Millwall at home match thread

[Jerseybean]

Happy New Year fellow-Reds, marking it with a photo from this little rock (nine miles by five) in the Channel and one from Bristol.

Last season we lost away and won at home against them.

https://youtu.be/yqYUmkshcvo

https://youtu.be/gx72GLB0eCw

In our first away game of this season a battling City performance was rewarded with a late winner from Matty James:  https://youtu.be/14aT6bCzb84 and https://fb.watch/mrHrhiTkPL/

On deadline day they took their summer signings tally to eight with loan deals for Allan Campbell and Ryan Longman.

Benik Afobe left on a free transfer in 2023 and joined Hatta he then moved to Al Dhafra FC a team that was established in 2000, as part of a policy to promote sports across the country and the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi had no team, so Al Dhafra is the first and only club to be located in the western region. Others who played for for both clubs include Gerard Lavin, Marvin Elliott and Joe Bryan.

George Saville will be missing following his red card last time out (a 1-0 home win against Norwich.) Post match Millwall head coach Joe Edwards said: "We've been in a run of not a lot of wins, so when you get one like we did on Boxing Day (against QPR) it was important that we took that confidence and tried to build on it, particularly when you get the busy Christmas period and you get two home games in a row. An opponent came here that were really dangerous, they're good with the ball, can control games but they score a lot of goals as well. We had a clear plan that it was down to us to block those holes and frustrate them, but massively important that we still did it with a bit of aggression, still offered a threat going the other way, and I thought we got that balance perfectly and deserved the win."

Head-to-head record

Won: 38

Lost: 35

Drawn: 33

LM’s notes: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/liams-notes-millwall-h/

Officials

Referee: Tom Nield

Assistants:Mark Stevens and Andrew Fox

Fourth official: Sam Barrott

Match preview: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/city-men-news/preview-millwall-h-2/

My neighbour is a big Wall fan he had this to say ‘Rowett leaving was definitely because he’d taken us as far as he could. We were getting results but playing boring football so as soon as results were not great, there wasn’t as much credit built up as you’d expect. The new guy is promising more entertainment but our last few results have been based on the old solid defensive teamwork. Two wins on the trot have definitely improved things but after my pre-season enthusiasm, I’d be happy to finish mid table and see what Edwards can do next year. That all said we’ll obviously beat city!!’

Their MDT: https://millwallonline.com/forum/threads/bristol-city-v-wall-match-thread-3pm.54944/

They are 13th in the form table (we are 4th) having won two (their last two games), drawn two and lost two of their last six games.

History

1885 - The club are founded as Millwall Rovers by workers of JT Morton's factory on the Isle of Dogs. Millwall Rovers' first game was against Leytonstone side Fillebrook and ended in a 5-0 defeat.

1886 - The club begin playing at the Lord Nelson Ground, an area of land behind a pub, the Lord Nelson.

1889 - The club is re-named as Millwall Athletic after relocating to The Athletic Grounds.

1900 - Millwall Athletic reach the FA Cup Semi-Finals, losing to Southampton after a replay.

1901 - The club are on the move again, this time to North Greenwich, a relocation which is unavoidable as the Millwall Dock Company wanted
to use their land as a timberyard.

1903 - The club reaches its second FA Cup Semi-Final in just three years, this time beaten by Derby County.

1908 - Millwall are crowned champions of the Western Football League.

1909 - Their Western Football League championship trophy is retained.

1910 - In an attempt to boost attendances, the club move once again, this time to New Cross, naming the new stadium ‘The Den’. The first match is against Southern League Champions Brighton & Hove Albion, who win 1-0.

1920 - Now known just as Millwall, the club are invited by the Football League to enter its new Third Division for the 1920/21 season. Millwall's first game ends in a 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers on 28th August 1920.

1925 - Millwall put together a run of 11 consecutive clean sheets, a Football League record shared with Reading and York City.

1928 - The club win the Third Division South title, scoring 87 League goals at The Den alone – a Football League record that still stands.

1937 - Millwall reach the FA Cup Semi-Finals for the third time. They are the first Football League club from the third tier to do so. Earlier in the competition, the Fifth Round visit of Derby County attracts a record attendance of 48,762.

1938 - The club announces that His Grace Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, the 16th Duke of Norfolk, agrees to become its first-ever President

1943 - The Den suffers severe bomb damage during World War Two, forcing Millwall to play games at rival clubs' grounds in London.

