MILLWALL manager Neil Harris has confirmed that the club have made an offer to sign Shane Ferguson on a permanent deal from Newcastle United.

Ferguson played the last game of his scheduled loan deal at Oldham today, and set up Steve Morison’s late winner with a superb cross to the back post.

The 24-year-old Northern Ireland international has played 25 times for the Lions since making the move south in August.

Ferguson could wait until after next summer’s European Championships in France before making a decision on his long-term future, but Harris is hopeful of keeping him until at least the end of the season.

“We’ve gone really strong to Newcastle and made a bid for his services,” Harris said. “We’re just waiting in the next few days to see how that unfolds. The board are certainly backing me in trying to buy him.

“Fergie showed his quality today. He’s got a European Championship coming up in the summer and we can make a real statement.

“He’s done really well for us and there’s so much more to come. I’d like to have him here long term. We’re trying to keep him and if we can’t keep him long term then we’d certainly like to keep him until the summer.

“We’re working hard with Fergie and working hard with Newcastle to make a deal happen.”

Meanwhile, Millwall had to dig in on a difficult pitch in wet conditions at Boundary Park and, after one-goal defeats at Fleetwood, Burton and Barnsley, Harris praised his side for their resilience.

He said: “We’ve lost a few games by the odd goal and we’ve been a little bit naïve at times. I pushed the boys mentally to not be naïve and be more of a team, certainly have more communication.

“I think that was evident today that they tried to implement what I’ve asked of them and as a manager that’s all you can ask, that they try to do that.

“The back four today, and Byron Webster in particular, was outstanding.”