BROOKE NORTON-CUFFY believes he has grown as a player despite Millwall enduring a turbulent season.
The 20-year-old is entering the home straight of his loan move from Arsenal where he has managed to get another campaign of Championship football under his belt.
His move has coincided with Millwall having one of their more challenging seasons of recent years with three permanent managers in charge and their Championship status only being secured in the final weeks of the season amid a frantic relegation scrap.
Regardless of the topsy-turvy nature of the season - that included the defender picking up injuries in the second half of the campaign - Norton-Cuffy is convinced that this has been a useful year of development for him.
Brooke Norton-Cuffy ranked his goal at Sheffield Wednesday as his personal highlight of the season. Image: Millwall FC He told NewsAtDen: "There's been a few ups-and-downs. I've played a lot of minutes and had a lot of starts and that's been good. But I've had a few injuries and that's slowed down my season a little bit. Overall it's been a decent season personally and most games I've been fit, I've played some part in.
"I feel like that injury [in February] really killed my momentum during the season. I feel like I was starting to pick up form and putting in a few good performances and then the injuries slowed it down a bit for me. I was struggling with it for a bit and I had to just get through it and play on with it. It's taken a toll on me, a little bit.
"Before every single season I set certain personal objectives. I feel like I've hit a few of them, not every single one, but I've been close to hitting most of them to be fair."
With two goals and four assists, Norton-Cuffy has managed four more goal contributions than he did last season when he was on loan at both Rotherham United and Coventry City.
He believes that playing games against the unusually strong teams that occupy the top spaces in the Championship this season has been particularly helpful for his development.
The defender said: "I feel like those teams are more of a challenge because those teams, the way they play, most games they have about 65 per cent of possession and you can't switch off. You have to be alert at all times, even when you feel like you're not involved in the game you have to be alert and have an open body shape, especially in the position I play.
"Balls coming in at the back post and quick players running in off the back of you, your positioning is key and you have to get your shape right. Just little things like that I feel like I've improved on.
"I feel like in the final third my decision-making and my final ball has been a lot better. Me personally I'm also demanding of myself - I should be getting more [goal involvements]. But it hasn't been a bad season in the final third."
Neil Harris' arrival in February came just as Norton-Cuffy was overcoming a hamstring issue and the full-back has made just one start in the eleven games under his new boss, having been a regular name on the team-sheet during the first half of the season. But he says he understands the situation.
"I'm a team player first always, so it's not hard for me to do that," Norton-Cuffy said. "At the end of the day, the team comes first and whatever you have going on comes second to that.
"Personally, I always want to play. When the gaffer came in, I had a few niggles and stuff like that and we've got results since then and it's always hard to change a winning team too much.
Brooke Norton-Cuffy has two goals and four assists this season. Image: Millwall FC "But I've just been thinking about the team and sometimes you have to put yourself aside for the benefit of the team. So every single day in training, no matter if I'm starting or not starting, I'm still going to train properly and give 100 per cent.
"I spoke to the manager about it as well and he said my attitude was good and to just keep doing what I'm doing."
Once the final two games of the season have concluded, Norton-Cuffy will return to Arsenal.
The full-back was coy when questioned on his future but he did say he would miss his teammates who he has grown close to since arriving at The Den last August.
He said: "The last game after the final whistle I kind of realised the season is almost done. I've made quite close friendships here and I enjoy being around the whole group. It's hard but it's part of the game.
"I wouldn't say there's one person in particular I'll miss the most. There's a few boys I'll still keep in contact with after, for example the young boys like Aidomo [Emakhu], Rom [Esse] and Japh [Tanganga]. But even the people like Lenny [Ryan Leonard] and Sav [George Saville] who people might not expect me to get on with and characters like that... it's going to be weird not seeing them every day."