1944 - Thanks to the work of several volunteers to help re-build parts of the ground, the club return to play matches at The Den.

1945 - Millwall play Chelsea, losing 2-0, in the Football League War Cup (South) Final at Wembley in front of 90,000 spectators.

1957 - Battling for survival at the bottom of the Third Division, Millwall shock First Division giants Newcastle United in the FA Cup Fourth Round, winning 2-1. 

1962 - Having become founder members of the new Football League Division Four in 1958, Millwall win the Fourth Division title in 1962, but are relegated two years later.

1964 - Millwall begin a record run of 59 home games without defeat, consisting of 43 wins and 16 draws, which comes to an end in January 1967. During the unbeaten run at The Den, the club score 112 goals, conceding just 33 with 35 clean sheets. In the process, The Lions win two promotions, finishing second in Division Four in 1965, and then runners-up again in Division Three a year later (1966). The remarkable record is eventually broken by Liverpool in 1981.

1967 - A shock 2-1 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle – The Pilgrims' first away win of the season – is the result which ends The Lions' unbeaten run at The Den.

1972 - The class of '72, which included Bryan King, Harry Cripps, Derek Possee and Barry Kitchener, the club's longest-serving player, miss out on promotion to Division One by just one point.

1974 - The Lions host the first-ever game played on a Sunday, when they entertain London rivals Fulham at The Den.

1982 - Millwall legend Barry Kitchener plays his 602nd and final game for The Lions at Home Park, Plymouth.

1983 - Manager George Graham guides Millwall to the final of the Football League Trophy, where they beat Lincoln City 3-2.

1985 - Millwall reach the FA Cup Quarter-Finals and earn promotion to the Second Division after finishing the season unbeaten at home.

1988 - Led by John Docherty, Graham's replacement as manager, Millwall gain promotion to the top-flight of English football for the first time in the club's history. After beating QPR 3-2 on 1st October, The Lions top the entire Football League. Millwall's first season amongst the elite of English football ends with a 10th place finish, the lowest position occupied by the club at any point during that campaign.

1989 - The club pay their record transfer fee of £800,000 to bring Paul Goddard to The Den from Derby County.

1990 - After topping the table again on 9th September, Millwall struggled to match their form from the first season in the top-flight, and are relegated back to the Second Division.

1991 - New manager Bruce Rioch guides The Lions to fifth place in Division Two but they are beaten by Brighton and Hove Albion in the Play-Off Semi-Finals. Teddy Sheringham scores a record 38 goals that season.

1992 - Bruce Rioch departs to be replaced by player/manager Mick McCarthy.

1993 - The club move to The ‘New’ Den, the first all-seater stadium built in England after the Taylor Report recommendations following the Hillsborough disaster. American John Kerr scores the first-ever goal at the club's new ground in a friendly against Bobby Robson's Sporting Lisbon.

1995 - The Lions knock giants Arsenal out of the FA Cup in a Third Round replay, winning 2-0 at Highbury. They then beat a second top-flight outfit, Chelsea, on penalties after another replay before losing to QPR in the Quarter-Final. Nottingham Forest had previously been beaten in the League Cup, making it three Premier League scalps for Millwall that year.

1996 - Not long after being displaced from top spot in Division One, which was formed at the end of the 1993/4 season, McCarthy leaves his post to take over as the Republic of Ireland's new manager. Jimmy Nicholl is appointed as McCarthy's replacement, but he cannot stop the club eventually slipping into the third tier of English football. Millwall drop into the bottom three for the first and only time that season, at the final whistle of the final game, a 0-0 draw at Ipswich.

1997 - Theo Paphitis arrives at The Den, bringing The Lions out of administration. He appoints Billy Bonds as manager, who is later replaced by Keith Stevens. Alan McLeary is his chosen assistant, but he is later promoted to the role of co-manager alongside Stevens.

1999 - The duo guide The Lions to the club's first-ever official appearance at Wembley to face Wigan Athletic in the Auto Windscreens Shield Final. The Latics win 1-0 in front of 47,349 Millwall fans amongst a 55,000 crowd – a record number of supporters from one club at Wembley. A year later, a young Millwall side featuring the likes of Tim Cahill, Neil Harris, Marc Bircham, Steven Reid, Paul Ifill, Lucas Neill and Richard Sadlier reach the Second Division Play-Offs, losing to Wigan again.

2001 - Under the guidance of Mark McGhee, Millwall win promotion to the second tier as Division Two champions with 93 points, a club record.

