Last Update:
August 19, 2024
The Club moved to the Den after leaving their original Den ground which was their home for 83 years. The stadium is made up of four separate two-tiered stands that are of the same height and look fairly similar.
On one side is the Barry Kitchener Stand (named after a former player) which has the players’ tunnel and team dugouts at its front. This simple-looking stand has the same characteristics as both ends with windshields to either side in the upper tier and with the upper tier slightly overhanging the lower tier.
The Dockers Stand on the other side is slightly different having a row of executive boxes running across its middle. Between the East and North Stands in one corner is a large video screen.
Away fans are located at one end of the ground in the North Stand (usually in the upper tier only). Around 4,000 away fans can be accommodated in this end. Like the general improvement in football, a trip to Millwall is not as threatening as it once was, however, the Den can still be quite intimidating.
- The Mayflower – 117 Rotherhithe St, London SE16 4NF
- The Blue Anchor – 251 Southwark Park Rd., London SE16 3TS
- The Old Justice – 94 Bermondsey Wall E, London SE16 4TY
Pie, mash and liquor at Millwall (@MillwallFC)
💷 £7 pic.twitter.com/vTSiJMJfsG
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) December 10, 2022
The main entrance to the Den is outside the Barry Kitchener Stand. Around the main entrance, you will find the ticket office to make it easy for fans picking up any last-minute tickets.
Home fans can enter the stadium via three of the four stands at the Den. These are the Barry Kitchener Stand, the Cold Blow Lane Stand and the Dockers Stand.
Away fans can only enter via the North Stand at one end of the stadium. There is a car park for away fans directly outside the North Stand so there is no real reason for them to see the main entrance to the Den .
There are several ways of getting to the ground, but the most straightforward, if not the shortest in distance is to follow the A2 into London from Junction 2 of the M25. The A2 passes the ground.
Once you go past New Cross Gate tube station on your right the ground is about a mile further on. The only awkward bit is about halfway in between New Cross Gate and the ground where the road splits into two. Keep to the right following the signs A2 City/Westminster. You will come to the ground on your right.
Street parking can be found on the small estate on your left just past the ground, otherwise, be wary of on-street parking restrictions around the area of the ground so check lamp posts for signage.
Post Code for SAT NAV: SE16 3LN
South Bermondsey Railway Station is only a few minutes walk from the ground. There is a direct walkway specifically built for away fans which takes you directly to the away end and back to the station afterwards.
You can also reach near the ground via New Cross or New Cross Gate Stations, however, they are around a twenty-minute walk away from the Den and are not recommended for away fans to use.
Like several clubs, Millwall has a category system (A, B & C) for ticket pricing, whereby the most popular games cost more to watch.
Adult: £25-£38
Over 63: £19-£27
Armed Forces: £19-£27
18-21: £19-£27
U18: £16-£23
U16: £14-£19
U12: £8-£14
U6: £8
Millwall were originally founded back in 1885 under a different name – Millwall Rovers – and, since then, they’ve called several places home. The early years were spread across North Greenwich, The Athletic Grounds, the Lord Nelson Ground and, the first of them all, a literal dump of a ground on Glengall Road. Their next stadium though would become a name synonymous with Millwall; it wasn’t, however, anything to do with the fact the ground was designed by the highly respectable Archibald Leitch.
The club played their home games at the Den for over 80 years with that period also including the infamous height of hooliganism. What happened after those 83 years? Well, standing on grounds became prohibited under the Taylor Report and the club moved to the creatively named ‘The New Den’ – genius, hey? That saw them move just a few hundred yards and they’ve remained there since the changeover in 1993.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
MILLWALL IN THE TOP 6, YOU LOVE TO SEE IT 😍 really needed a win and duly delivered. 3k fans singing their hearts out. Deserved to win that 3-0 – QPR pretty poor all round. Two goals for Big Gary’s super signings. On to Coventry on Tuesday 🦁 #Millwall pic.twitter.com/9sqbTRW00P
— Jack Clarke (@jack_clarke) February 11, 2023
Record Attendance
At the Den
48,672 v Derby County
FA Cup 5th Round, 20th February 1937.
At the New Den
20,093 v Arsenal
FA Cup 3rd Round, 10th January 1994.
Average Attendances
2023-2024: 16,640 (Championship)
2022-2023: 14,569 (Championship)
2021-2022: 12,958 (Championship)
2020-2021: 174 (Championship) (Covid)
2019-2020: 13,734 (Championship)
Millwall have plans to expand the Den from 20,000 to 34,000 in the coming years. Lewisham Council has extended the club’s lease of the site which has paved the way for the club to get started with these plans.
