NEIL Harris joked that he considered giving departing goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski a run in the Millwall attack during the Plymouth Argyle game.

The Polish keeper, 36, was announced to be leaving the Lions after five years at the club on Friday.

He was named among the substitutes as normal the next day when Plymouth arrived in the capital for the final game at The Den this season.

Bartosz Bialkowski has made 169 appearances for Millwall. Image: Millwall FC Millwall won 1-0 thanks to a late Jake Cooper header and both before and after the game, Bialkowski was given a heart-warming send-off by fans.

Harris was asked after the game if he considered giving Bialkowski one final outing in front of The Den.

The Lions boss explained why he left him on the bench as well as appearing to let slip information on Millwall's exotic pre-season plans.

Harris told reporters: "I thought about putting him up front!

"No, no temptation to play him. Matty deserves to play. The thought process might've been 'would Bart have come off the bench at some stage?' Possibly. But [you have to think about] football integrity, due care and attention to the league and players and to Bart himself.

"Bart at 36 to come off the bench in the 90th minute to go and have to kick three balls maybe would've been a little bit difficult.

"But all cards are on the table with Bart. We know exactly where he's at. He's had a fantastic career at this football club, I thank him deeply from the bottom of my heart. I love Bart Bialkowski.

"I look forward to working with him this week and I look forward to seeing him in the summer when we travel to Spain, he'll meet us over there. He's always got a place at this football club to come and watch games, to come and see the staff, to come and watch training, to come in the changing room. He's that fondly thought of."