2003 - Ex-England international Dennis Wise becomes caretaker manager after McGhee's departure, eventually becoming permanent player-manager at The Den.

2004 - Wise leads The Lions to the club's first-ever FA Cup Final, with a 1-0 Semi-Final success against Sunderland at Old Trafford on 4th April. Manchester United win the Final 3-0 at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff against an injury-hit Millwall side who are only the second team from outside the top flight to reach the FA Cup Final since 1982. As a result of that Final appearance, The Lions qualify for the 2004/5 UEFA Cup, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in the First Round proper.

2007 - After a period of instability on and off the field, American John Berylson leads a takeover of the club, becoming major shareholder and Chairman. His first big decision is to appoint Kenny Jackett as new first team manage.

2009 - On 13th January 2009, Neil Harris scores at Crewe to beat Teddy Sheringham's all-time goalscoring record in his second spell at the club. It was his 112th Millwall goal and he went on to notch 138 in total. Kenny Jackett leads The Lions to the League One Play-Off Final at Wembley where, despite a Gary Alexander wonder goal, they are beaten 3-2 by Scunthorpe United. There are 49,661 Lions fans in attendance – a record from one club at the newly rebuilt national stadium – meaning Millwall hold the record at the old and new Wembley.

2010 - Millwall return to Wembley for the League One Play-Off Final and beat Swindon Town 1-0 thanks to a goal from captain Paul Robinson. Promotion marks an end to a four-year absence from The Championship, known previously as Division One (and prior to that, Division Two).

2012 - The Lions enjoy a 13-game unbeaten run in the League, including a 4-1 victory away at Nottingham Forest which marks Jackett's fifth year at the club.

2013 - Millwall reach the FA Cup Semi-Final, where Wigan Athletic are the opponents. The Latics run out 2-0 winners at a rain-soaked Wembley. A month later, days after The Lions secure Championship survival, Jackett resigns as manager and is replaced by St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas. He leaves the club on Boxing Day, with all-time leading goalscorer Neil Harris and Academy Director Scott Fitzgerald placed in caretaker charge.

2014 - With the club sitting 21st in the table, Ian Holloway is appointed new Millwall manager and successfully leads The Lions to safety, ending the campaign with an eight-game unbeaten run. The positive mood continues at the beginning of the 2014/15 campaign, but a season that starts so promisingly takes a dramatic dip leading to Holloway's departure in March 2015. Neil Harris and Dave Livermore are installed on an interim basis and although too late to avoid relegation, the duo are appointed as the new management team on a permanent basis in May.

2016 - Harris and Livermore introduce a number of promising young Academy products into the squad and after a difficult start, the team hits its stride in the New Year to put in a strong challenge for promotion, ultimately finishing in fourth place. Reaching the Play-Off Final after beating Bradford City over two legs, The Lions are pipped by Barnsley in a fourth Wembley appearance in seven years.

2017 - The Lions set up a return to Wembley once more after a 17-match unbeaten run and nine consecutive games without conceding a goal secures a sixth-placed finish in League One and a two-legged Play-Off Semi-Final win over Scunthorpe United. Steve Morison's late winner defeated Bradford City in the Final and promoted Millwall back to The Championship after two seasons away.

2019 - Harris led Millwall to a superb eighth-place finish in the club's first season back in The Championship. The following campaign, 2018/19, was more of a struggle, but The Lions ultimately still secured safety in the division with games to spare. Several new players arrived at The Den in the summer of 2019, but Harris and Livermore departed the club in October and two weeks later, Gary Rowett was named as the new first-team manager.

2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic changes the world in which we live in, as football is halted for three months. The final games of the season are played out in front of empty stadiums.

2021 - Almost the entire 2020/21 campaign is played behind closed doors as The Lions finish 11th in the Sky Bet Championship.

2022 - They flirt with the top six in The Championship during the 2021/22 season but fall just short, finishing ninth in the League table.

Today - they are 16th on 29 points.

Gary Rowett was their manager. As a player, he was a defender, and played in the Premier League for Everton, Derby County, Leicester City and Charlton Athletic. He also played in the Football League for Cambridge United, Blackpool, Birmingham City and Burton Albion. His professional career ended in 2004, through a knee injury. He left by mutual,consent in mid October, https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/18/the-time-just-feels-right-gary-rowett-leaves-millwall-after-four-years

He was replaced in November by Joe Edwards as Head Coach. The 37-year-old joined The Lions alongside Andy Myers, as Assistant Head Coach. Adam Barrett - who oversaw four matches on a caretaker basis - and Andy Marshall, remain part of the club's backroom staff. A youth team prospect at Chelsea, Edwards made his first foray into coaching with The Blues at the age of 19, overseeing FA Youth Cup victories before being promoted to the first-team set-up under Frank Lampard.

