The prospect of a trip to Norfolk at Christmas time is an attractive one for many, not for Millwall manager Ian Holloway though.

The former Bristol Rovers and Blackpool boss is annoyed his team are away to Norwich today when there are other teams much closer to the south London club.

'It's absolutely ridiculous – for our fans, for the players, everyone. It's just stupid,' Holloway told the Southwark News.

'Christmas is a family time and it should be a local derby. Why that's changed I don't know. It used to be Bristol City versus Bristol Rovers if they were ever in the same division.

'We could've had Fulham, Charlton or Brentford and that would've been a wonderful scenario, but no, we've got to go to Norwich. Norwich!

'We'll be driving all the way up there on Christmas evening – that's about three hours on a coach. And then we play another game two days later, so it's massively testing.'

Norwich boss Neil Adams sympathised with Holloway's complaint, but admitted he was just relieved to be playing a home game on Boxing Day.

'The people that do the fixtures always try to make it as local as possible because you're going to get bumper crowds and that even adds to the excitement or prestige of the day,' Adams said.

'You can understand his concerns that he has got to travel here and unless we were playing Ipswich, we've got a big problem then wherever we go, so I can understand his concerns because there is an opportunity to play London teams.'

Adams continued: 'I think he's brilliant, Ian Holloway, some of the quotes and his views on the game are unique. I think someone put the DVD together once of his comments and you'd go out and buy it. I'd buy it myself, because I think the game needs people like Ian Holloway.

'And of course he's not just a joker, he's an excellent manager who knows how to organise a side and more than any, we know Millwall aren't going to be a pushover at all.'

Holloway hopes he can live up to Adams' expectations as well, as he is expecting a tough match at Carrow Road.

'It's all about the first goal. The other day Norwich scored five goals in the second half and they've got Premier League players. Their expectation is promotion,' Holloway added.

'But I don't care who it is because we are level with all of them – we are a Championship club, end of story. We earned that right last year when everyone wrote us off. We've got 24 games to put our flag in that sand again.'