Oli Burke fires message to West Brom ahead of Millwall debut

Fired up Oli Burke is ready to make his debut for Gary Rowett and Millwall when former club West Brom visit the New Den on Saturday.

Winger turned centre forward Burke endured three pretty average years at The Hawthorns after signing for Tony Pulis at a cost of £15m from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2017.

Nottingham Forest academy product Burke played just 24 times for Albion, and that included just two league starts and a single goal, in the EFL Cup win over Luton a year after arriving.

He was loaned out to both Celtic and Alaves during his time at the club, before being a part of the swap deal involving Callum Robinson in the summer of 2019.

Burke actually scored in Sheffield United’s surprise win at Manchester United last season, but they, like Albion, found themselves back in the Championship at the beginning of this term, and he played in the 4-0 defeat inflicted on the Blades by the Baggies at The Hawthorns back in August.

He has a new lease of life under Rowett, though, and he is raring to go for the latest meeting with his former employers and a number of ex teammates.

“One hundred per cent it gives me extra motivation,” he told the South London Press. “I don’t feel I got a full crack at it [at West Brom]. But it’s also just the fact it is your old team – everyone grits their teeth against former clubs.

“You go into every game giving it 100 per cent but I still know some of the boys who are there. It’s going to be nice to play against them.

“I’m sure the [Millwall] fans are wild, as everyone says. I’m really, really looking forward to it.”

Boss Rowett, who will be without key man Jed Wallace, has been impressed by what he’s seen by Burke in the few days of training he’s had at the club since the loan