In addition to the stadium expansion, new houses are also set to be built in the area around the Den in a boost to the entire local area.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Millwall v Barnsley
Championship
Saturday 21st December 2019, 3pm
David Crossfield (Barnsley)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
The only thing I was looking forward to was meeting my Romford based pal for a few pre-match ales. Barnsley bottom of the league and without an away win and having picked up only two points on the road. Travelling by train to London on the last Saturday before Xmas. I must have been drunk when I bought my rail tickets 3 months ago. I have been to Millwall before. Almost 7 years to the day. 22/12/12 when Barnsley won 2-1 with a late winner.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled from Doncaster by Grand Central. £10.05 for a single with a railcard. Great service. Non- stop to Kings Cross in 90 minutes. I enjoyed the Withens bottle-conditioned IPA on the train. Lovely beer. I got the Northern line from Kings Cross to Borough for some pre-match ale and then walked to London Bridge and got a train to South Bermondsey. A fairly easy journey. I used the special away fans walkway to the away turnstiles.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
My friend threw a sicky! I stuck to our planned pub visits in Borough anyway, texting him updates. I've been in most pubs around London Bridge/Borough Market so a few different pubs this time. The Kings Arms. A nice quiet pub with a decent pint of Harvey's bitter. Then the Old Kings Head. A bit noisier and four TVs showing different programmes, including football, plus background music. The ale was good though. Harvey's Old Ale on offer at £3 a pint. Finally, the Sheaf, a modern downstairs cellar bar. A decent range of ales. I didn't eat lunch as I'd had breakfast at the Mallard in Doncaster.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
I've been before and knew what to expect. I quite like the more traditional feel of the ground, however, the area around it is like some scene from a post-apocalyptic world. Our 612 supporters were accommodated in the upper tier behind one of the goals.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We were all patted down very thoroughly outside the turnstiles. As usual, I don't have a drink or food in the ground. The toilet facilities were adequate for the number of fans and healthier than at some grounds because there was a smoking area. It was sit where you like so I sat near the back and had a really good view. I never really noticed the stewards. Fans weren't made to sit down and I didn't witness any problems. The game. Well Barnsley were awful in the first half. Millwall had several corners and numerous free kicks. Ex- Red Bradshaw put a header wide, but Barnsley's fragile defence were never really troubled. Then, against the run of play Chaplin scored for the Reds. Brown broke down the left and squared the ball into the box for Chaplin to scoop the ball across the keeper inside the far post. Chaplin then almost had a second before half time, but the keeper beat the shot away.
Barnsley played much better in the second half, playing some neat football. Millwall were relying more on the long ball. Matt Smith came on as a sub for Millwall. Cue an ariel bombardment. He won a header in the box in the 84th minute that led to a goal. That was Millwall's only attempt on target. Barnsley had dropped numerous points conceding late goals and we feared another defeat with Millwall going for the win. However, for once it was the Reds who scored a late winner. Thomas stole the ball out wide and put in a cross, which Schmidt headed brilliantly into the bottom corner from 12 yards. Pandemonium in the away end! A 94th minute winner. Our first away win of the season and back to back wins. Off the bottom of the table at last. There was some bad feeling from some home fans about the Reds players celebrations and some allegations are being investigated by Millwall.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I used the designated walkway to the station. There were some chants and threats by the oyster machines at the station entrance, but nothing serious. I got on the first train back to London Bridge, which was very crowded. Plenty of British Transport Police at London Bridge station to keep order, but most Reds fans had travelled by coach.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Not my favourite away day by a long way. Millwall is a depressing area. The result was great and it was nice to see the Reds get their just rewards for a change.
Millwall v Charlton Athletic
Championship
Saturday 9th November 2019, 3pm
Steve (Charlton Athletic)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
A local derby and I had heard about the “intimidating environment".
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Easy as it can be .. get to London Bridge Railway Station, change platform, then onto South Bermondsey a couple of minutes away.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Beforehand we went around Borough Market near London Bridge Station. Once we got close to the ground we didn’t see any home fans as we were massively segregated from South Bermondsey train station.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
My first impression was (what I said to our lass ) …. “ wow this stadium might have looked good … 20 years ago…" Having said that it had plenty of legroom and good unobstructed views all around.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was awful ( we loss ) however drinks and food was expensive … paying £5 for some lager I never heard of really grinded my gear.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Must be the worst system In the Football League. Waiting nearly an hour to be allowed to leave the ground to walk the 600m to the train station for my “safety“ is ridiculous. It was only mentioned over the PA System 20 minutes before the end of the game and quite frankly is ridiculous in 2019. If people in their Stone Island jackets stopped pretending to be a Green Street wannabe.. we could actually get on enjoying the football.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Dark ground Moron fans Expensive beer Worst away day so far.
Millwall v Charlton Athletic
Championship
Saturday 9th November 2019, 3pm
Clara Butler (Charlton Athletic)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
My husband's normal wing man Del Boy was away for the weekend so as per usual I stepped up, as I usually do. This was my first experience of this local derby. My friends and colleagues all thought I was mad to go, my husband assured me it would be great fun. As a French citizen who has lived in England for 35 years, I was keen to see what all the fuss was about. I have, up to now, found watching Charlton both home and away a fairly pleasant past time.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was for us just a regular trip up to London.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Pre-match we ate at the Globe Theatre Cafe and wandered around Borough Market. This something we sometimes do at the weekend anyway. Anyone coming from further afield I can recommend the Southbank area if you have an hour or so to kill. The pubs are okay, some of the food and drink is a bit expensive, but you don't have to buy it. James assured me that there were plenty of Charlton and Millwall fans about, but it was all pretty low key and friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
The area around Millwall is about as desolate as it gets. The Stadium itself is fine; four separate identical stands arranged around a football pitch offering a perfectly good view. The arrangement with away fans arriving at the Station and been sent down their own passageway to the away end seemed a very sensible idea.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Charlton started slowly, which was a bad idea in the bear pit atmosphere created inside the ground by both sets of fans. After 3 minutes Millwall took the lead via a poorly defended corner. The goal was widely celebrated by the locals. Gradually Charlton worked their way back and eventually equalised early in the second half. Ironically via a player my husband seemed to think "didn't want to know" up to that point. After that it was pretty end to end stuff will no real chances until Millwall obviously scored their winner in injury time at the end. This seems to happen every time I go to a Charlton match. Judging by the reaction of my fellow fans it also happens every time they play Millwall. The atmosphere throughout the game was lively. Interestingly the three young girls in front of us seemed to pick out a friend among the Millwall fans to our left. Having identified their Pal they proceeded to wave at her in a rather strange way. Its a wave I often see if I cut someone up at a roundabout. Must be a cultural English thing. The stewards were very friendly, but then they are the same ones used at Charlton so they are used to Charlton fans. During the after-match lock-in, see below, I do feel that the bars could be kept open even if its only for hot drinks and snacks. it was very cold and wet.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Well, basically we didn't get away after the game. It was announced many times during the second half that we would be shut in from 4.35. At the end of the game, we were then held in for an hour. We sat and waited in the stand and watched the players warm down. Others chose to pointlessly confront the police about their civil rights. It's true this lock-in was very annoying, but sadly necessary, it's going to happen to any sizable away crowd at The Den if you don't like it don't go. Eventually, we were lead up the path to the very crowded station. I feel that South Bermondsey station is wholly inadequate to deal with the crowds. What you do not need is any confrontation between rival fans, even a small one.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Well, I personally would never go again, so Del Boy is welcome to his ticket next time. My husband seemed to enjoy it despite moaning for about three days after about always losing to Millwall.
