Max Crocombe (Millwall | England)

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/06/25/all-whites-keeper-max-crocombe-confirms-move-to-london-club-millwall/

Crocombe is Millwall’s first signing of the English summer. He could be in line to become the club’s first-choice ‘keeper after last season’s number one, Lukas Jensen, is recovering from a ruptured Achilles and is unlikely to be fit before the end of 2025.

Millwall’s back-up goalkeeper, Liam Roberts, has moved to Mansfield Town.

In a social media post, Crocombe said: “The club speaks for itself really, the size of it.

“The journey to get here has been unbelievable. I’ve been given an unbelievable opportunity to represent Millwall Football Club, so really I can’t wait to get going.

“Obviously, the fanbase, how passionate they are, that was a huge pull. I can’t wait to get out there and test myself.”

Burton Albion’s head of goalkeeping, Jake Kean, said Crocombe played a huge part in helping keep the club in League One.

“He deserves this move to the Championship not only based on his performances but his professionalism,” Kean said.

“He’s always first in and last out — striving for that one per cent more that not only makes him better but the team as well.

Matured as a player/person... more self belief??

Who knows but a good move for him and NZF.

Hopefully he is able to grab the #1 jersey there with both hands, so we can stop hearing calls for him to be dropped in favour of Paulsen

MetalLegNZ

Matured as a player/person... more self belief??

Who knows but a good move for him and NZF.

Certainly he’s got a bit of the Chumbawumbas about him. 

Well done Max!

Got the first 45 in the bank (0-0) against Crystal Palace in their pre season friendly before the whole squad was rotated in the 2nd half. Some decent names in the Palace lineup for the first half too. 

Palace went on to win it 1-0 with the kids on in the 2nd.

Niche Cache

Max Crocombe to Southwark News: “It was an amazing time at Burton. I think after the two years I’ve had, playing pretty much every week, I just felt like I had another step up in me. I felt like if there was an opportunity to try and progress my career, I’d look to explore that. When Millwall came in, I was delighted by it, really excited by it. Another opportunity to test myself, which is what I want to do.

It’s always a step up, so I’m not naive. The shots are quicker, players move faster, speed of the game, the ball’s in play more often, all those things. 

But then there are probably things I’m not expecting, that I’m not necessarily thinking about, that will be a step up as well. That’s just the nature of it. I don’t expect to know everything straight away but what I’ve done in the past is always learn quickly on the job and adjust really quickly. My experience has taken me so far and I’m looking to keep doing what I’ve been doing, which is working really hard on my own game, the speed of my own game, and all the finer details as well.”

Millwall are currently over in Spain for a training camp – conditions that Crocombe will know well from all the times the All Whites have played friendlies there – where so far they’ve played games against Crystal Palace and Northampton Town. Max Crocombe played the first half against Palace while George Evans played the second spell (and conceded the only goal). 

Then Evans started against Northampton and Crocombe was subbed on after an hour when ten changes were made (to go with the one they made at HT when Aussie international and trialist Massimo Luongo was chucked on). The Lions won 3-0. So far they’re mixing it up and giving both (fit) goalies an extended run.

Max has started the last two friendlies, including overnight, seems to be number 1 in the pecking order.

imanixsupporter

Max has started the last two friendlies, including overnight, seems to be number 1 in the pecking order.

Massive if he's the starter. AP will have his work cut out to take his spot with the All Whites

They've just signed 26y/o GK Steven Benda on loan from Fulham, will definitely keep Crocs honest. Fans seem quite satisfied with him so hopefully he retains his place come Matchday 1

Looks like both alex and max will be warming the bench this year 

He wasn't in the squad at all for Milwall's last game of preseason, there's a chance that it was injury rather than him being considered second choice, but either way he probably has to earn the #1 back now. 

He's got the experience of being in this situation before. 

Went to Grimsby and upsurped their long standing keeper. Arrived at Burton Albion, their no 1 GK got an injury, Crocs came in and stayed the no 1. Then last season BA bought in a new coach and keeper who started the season ahead of Matt C. But within a short while Crocombe was back as first choice.

This being The Championship obviously his greatest challenge yet, but those prior seasons help.

