IT WAS approaching 11pm when Ian Holloway finally walked in to the Valley Parade press room.

Most of the packed media – and where did they all suddenly appear from – had assumed that he had already gone.

Some even speculated that he had gone full stop after such a feeble FA Cup exit from his supposedly higher-division team. The players had certainly not turned up.

He inevitably bristled at a couple of questions but generally fezzed up as he blasted his “dysfunctional” group.

On Wednesday’s evidence, the only shock about Millwall’s wretched run of just two wins in 22 is that they somehow found a couple of opponents to beat.

No wonder the club chairman was moved to refund the fans who wasted their money travelling up from London. He would have saved a few bob by only rewarding the masochists who stayed to the end – a good few were shuffling out on to Midland Road up to half an hour before.

I’m struggling to remember a more listless, disinterested performance from a visiting side. Millwall were a team that just didn’t want to be there.

They should be the ones stumping up the cash for the supporters.

Holloway had it spot on after locking the dressing room door for an hour for a post-match inquisition: “Bradford looked like they wanted it more than we did.”

City often talk about the morale and determination within the camp. Anyone wondering how far team spirit can take you only has to look at Millwall to see the effect when it’s gone AWOL.