Millwall v Queens Park Rangers
Championship
Saturday 21st September 2019, 3pm
Barry Hill (QPR)
Millwall v Norwich City
Championship League
Saturday 2nd March 2019, 3pm
Tim Scales (Norwich City)
Millwall v Preston North End
Championship League
Saturday 23rd February 2019, 3pm
Martyn Bamford (Preston North End)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
Not really given reputation of home support which I may add was in my view unfounded.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled by train from Chesham and got off at London Bridge.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a couple of expensive beers at the 'Barrow Boy and Banker' pub near London Bridge Station. It is a nice pub with good grub. Then I went on to the 'Pommelers Rest' a Wetherspoons pub on Tower Bridge. It is a great pub with reasonably priced beers and food. It is great for away fans.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den Stadium?
I had a great view all round of the pitch, with not an obvious obstruction in sight apart from the big bloke in front of me.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A great game for Preston. 3-0 up away from home after 30 minutes is very unusual so we were in dreamland. Fair play to Millwall they knuckled Down and made a game of it, pulling a goal back in the second half.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I was expecting to be held back inside after the game had ended, but Millwall and Preston fans mingled on South Bermondsey station. With not a hint of the hostile atmosphere, I was expecting.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall brilliant day out As a 53 year old that’s seen football all over world I will look forward to visiting the Den again.
Millwall v Plymouth Argyle
League Cup 2nd Round
Wednesday 29th August 2018, 7 45pm
Graham Andrew (Plymouth Argyle)
Millwall v Aston Villa
Championship League
Sunday 6th May 2018, 12.30pm
Martin H (Aston Villa fan)
Millwall v Nottingham Forest
Football League Championship
Friday 30th March 2018, 1pm
Simon Bartlett (Nottingham Forest fan)
Millwall v Sunderland
Championship League
Saturday 3rd March 2018, 3pm
Jeff Davison (Sunderland fan)
Millwall v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Tuesday 26th December 2017, 1pm
Aimee Henry (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
I can’t think of a better way to spend Boxing Day than watching the Wolves! We’re having a superb season, and the chance to ‘tick off’ another of the 92 really appealed, despite The Den’s, ahem, ‘reputation’ for being a place away fans fear to tread. That said, the inevitable hostile atmosphere and the presence of ex-Wolves players in the Millwall line-up meant it promised to be a tough afternoon for Nuno’s men. Whilst we’ve proved the “cold Tuesday night in Barnsley” cliché to be a load of nonsense, Millwall away is, and always will be, a test of anyone’s mettle!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
After weighing up the options, we decided to use the club’s official travel. To be fair, those other options consisted of train (none running on Boxing Day), and driving (no one fancied a sober Boxing Day)! It meant an early start of 8am outside Molineux. We arrived in the capital at around 10:45, and eventually reached the Den at 11:15, a journey time of 3 hours and 15 minutes. I tried to spot car parks in the vicinity, but didn’t see any. The coaches are parked right outside the away end, in an enclosed, fenced off compound.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As it was still early, my dad and me decided to brave a walk round the ground. Perhaps it was the early kick off time, or the fact it was Boxing Day, but there were very few home supporters around. Perhaps just as well! I bought my programme, as I always do, and once the turnstiles were open, we went into the ground. The concourse was a little confined, and service was slow, meaning quite lengthy queues. They were showing the early Sky kick off though, as Harry Kane broke Alan Shearer’s calendar year goal record. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they sold Somersby Cider, albeit bottled, as it is one of my favourites! At £4.70 a pint, it’s a little more than I pay back home, but then again, London prices! They had one beer on tap, but everything else was bottles, poured into plastic pint pots for you. I also had a tray of rather nice chips for £2.20!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
I think The Den is very much deserving of its reputation. Its location and proximity to other buildings make it seem almost claustrophobic, and to be honest, a refreshing throwback, compared to many modern grounds built in the middle of nowhere, or at the back of a retail park. The stands were neat, and the two-tiered away end was certainly not the worst we’ve had this season.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc…
As expected, Millwall provided our lads with one of our tougher tests so far in the season. After keeping 4 clean sheets in a row, we were surprised and disappointed to find ourselves a goal down quite early on. Millwall broke at pace from a Wolves corner, and ex-Wolf Jed Wallace provided the assist for striker Lee Gregory to poke the ball past John Ruddy. We responded well, and Helder Costa missed a great chance to equalise, pulling down Ruben Neves’ pass superbly, only to blast the ball at the goalkeeper Jordan Archer. As well as playing with a high tempo, Millwall weren’t afraid to get stuck in, and saw two players booked for challenges we shall politely describe as ‘robust’! Just when we felt we’d be going into half time behind, we levelled with virtually the last kick of the half. Costa did brilliantly down the right, shimmying his way past a challenge from the left back. He burst into the area and rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Diogo Jota to flick in his 10th goal of the season. 1-1.