Championship season begins. Millwall travel to Norwich

And as expected Crocs watches from the pine. Millwall win 2-1

League Cup, and potential AW keeper matchup. Though if it's the usual sort of GK rotation that can happen with this comp, it would be Crocs starting and Tzanev on the pine for hosts Newport.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/08/12/england/league-cup/newport/millwall/I2160855/

Millwall with chocolates 1-0
As expected Crocs in goal and a clean sheet, and Tzanev on the bench for Newport

Perfect result

IMG_3177.jpeg 254.58 KB

8.3 rating on Sofascore, third highest in the team including subs.

Importantly you’d think he will be in goal for their next League Cup match, to keep pushing his case for starting in The Championship, plus help keeping him match sharp for the AWs

Heh, he’s teammates with Luongo.

Also from Niche Cache. Bad error by Fulham loanee keeper (Benda) who started ahead of Crocs on the weekend against Norwich.

The other reason is that, even though Millwall won 2-1 against Norwich, Steven Benda did this...

JOSH SARGENT YOU PRESSING MACHINE #NCFC pic.twitter.com/SPpmgIar8w

— Canary Cast (@CastCanary) August 9, 2025

That can't hurt Croc's chances of a league start or two

Every team he has gone to keeps putting people in front of croc. Time and time again he proves why he is the better keeper, this time will be no different!

Next round of the League Cup, Millwall will host Coventry City.

Millwall host Middlesbrough

Crocs on the pine.

Millwall lose 0-3. Can’t hurt Crocs chances of getting the starting keeper gig

Yep, Benda with a stinker of sorts. Fans want to see Crocombe, and don't at all understand why Benda came in and instantly usurped him given Crocs' fantastic preseason showings

AWs derby. Millwall travel to Bindon's Sheffield U

Hopefully they both get to play

Bindon starts, but unfortunately Crocs remains on the pine.

Millwall win 1-0.
Crocs might start their midweek League Cup match against Coventry

Bindon off at 81 mins (0-1). Hopefully just a tactical sub.

Highlights. Unfortunately for Crocs, Benda in goal had a top game for Millwall.

Sheffield U with 4 losses to start the season. Selles bought Bindon to the Blades, but at this rate he could be very soon gone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEIHlTzhhXg

Wednesday
League Cup. Millwall host Coventry

Quiet start to the game by the looks of things, nothing really for Crocs to deal with yet

Millwall win 2-1 with Crocs in goal. So he will get another League Cup game to keep himself sharp for the AWs. Socceroo Luongo with Millwall's first goal.

But Crocombe is likely to keep riding the pine in the Championship. Benda was very good in the weekend. 

coochiee

Millwall win 2-1 with Crocs in goal. So he will get another League Cup game to keep himself sharp for the AWs. Socceroo Luongo with Millwall's first goal.

But Crocombe is likely to keep riding the pine in the Championship. Benda was very good in the weekend. 

I watched the extended highlights of that on beIN Sport, and I agree, Benda was outstanding.
Had never heard of him, so just looked him up on Wiki.
It seems unlikely that Crocombe will ever appear in the league unless Benda gets injured or recalled by Fulham.
He's got a good pedigree - on loan from Fulham, who signed him from Swansea after just one season as their number one. 
Benda's career trajectory could indicate what Alex Paulsen will have to endure - lots of loan spells and not much first team action as a young keeper.
Benda is now 27 and just coming into his prime no doubt.
Only 60 appearnces over seven seasons in English football.

3rd Round League Cup and Millwall have drawn Palace away, 16th or 17 Sept. 
Sth London derby.

Hopefully Crocs gets to play, be a good test against an EPL side.

So on the pine as Libby's Wrexham won 2-0 at The Den.

Niche Cache has mentioned Crocs may look for a January loan deal, esp when Millwall's no 1 GK, Danish international Lukas Jensen returns from injury at some point in the next few months.

Niche Cache. I watched the highlights and it was a bad error from Benda. So after the FIFA break Crocs may not be far off a start. He'll have the Palace League Cup game hopefully at least to show his stuff


By that stage, Wrexham were leading 1-0 after Moore took advantage of a shocker from Millwall keeper Steven Benda who came out to catch a chipped cross and missed it completely (although he did manage to jab Moore in the face). That’s excellent news for the Flying Kiwis beat because of course Benda is the bloke keeping Max Crocombe out of the team. He (Benda) was Man of the Match in their previous game but had been very sketchy in the two before that so we’re now at one great game and three poor ones from that fella. About time Crocs got a go, surely?