There are some on their forum keen to have Rowett back: https://millwallonline.com/forum/threads/rowett.54897/

An American businessman and founder of Chestnut Hill Ventures LLC John G. Berylson was their chairman. He was formerly an active US Marine, and a passionate fan of the Boston Red Sox. He died from injuries in a car crash in July last year, when his vehicle overturned and hit a tree in the United States.

His son has become the club's new chairman following his father's death. James Berylson says he is "passionate" about Millwall and is determined to continue his father's legacy. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/james-berylson-new-millwall-chairman-father-john-b1094354.html

We will shortly be facing their local rivals West Ham United, which allegedly is one of the fiercest and oldest rivalries in English football.

Over to you Big Tone

 

 

[Whitchurch]

[Silvio Dante]

5 minutes ago, Jerseybean said:

2009 -  Kenny Jackett leads The Lions to the League One Play-Off Final at Wembley where, despite a Gary Alexander wonder goal, they are beaten 3-2 by Scunthorpe United. There are 49,661 Lions fans in attendance – a record from one club at the newly rebuilt national stadium – meaning Millwall hold the record at the old and new Wembley.

 

But…..Rovers….they can’t be bullshitting surely?!?

[Slack Bladder]

Ashton Gate could look like this and they'd still put the sprinklers on!

 

[Loosey Boy]

10 minutes ago, Whitchurch said:

Is this how many they’ve sold for tomorrow? Or, how many attended last time?

[pongo88]

Well done again  @Jerseybean . You mentioned that in 1974  Millwall played the first ever league game on a Sunday. In this match ex Bristol City player Brian Clark became the first player ever in the Football League to score a goal on a Sunday. Not a lot of people know that. I can remember Brian Clark from the 60s when he formed a deadly partnership with John Atyeo and Shadow Williams 

[ralphindevon]

Not a great record at home to Millwall in recent years, one win out of the last 7, so it feels like another tricky fixture that if we win will really raise the feel good factor.

I’ll go for 1-0 City

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

Well done again  @Jerseybean . You mentioned that in 1974  Millwall played the first ever league game on a Sunday. In this match ex Bristol City player Brian Clark became the first player ever in the Football League to score a goal on a Sunday. Not a lot of people know that. I can remember Brian Clark from the 60s when he formed a deadly partnership with John Atyeo and Shadow Williams 

Brian has a road named after him near the Cardiff City ground.

I believe he scored a goal against Real Madrid for Cardiff in a European Cup game.

[Numero Uno]

28 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

Not a great record at home to Millwall in recent years, one win out of the last 7, so it feels like another tricky fixture that if we win will really raise the feel good factor.

I’ll go for 1-0 City

Millwall is always a tough game but also one a team that wants to challenge should be looking to win. Never guaranteed in this league though!! The interesting thing for me is given Mannings comments on tiredness the other night will he look to freshen things up and how does he do that with the limited bodies available?

[cityexile]

On a bit of a minor run themselves, 7 points from last 3 matches, keeping clean sheets in them all. No easy matches etc etc.

Will not be easy to break down, 1-0 us seems as good a shout as any.

[22A]

Yesss! The Millwall fans refer to us as City and not Bristol or Brizzle.

https://millwallonline.com/forum/threads/team-v-robins.54945/

They are half decent with their new manager and have won three out of their last five games and sit 8 places above us and have seven points more. Their last game was nothing to shout about as they could only manage a goalless draw against Rooney’s Birmingham who are on the slide big time.

After our last two wins, and the performance that won those games, I don’t fear a poor result against City as I perhaps would have done, had we been playing them a few weeks ago with our loss of confidence all over the pitch! Yes, City were fitter than us when we played them at The Den, but I think Joe has addressed that now because we are playing better with the ball and retaining it more.

[Jerseybean]

1 hour ago, pongo88 said:

Well done again  @Jerseybean . You mentioned that in 1974  Millwall played the first ever league game on a Sunday. In this match ex Bristol City player Brian Clark became the first player ever in the Football League to score a goal on a Sunday. Not a lot of people know that. I can remember Brian Clark from the 60s when he formed a deadly partnership with John Atyeo and Shadow Williams 

Thanks pongo88 I for one didn’t know that! I have fond memories of that ‘deadly partnership’ 

[Cov 77]

54 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Millwall is always a tough game but also one a team that wants to challenge should be looking to win. Never guaranteed in this league though!! The interesting thing for me is given Mannings comments on tiredness the other night will he look to freshen things up and how does he do that with the limited bodies available?