Wolves came out for the second half in better shape than Millwall, and we were delighted when we took the lead through an unlikely scorer. Costa was again the architect, holding the ball up superbly, before laying it off to Romain Saiss, the Moroccan midfielder. With 2 goals in 50-odd games for Wolves, when he shaped up to shoot, few people, myself included, expected the ball to fly into the top corner. But it did, and Wolves led at The Den!
But, the drama wasn’t finished there, and we were unable to hold onto the lead, Millwall equalising to claim, in fairness, a deserved share of the spoils. A corner was flicked back across goal from the far post, and centre half Jake Cooper rose highest to nod it into the net, with Ruddy unable to get across to make a save. We almost, almost nicked it at the death though. Scottish left-back Barry Douglas had a free-kick 30 yards out, 92nd minute. He hit the target, but keeper Archer pulled off a fine save to push it wide and keep his side's point.
To be quite honest, and without wishing to upset anybody, I was slightly disappointed by the atmosphere amongst the home fans. Whilst there were occasions where they got right into the game, and right behind their players, there were large periods where they were very quiet. Whilst I wasn’t expecting a 90-minute wall of noise, I did think there were spells in the game, largely when Wolves were on top on the pitch, that the stands were very muted.
I thought the stewarding was fine, they were a visible presence without getting unnecessarily involved, which is how it should be in my view. Facilities wise, as I mentioned above, the concourse wasn’t particularly spacious, but served a purpose. I didn’t have a pie, I am on a self-imposed ban from all meat products at football, following a very unsavoury incident at a game last season. But that’s a story for another day! As I say, the chips were nice, and selling Somersby cider gets anyone some extra thumbs up from me!
The programme at £3 was decent value, and full of good features, including a few pages of Wolves stuff, and a brilliant interview with ex-Millwall midfielder and Wolves legend Alex Rae.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The game finished just before 3pm, and we were leaving the Den at 3:15. Unfortunately, our driver took a wrong turn somewhere, and took us right into the middle of London traffic. Having taken just a smidgeon over 3 hours to get from Molineux to London, the return journey took over 4 and a half, with us arriving back at Molineux just before 8pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Anyone that knows me, knows I love football, and love Wolves! The thought of spending 12 hours on Boxing Day travelling to, watching, and travelling back from, Millwall v Wolves might not be to everyone’s taste, but I enjoyed it. Not the best performance or result we’ve had in a fantastic season so far, but there will be plenty of teams who will come unstuck against a dogged, spirited Millwall side. The Den is a small, compact, claustrophobic ground, with at times the atmosphere to go with it. Sometimes you see a team and a stadium match each other perfectly, and that was certainly the case with the Lions and their ground.
The only thing which spoilt the day was some rather vile chanting from a small section of home support, directed towards several of our players. There is simply no place for that kind of behaviour in our society, and whilst I don’t expect anything to be done about it, I do hope that eventually, more is done to make sure this is stamped out of football for good. Having travelled up and down the country following Wolves, from Newcastle to Plymouth and everywhere in between, I know that supporters can create a fantastic, intimidating cauldron of noise, without lowering themselves to the kind of behaviour.
Millwall v Middlesbrough
Championship League
Saturday 16th December 2017, 3pm
Shane (Middlesbrough fan)
Millwall v Leeds United
Football Championship League
Saturday 16th September 2017, 3pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
Millwall v Norwich City
Championship League
Saturday 26th August 2017, 3pm
George Crisp (Norwich City fan)
Millwall v Ipswich Town
Football Championship League
Tuesday 15th August 2017, 7:45pm
Kieran B (Ipswich Town fan)
Match Rating: 10/10
Millwall v Ipswich Town
Football Championship League
Tuesday 15th August 2017, 7:45pm
James Sibley (Ipswich Town fan)
Millwall v Bolton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Saturday 12th August 2017, 3pm
Andy Scott (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Millwall v Northampton Town
Football League One
Friday 14th April 2017, 3pm
Alex Compton (Northampton Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
It was my son's first visit to the New Den but apart from that I wasn't looking forward to it as Millwall are doing really well this season and we are at the wrong end of the table.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey down to London was good, we travelled on the supporters coach. We didn't hit any traffic until we got into London but even then it wasn't that bad.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As we left early enough we had a couple of hours in Blackheath. we headed for O'Neils and had some really nice food and expensive drinks. We also drank in The Crown and Zerodegress which was a micro brewery/pub/restaurant, once again the drinks were really expensive.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
The Den from the outside looks very impressive. The away fans are put in the top tier of the away end which I don't really like but I understand why they do it. The ground looks pretty much the same all round but it is a really nice looking stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was terrible from our point of view as we were 3-0 down at half time and that was the final score. The stewards were really friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was quite good from both sides. Unfortunately a Millwall supporter was taken seriously ill early in the second half and after that all fans around the stadium were very quiet as a mark of respect to the poor supporter, To be honest the game really should have been stopped at this point but it continued until the 90th minute at this point a few fans came on the pitch to get the game finished and the referee blew his whistle immediately. Football really doesn't matter when something like that happens.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was really easy but we did have to wait for all the home fans to disperse. The home fans that we passed stood and clapped the fans in the coaches (As we showed so much respect to the ill fan) which is certainly a first for me in 30 years of following the Cobblers and I'm sure not many fans get a round of applause from Millwall fans when they leave the New Den.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A really good but strange day at the football just a shame we didn't get the result we needed.
