Jed Wallace signed for Millwall on a permanent deal in 2017, and the Bermondsey-based side felt his impact in his time at The Den.
In January 2016, Millwall found themselves in a race for the play-offs, and in need of a creative spark in the team.
In stepped 22-year-old Jed Wallace from Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers – who originally signed on a six-month loan deal from the Midlands side. After various loan spells, the Lions decided to purchase the winger on a permanent deal.
Jed Wallace’s loan spells at Millwall
Wallace joined the Lions on a loan deal in January 2016, and within nine days of his arrival-the Englishman gained his first assist at home to Port Vale – announcing himself to an ecstatic Cold Blow Lane End in a 2-1 win against The Valiants.
The assist came after 14 minutes of his home debut, a whipped ball which found the head of Lee Gregory, making the Den shake with excitement under Neil Harris.
It took Wallace two months to score his first goal for the Lions, with it coming as part of a 3-0 victory over Blackpool on 5th March.
Wallace’s contribution to Millwall did not go unnoticed in his first season, with his six goal contributions in 12 starts not painting the full picture of the imperative role that he played, as the Lions made it to the League One play-off final, narrowly missing out on promotion via defeat to Barnsley at Wembley in May.
The Englishman’s second loan spell was met with similar love from the Lions’ faithful, with the winger committing himself to the Lions for another loan spell in the 2016/17 season.
Wallace managed four goal contributions in 16 games for the Lions during his second loan spell. However, again, this did not paint the full picture of the role that he played during this period. He was a key part of the Lions’ play-off push, and also played a vital part in their 1-0 victory over Bradford City in the final at Wembley.
Wallace’s permanent move to Millwall
After promotion, it took just over a month for the Lions to announce the permanent signing of Wallace from Wolves.
Once joining the Lions’ squad on a permanent basis, the winger immediately sprung into life for Millwall, scoring seven goals in his 47 appearances for Harris’ side, as they pushed on to finish eighth in an impressive opening season in the Championship, with Wallace quickly becoming a fan favourite at The Den.
The next season was a struggle in Bermondsey, with the Lions attempting to solidify their place as a Championship side.
Despite narrowly missing out on relegation (finishing 21st), the Millwall winger was a diamond in the rough for the club, with his seven goal contributions and creative spark being the difference between success and failure.
Gary Rowett’s tenure lures more from Wallace
With the new season came new beginnings, with Harris moving to Cardiff City and former Stoke City manager Gary Rowett taking charge of his first full season at The Den.
The English manager was insistent on playing with a back five-meaning that Wallace’s role evolved from a winger who hugged the touchline to become far more forward-thinking.
Wallace excelled in his new role, drifting wide to ping crosses into the box but also being able to drift inside and fire shots off, in a season where the Lions jumped from 21st to eighth – the Englishman was busy, with 23 goal contributions accumulated.
The following two seasons saw Wallace become Millwall’s star man, with the winger evolving into one of the most creative players in the division, creating 17 goals in his last two seasons at the Den.
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