I think James and Conway start maybe even Weimann or Bell but definitely limited options , Millwall as said have three clean sheets on the trot so not easy at all 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Cov 77

[chinapig]

1 hour ago, Countryfile said:

Brian has a road named after him near the Cardiff City ground.

I believe he scored a goal against Real Madrid for Cardiff in a European Cup game.

I was at that game. Two of our teachers took me and a mate as the chance to see Real Madrid live doesn't come along often. But second division Cardiff beat them 1-0 with Brian scoring with a header.

Brian was in two great partnerships, with Atyeo and then with Toshack, though Tosh had moved to Liverpool before the Madrid game I think. He was in their shadow but was a terrific striker of the old school.

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, Jerseybean said:

 

Over to you Big Tone

 

Christ, I need 48 hours to read it !!!

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, Whitchurch said:

Condensed Version

Millwall:

The club are founded as Millwall Rovers by workers of JT Morton's factory on the Isle of Dogs.

City 2-1 win

COYR

[Ska Junkie]

I'll take a point ( havent lost since I started 'taking' a point) although I expect us to smash them tbh.

City 4- Bermondsey 0

Happy new year fellow reds, wherever you may be.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Ska Junkie

[redkev]

I have a lot of respect for Millwall fans ( I know they have the naughty element , like most clubs mind ) but they are local people supporting there local club bit like Birmingham got a lot of respect for there older fans aswell local supporters supporting there local club 

[Red Cloud]

3 hours ago, Slack Bladder said:

Ashton Gate could look like this and they'd still put the sprinklers on!

 

when the Gash left the Covers off?

[Offside]

A decent point at Birmingham will look even better if we get a win tomorrow. Looking forward to the game, even though I’ll probably have a hangover. 

[Barrs Court Red]

Holding off on buying the train tickets until tomorrow incase the lines are flooded - I assume the AG2 is running as normal so that’s a handy back up. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

The game in early 2022 was an exciting one.

We scored early and late, it was on or close to New Years Day. Weimann hattrick, Millwall penalty- despite the QPR game that preceded it and even aspects of the Huddersfield game this game was the one that started to showcase some real green shoots from an attacking sense.

[Ska Junkie]

44 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

Holding off on buying the train tickets until tomorrow incase the lines are flooded - I assume the AG2 is running as normal so that’s a handy back up. 

Get the first one Barrs, it's only a quid. I didn't know myself until we went corporate the other week so left earlier than normally.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Ska Junkie

[sticks 1969]

1 hour ago, redkev said:

I have a lot of respect for Millwall fans ( I know they have the naughty element , like most clubs mind ) but they are local people supporting there local club bit like Birmingham got a lot of respect for there older fans aswell local supporters supporting there local club 

Unlike Dave from Cornwall who’s a massive Liverpool fan but never stepped foot in anfield 

[bcfc01]

4 hours ago, Countryfile said:

Brian has a road named after him near the Cardiff City ground.

I believe he scored a goal against Real Madrid for Cardiff in a European Cup game.

The only goal in the first leg of the quarter final no less.

Good player for us, as was his dad who was also a prolific scorer.

Brian died in 2010 from a form of dementia - four years before his dad.

[Barrs Court Red]

14 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Get the first one Barrs, it's only a quid. I didn't know myself until we went corporate the other week so left earlier than normally.

Cheers mate.  Unfortunately it makes for a long time with 2 easily bored kids! Will definitely keep in in mind for the future 

[MattWSM]

We are going to miss Luke Littler

[Garland-sweden]

They will play defensive like Brum I suppose. Patient, fast passes and legs will be needed. 2-0 City. COYR 

[BigTone]

20 minutes ago, Garland-sweden said:

 legs will be needed

Would be an advantage I imagine

[SomeRandomBristolian]

3 hours ago, Barrs Court Red said:

Holding off on buying the train tickets until tomorrow incase the lines are flooded - I assume the AG2 is running as normal so that’s a handy back up. 

Yeah Should be running. I normally get the AG2. Like others have said if you get the 1st bus its only £1. 

Edited December 31, 2023 by SomeRandomBristolian