Millwall v Bradford City
Football League One
Saturday 3rd September 2016, 3pm
Chris Richards (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Den?
A free weekend and shamelessly snubbing Non-League day, son and I headed to South London and a visit to The Den. We were both looking forward to this trip with me being a little apprehensive due to the clubs' reputation.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Drove down from Worcestershire via M40/A40 and parked at Ickenham Tube station (£2 for all day parking). It was then a 45 minute trip to London Bridge Station and a short five minute shuttle to South Bermondsey. As always in London, public transport is not a problem. The ground is a five minute walk from South Bermondsey Station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We visited The Millwall Café before the game. Cup of tea for £1. They were doing chips, burgers etc.. as well but didn't indulge. Sat outside the ground and found everyone in good spirits due to The Lions good start to the season. Saw a few Bradford fans outside the ground and not a hint of any aggression. The atmosphere was relaxed and we encountered friendliness and good humour from everyone we met. The Club Shop was visited and the obligatory club pin badge purchased.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
The Den has now weathered itself into it's surroundings and has lost all appearance of a new stadium. It's neat, functional and surprisingly welcoming. I appreciate this would be different for our friends from West Ham but for the general League One fan they shouldn't encounter too many problems at the ground. We sat in the top tier of The Barry Kitchener Stand where the view was excellent.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Stewards – Friendly and personable. Chicken Balti Pie – Delicious. The game was a cracker with Bradford taking a first half lead and Millwall equalising in the second half. The language wasn't for your Nan and young children but I seem to think that they take the attitude that this is a football ground and the working man must let off steam. I was quite amused by the stick given out to the referee for every decision against the home side. It took about 20 minutes for the atmosphere to heat up but the Millwall fans were behind their side 100%. The few hundred Bantams who attended were vocal throughout and added to the general feel of the match.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
An easy walk back to South Bermondsey station and a 15 minute wait for a train back to London Bridge. It was crowded but acceptable for a short journey.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
We both really enjoyed our day at The Den. The people were friendly, the ground neat with good views and a great game. Millwall does have a reputation and I'll be silly to write it off as a myth but fans were mingling together before and after the game with no trouble at all. The majority of Lions fans are loyal, passionate and support their club in a positive way. I'm looking forward to another visit before this season is out.
Millwall v Oxford United
Competition Johnson paint trophy
Thursday 14th January 2016, 7.45pm
Chris Carpenter (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Den football ground?
I was very keen to go game as it was the Southern final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, with Oxford having a real chance at reaching the final at Wembley Stadium.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Decided that the easiest way of getting there would be public transport. So we got the coach from Oxford to Baker street then tube to London Bridge followed by one stop on the overground train to south Bermondsey. All very easy with no delays.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As we didn't have to drive, a few cheeky Thursday night beers were in order. Had a couple of pints at the classic Wetherspoons Metropolitan Bar at Baker Street, before journeying onto London Bridge. On arrival at the station we came across the Barrowboy and Banker pub, which looked to be packed with Oxford fans but with a large number of coppers on the door, we wasn't allowed in. However we came across another local pub nearby which was nice.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
After leaving South Bermondsey station there is a direct walkway to the away end so you have no contact with home fans. From the walkway, the Den Ground looks quite tidy with four stands of similar size. The area is quite industrial with not much to see with the ground surrounded with metal fences and razor wire.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
For a Thursday night game which was being televised by Sky, then there was a excellent turnout from Oxford with over 1200 there and we created a good atmosphere. I think the Millwall fans were too spread out to really make much noise. I didn't think that the a stewarding was that bad they mostly left us alone to stand and enjoy the game. The biggest surprise of the night for me was how good the pies were!! Very tasty, but the beer is the standard plastic bottles of Carlsberg.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the match had ended all away fans were held in the ground for what seems like forever, but is probably about half hour. Once allowed out the journey back was simple and quick.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
With Oxford winning 2-0 and having one foot in a Wembley final it was a cracking evening. I found Millwall to be one of the better London away days and well worth the trip and encountered no problems at all.
Millwall v Southend United
League One
Saturday 29th September 2015, 3pm
John & Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Den?
