Milwall losses may force fire sale

Milwall could be forced to sell their best players in the summer after recording losses in excess of £1.5m.

Millwall Holdings announced the deficit in its recently-published half-yearly financial results for the six months after the FA Cup Final last May.

Striker Scott Dobie was sold to Nottingham Forest for £500,000 last week - and there could be more departures if the Lions fail to win promotion to the Premiership this year.

"Gates have risen but that has had a marginal effect compared to a rise in costs," said chairman Theo Paphitis in a statement to the London Stock Exchange. "That came from investing in a squad that should be capable of challenging for promotion. So the board must consider player sales."

The wage bill at the club has risen from £7m to more than £8m in the past 12 months.