Millwall have dealt with several midfield injuries this season, but it hasn’t stopped them from mounting an improbable promotion charge.

The Lions have not finished in the top six of the second division since the 2001/02 season, but Alex Neil has Millwall aiming even higher, as they are four points behind the top two with 11 games left.

The only Den players to have started at least 27 of their 35 league games this season are defense duo Tristan Crama and Jake Cooper, as well as striker Mihailo Ivanovic. Clearly, Alex Neil has not had a reliable midfield pack to rely on throughout the season.

Casper De Norre has missed many games this season, as have Billy Mitchell and Luke Cundle, while Massimo Luongo suffered an ACL surgery in October, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

Will Smallbone, who is on loan from Southampton, had a hamstring injury in October and has been out since. However, the Irishman’s hiatus is expected to end soon, with a comeback scheduled for the coming weeks.

Alex Neil provides an encouraging Will Smallbone injury update.

While Smallbone’s absence has not prevented Millwall from pursuing promotion this season, the 26-year-old’s experience on a promotion-winning squad at St Mary’s would be beneficial.

The Lions’ injury report to NewsAtDen via Southwark News will provide a significant boost.”Will will play under-21 minutes today against Cardiff City, which will be a positive step in his recovery,” he stated.He has been fully trained for about a week and a half. I’m hoping Will will be participating shortly.He’s a great player at this level. He can also play several distinct roles. It’s just about getting him up to speed as quickly as possible, and then we’ll have to make some judgments.”

Will Smallbone may give Millwall the necessary push in the promotion run-in.

Millwall are the clear underdogs in this promotion race, and some experts believe they will run out of steam, with Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town anticipated to compete for the top two by the end of April and into May.

However, it is not accepted that the Lions are in this position despite missing crucial players who have been absent since the beginning of the season. Their upcoming returns will help them maintain their position in the race.

Smallbone was viewed as a great coup for Millwall in the summer, since the 26-year-old appeared in all but three of Southampton’s 49 Championship games, plus the play-offs, two seasons ago when the Saints won the title under Russell Martin.

He scored seven goals, including one in the play-off semi-finals against West Brom, and set up Adam Armstrong for the only goal in the Wembley victory over Leeds United.

His arrival was expected to help Millwall become a top-six contender, after finishing eighth and ninth in three of the previous four seasons. However, upon his return, he may be called upon to assist the Lions in achieving an unlikely second-place finish.

Millwall have won four of their past five games and are now in a four-game stretch before the international break, when they will face two of their fellow top-six sides (Hull on March 7th and Ipswich on March 21st), followed by a trip to Middlesbrough on Good Friday in the first game back.

If the Lions can get Smallbone up to speed to play a role in some of the huge confrontations at the top, he might help them win big, putting them in contention for promotion come the beginning of May.