First visit to Millwall and the New Den, with mixed feelings about potential for trouble from local fans. Neil Harris the Millwall manager finished his career at Southend. Millwall had been relegated last season and despite back to back away wins coming into this game they had lost 3 home games. Southend had lost 3 home games but were unbeaten away with 3 draws.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We live in North Wales so it was a round journey of nearly 500 miles rather than Southend locals only travelling 80 miles. Left at 7am and travelled via M6, M1, M25, M11 and A12 via Blackwall tunnel to meet up with relatives in Lewisham and then taxi ride of about 4 miles that took 30 minutes due to traffic congestion.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We left Lewisham at 2pm and traffic was so busy on a warm sunny day we only arrived 25 minutes before kick off, so straight into the ground after meeting more family. There was a visible police presence at the turnstiles to help prevent any problems. We did not meet any locals but once inside, the Millwall fans nearest to our stand were vociferous and a few were offensive but too far away to pose any real threat.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
The ground is quite impressive and modern. We were seated in the upper North stand which appears to be a bit remote from the the two side stands. Seating was adequate and there is a good view. The floodlights are built into the side stands roof and the pitch was in pristine condition.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A crowd of 10,228 including 1,097 Southend fans generated a good atmosphere and the acoustics of the North away stand is good. Stewards were easy going, and fans were allowed to sit where they wanted. Southend managed to take the lead with a Mooney header at the home end after 37 minutes. Half time entertainment consisted of Millwall and Southend youngsters pedaling inside a plastic transparent sphere in a race from penalty area to penalty area. The entertainment was heightened when the pitch sprinklers were set off and nearly drowned one of the boys trapped inside the ball! Southend scored a second after 49 minutes with a Barrett header in front of the Southend fans to ensure a happy afternoon.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We walked out of the away stand onto the street outside the main entrance and after a few minutes took our taxi back to Lewisham and an easier but long journey back to North Wales.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good win at a ground that we thought would be a tough fixture. Fans are well supervised to ensure safety, but I would still advise to be cautious at this ground. Traffic congestion is a factor if travelling by car.
Millwall v Chesterfield
Football League One
Saturday 29th August 2015, 3pm
David Oliver (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Den?
I was in London for the Notting Hill Carnival and keen to continue my exploration of the capital's league clubs. Millwall away sounds like a bit of a challenge and a rite of passage for football fans. Over the summer it seemed that Bradford's James Hanson was joining Millwall which added some interest when I planned the trip, as I support Bradford City. The transfer did not happen in the end but prior to the game the Bantams were linked with Millwall's defender Mark Beevers (again nothing came of it) It was certainly an interesting experience.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We got the tube to Canada Water at this point there were enough Millwall colours to follow to the New Den. It is a bit of a trek but incredibly interesting, railway arches, scrapyards, garages and probably the biggest traveller site I have ever seen. Although I would like to avoid stereotyping it did feel a bit like being on the set of a Guy Ritchie film. Saying that the only "naughtiness" we saw on the way came from a small gang of youth from Chesterfield who were a bit full of bravado and lager! I hope they got home safe and sound! Great to see a real part of London with warts and all only half a mile or so behind the polished glass towers of the River Thames.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had eaten before the game and had a Brick Lane curry planned for later so just had a pint before kick off.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den?
I thought the Den ground was great. We sat in the home end behind the goal with a very vociferous group of home fans who thoroughly got into the game and let their opinions be known. Glad I hadn't taken the kids! The ground has open corners with a railway line running the length of one stand and the away end. It was quite distracting/amusing when trains appeared behind the corner flags – maybe just me!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Game was a bit dull with Chesterfield winning 2-0, a very professional away performance. It had all the hallmarks of an early season game, Millwall seemed to be suffering a relegation hangover and yet to find their true form.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Brisk walk back to the tube station and off to Brick Lane for that curry..
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
We had a great day and it was good to add another ground to my list.
Millwall v Coventry City
League One
Saturday 15th August 2015, 3pm
Alex Smith (Coventry City Fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the Den (or not as the case may be)?
This is quite an awkward one to answer – On the one hand the Den is a new ground for me to visit that I need to tick off! And the fact my club had a great start to the season. But on the other hand you have with Millwall a reputation tarnished by a history of hooliganism and a hostile welcoming to away fans, But I decided I had to go someday so why not now?
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left Coventry station on the 08:51 train to London Euston and arrived just before 10am. We then took a tube journey on the Northern Line to London Bridge where we stopped for a few drinks. We left London Bridge for South Bermondsey at around 1.45pm as it is only one stop down the line, As you may know away fans have their own walkway from South Bermondsey Station, directly to the away end, so finding the ground was no problem.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As mentioned previously, we spent most of our time around London Bridge and got a drink in a Wetherspoons pub called the Pommelers Rest. The pub was Football Shirts and Kids friendly and was only a two minute walk from Tower Bridge. So be sure to go there if you want to grab a drink before leaving for The Den! When we arrived at South Bermondsey the Millwall fans we encountered kept themselves to themselves but were not as hostile as expected!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Den Stadium?
The Den is a neat little ground that is ideal for any League One team and most sides are almost identical to each other. – Although the barbed wire outside the away end was unnerving to say the least! The concourse was a bit dull and could do with a lick of paint. There were no stanchions inside the ground to restrict the view from your seat and there was plenty of leg room.
The Teams Line Up Before Kick Off
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc…
With 1,500 traveling Sky Blue Army and a load of noisy South Londoners the atmosphere was optimistic and very loud! I did not purchase refreshments at the ground so can't comment. As for the match Millwall started the game the brightest eventually winning a penalty gifted to them by City keeper Lee Burge, although he redeemed himself by saving Lee Gregory's penalty which sent the away fans into raptures – From hear on in Coventry's dominance began and we soon took a lead in the 6th minute through a Adam Armstrong wonder goal, Ruben Lameiras soon doubled the lead in the 19th minute – we ended an unbelievable 25 minutes of football by making 3-0 through Armstrong again! In the second half we never took our foot of the gas and truthfully it could have been about 5 or 6 but Millwall's defence drastically improved. We sealed the victory in the 81st minute, Jim O'Brien making 4-0, The Stewards were obviously prepared for potential trouble as they looked like they knew what they were doing whilst being completely approachable
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After such a resounding victory the Police decided it was appropriate to keep us in for 20 minutes after the final whistle, just to let the understandably annoyed home support leave the area. Most City fans were in buoyant mood and did not seem to mind – so no issues!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Brilliant day out! Even better result, Don't believe what you read and see on TV about Millwall – They are a club who receive a lot of poor press when in reality safety of all fans is their number one priority. They are trying to build a positive reputation which is unfortunately tarnished by a handful. Good Luck to them!
