Byron Webster believes footballers need more mental strength to play for Millwall than other clubs.

Webster, 30, suffered relegation from the Championship in his debut season with the Lions in the 2014/15 campaign.

His indifferent form in a poor side saw a section of fans turn on him. However, the defender has been a rock for Millwall boss Neil Harris in the past two seasons, and played a major part in the club’s return to the second tier.

Webster said: “I think you do need more mental strength to play for Millwall than other clubs.

“I’ll use myself as an example, when I first came here, I didn’t think it was a fit for me, but obviously it was.

“When you come through that, and I have, it does make you stronger. The older you get, the easier it gets.

“You’ve got people like Tomo [Ben Thompson], who’s Millwall through and through who cares a lot about the team and is a fan. So, with people like him and Sid [Nelson], it could affect them more, the negative press or comments.

“But at every club there’s pressure, whether you’re fighting for survival, fighting for Premier Leagues, fighting for promotion, whatever it is.

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“It can be a tough place, but it can also be a very good place.”

Millwall fans are renowned for backing their team, however, they will let players know their feelings when things are not going well.

And Webster does not expect Lions fans to be any less patient with his team-mates just because the club are in a higher league.

Millwall kick off their Championship season with a trip to Nottingham Forest on Friday night, before welcoming Bolton to the Den next weekend.

Webster added: “I expect it to be exactly the same. They pay their money to come and watch us and if we’re not performing they’ll tell us. Myself and all the boys know that.

“They come here and they can say what they want but we can’t react. Our reaction has to be in a positive way on the pitch.

“They’ll demand more from us and we’ll have to give that.  So they’re entitled to say whatever they want.

“As a team, we need to stay together, and hopefully there won’t be many times they can be negative towards us.”