is going to blame someone.

“Well if that is me I’m still privileged to be that person they are going to blame.

“I shoulder all of that responsibility as a man and as a manager all day long.”

The under-fire manager also reiterated his desire to see the remainder of his contract through even if the club drop down to League One, as inevitably now seems the case.

Holloway explained: “I’m fully ready to go to work again tomorrow to pick this lot (squad) up over and over again because do I want to give up the team that I’ve already signed on for next year, whatever division we are in?

“Do I? Not really.

“The opportunity of Paris Cowan-Hall, Fred Onyedinma, Lee Martin, Lee Gregory who I believe has had to shoulder far too much responsibilities because of one or two of the other things we were going to do – Ranegie wanted to go back to Watford – it hasn’t really helped out.

“It hasn’t really kicked in.

“But not one of them has chucked the towel in, not ever and I think that is good enough.

“It is certainly good enough for me.”

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