Millwall v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday February 15th, 2014, 3pm
John Power (Bolton Wanderers fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
As a visiting Bolton Wanderers supporter the trip to the new Den was eagerly awaited as I had missed the previous seasons fixture.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We had chosen to drive down to West Ruislip and then jumped on the overland train which connects through to Central London and the tube network. After arriving at London Bridge Railway Station, we discovered that South Bermondsey station was closed and a replacement bus was provided.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
With time to kill we had a couple of drinks in the big pub opposite London Bridge station that was showing the early game on television. Food was also served and some good cask ciders were available. No issues with opposing groups of supporters with everyone mingling happily.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Having got off the replacement bus service at South Bermondsey, we were surprised to see that there were no Police to be seen. It appeared quite okay for both home and away fans to be walking down the same road to the ground, amazing considering that they usually they have you in a covered walkway from the station which is segregated completely and under CCTV. Seems like rail works override all this!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
No issues getting to the ground though, the actual structure was visible a good way off and away supporters entrances well marked. Plenty of " football factory" comments as we saw both of the tunnels though. The stewards were relaxed, the food at the ground was well priced and varied and much better than a lot of Premiership grounds I have been to.
The game was great if you were a neutral a one all draw with us missing a penalty, having a goal disallowed but also clearing off our own goal line twice!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Although we never saw any trouble and we walked back to Surrey Quays tube station in the midst of all the Millwall supporters, we were always on our guard. This is a spooky place and the locals are hostile believe me. I don't think many small groups go there and give it " large" you will come unstuck.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The ground atmosphere was really good. It is evident that the Millwall supporters both young and old have no problem letting the opposing fans, players, officials and anyone else that is remotely outside their clique, know exactly what they think about them. Overall a great day.
Millwall v AFC Wimbledon
Capital One Cup, 1st Round
Tuesday August 6th, 2013, 7.30pm
James Anstee (AFC Wimbledon fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to going to the Den as I had never been before due to the fact that the paths of our respective clubs had only crossed once since our inception. I had heard many rumours regarding the reputation of the club and in particular the Millwall fans so that was something that slightly concerned me, but the fact that it was a Capital One Cup tie I thought it may be much quieter than usual (a point that was proved to be right).
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I found the journey very pleasant as I took the official supporters coach. The journey itself was good, seeing different parts of London for different angles was great and found the atmosphere in the coach extremely pleasant. However the only down point to the travel had to be that we left Kingsmeadow at 4:30pm, which is only about 40mins to and hour away from The Den so unfortunately we were there around 5:30pm for a match that started at 7:30pm. This meant that we had to hang around at the back of The Den waiting for the turnstiles to open so that was a bit of a pain, however that’s something to do with the organisation of the coach not the ground itself.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I had eaten prior to getting the coach so I didn’t get a chance to sample to Millwall food, but due to the fact that we were so early I know plenty of us did grab something from either the Millwall café or from inside the ground when we were finally let in. The range of food seemed good looking at the menu board with pies, burgers and chips all making an appearance. As for what I did before the match was mainly hang around the outside areas designated for away fans but so others braved the outside of the away fan compound to buy a programme and have a look round. The home fans were few and far between when we arrived due to the fact that we arrived at 5:30pm but although many stared at the coach nothing was shouted or gestured towards us.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
When you initially arrive into the away end there isn’t much there only the turnstiles and the away exit from the train station, however when you get into the ground itself there is plenty of toilet facilities and an area to buy food which was handy for many of the fans who hadn’t eaten prior to getting the coach. The area under the stand were these are situated is very dark and mainly made of concrete but as soon as I took my seat in the North Stand (upper tier) I was really impressed with the view as well as the turn out from the rest of the Wimbledon fans.
View From The Away Section
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc…
The game itself was fairly poor from our point of view due to the fact we failed to really make an attacking movement until the last twenty minutes. Millwall looked to make so decent passages of play and tested our keeper Worner on a number of occasions. In the second half Worner slipped leaving Andy Keogh to score and we conceded a second after another mistake. Luke Moore pulled one back and nearly grabbed an equaliser in the last minutes. The atmosphere from us was brilliant and we sung from the first until the last minute even if the Millwall fans didn’t really get behind the team. There was a little trouble in our end with some flares being let off during the last ten minutes which were dealt with very well by the stewards. The toilets were nice and there was no trouble getting around the ground.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As for getting away from the ground, there was no trouble at all in fact I was out of my seat and into my seat onto the coach within about three minutes which was a huge positive. As the Millwall fans were few and far between throughout the match itself there was really no fans around to cause any trouble which was great.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had a great night out at Millwall, and despite the result which left us out of the cup it was a decent match overall and was nice to get such a warm welcome from the AFC Wimbledon players as they came out to begin a warm up. Overall a lovely looking ground that I’m sure on a Championship match day its buzzing.
Millwall v Leicester City
Saturday April 14th 2012, 3pm
Championship League
Jack Stanley (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
We weren't planning on going to this game at all. Me and a few friends were on a day out seeing and experiencing the wonderful attractions of London, and we were in town and went to London Paddington station at approx 1:30pm planning to get a tube to Waterloo. However inside the station, it was packed with football fans making their way to their respective games in London, plenty of West Ham fans were there especially. Seeing this really got us in the mood to go to a local game, and we picked Millwall v Leicester at The Den. I've always wanted to go there to experience it after hearing everything about it.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
At Paddington station we jumped onto the Bakerloo line and remained on it until we got off at Waterloo, where we swapped over and got onto the Jubilee line. We then got off at Bermondsey tube station and walked to the ground after receiving numerous directions. It took approx 20-25 mins of walking to reach the ground, and after walking through Bermondsey I can see why they say bad things about a visit to Millwall!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We actually had a Burger King back at Paddington station before we decided to come to the game, so food wasn't an issue at this point.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
We walked down Ilderton Road (following the crowds) and couldn't see the ground, then everyone took a left turn into Zampa Road, and through the tunnel you can see it. We got to the ground just after half 2, and saw the blue bars on the back of the stands which make the ground look very modern indeed. We got our tickets from the ticket office and were sat in the East Stand upper tier, block 16 just to the left of the halfway line. These seats offered us a great view of the pitch and stadium, and were impressed considering they were some of the cheapest seats. However one problem we experienced throughout the afternoon was that when the sun comes up above the West stand (situated opposite), it gets in your eyes and is really annoying.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Millwall went into the game knowing that they were pretty much safe but a win would mathmetically confirm it, whereas Leicester still had a chance of making the play-offs. However defeat here would end their hopes, so we were expecting a fiesty game. Leicester started off well and were showing their quality on the ball as well as squandering a few good chances. But it was the Lions who moved into the lead after 23 minutes, a free kick was delivered from the right to the back post where captain Paul Robinson headed back across goal, and on loan Spurs striker Harry Kane was there to smash home into the top corner from close range. For the rest of the half Leicester had a lot of the ball but didn't do much with it, and Millwall were battling away creating a few chances. The most notable thing about Millwall was their work rate, especially the two lads up front Keogh and Kane.
Millwall came out in the second half looking for the second goal, and they got it on the 55th minute when Keogh cheekily dinked his penalty into the net from 12 yards to send The Den into raptures. Despite being 2-0 down and needing the win, Leicester didn't really show much and were letting Millwall boss the middle of the park, especially the lad Josh Wright who had a terrific game and looked a quality player. It was only in the last 10 minutes where Leicester started to play again, and on the 82nd minute substitute Danny Drinkwater finished well into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. This goal was to make it an anxious finish; but the Lions held on for a 2-1 win to secure their Championship status for another year and ending Leicester's hopes of sneaking into the play-offs.
The Den holds around 20,000 but it was just over half full with 11,525 turning up including 1,400 from Leicester. Despite this the atmosphere was generally good, with the top 2/3 rows of the upper tier of the stand to our left (South stand upper tier) making a good go of things. We noticed to our right, their were a group of about 100-200 Millwall fans on the end of the East upper creating a good atmosphere as well being situated next to the Leicester fans. The main song sung was 'no one likes us we don't care' and this 'miiiiiiiiiii' chant which does sound good to be fair, it also drowns out the oppositions' fans and makes it intimidating. I thought the Leicester fans were a bit monotonous of their chanting of 'Leicester, Leicester, Leicester…'.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Straight after the final whistle most of the crowd stayed behind to applaud the team off for surviving and gaining a good result, singing 'miiiiiiiiiii' at the same time. We walked around the stadium, under the tunnel through Zampa Road and then up Ilderton road to South Bermondsey train station. The train took about 4 minutes to get to London Bridge where we got off. Our train was full of Millwall fans who were continuing the 'miiiiiiii' chant into London Bridge station! However local rivals West Ham and Crystal Palace were also at home that day, and their fans reached London Bridge at approximately the same time causing a bit of aggro, At London Bridge we jumped on the Jubilee line and got off at Waterloo, changing over to the bakerloo line and getting off at London Paddington again.
Again at Paddington, there were plenty of West Ham fans, and because both scouse teams had played each other in the smei-final of the FA Cup at Wembley earlier that day, Paddington was covered with Liverpool and Everton fans. Most of the Everton fans we came across sounded to be true scousers whereas the Liverpool fans had some southern accents, surprise, suprise. Our train was delayed for an hour and when it did come about 800 people tried to clamber on! We managed to get seats and took about 40 mins to get back to Reading, getting back about half 7.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Considering we'd been in London since 10am and hadn't planned to go to the game, we all really enjoyed our day out apart from walking through Bermondsey! I've always said it, but after visiting The Den, I think it's a smaller version of Wolves' Molineux Stadium except both ends at Millwall are two tiered. The experience had increased my love for the city of London, what a place! I will definitely be visiting The Den again next season hopefully.
Millwall v Nottingham Forest
Championship League
Saturday 13th, August, 3pm, 2011
Jason Jandu (Neutral fan)
My first trip to a competitive match this season saw me making the journey to Bermondsey to see Millwall play Nottingham Forest in the Championship. I had decided upon this game, as it seemed the most attractive and affordable fixture near me on that particular weekend and also gave me my first opportunity to go to a ground which might have been a no-go for a lot of people until recent years. A friend of mine said that he thought I was “brave” to go there; that said, Millwall have made great play in recent years of their efforts to make the club and their matches less intimidating to watch. With that in mind I wasn’t overly worried about going to The Den – although I did have the advantage of not going as an away fan, I guess.
The journey to the ground from my home in Bexleyheath involved a straightforward train to Peckham Rye and then one to South Bermondsey, after which a five minute walk down Ilderton Road and Zampa Road past a few burger stands and a cafe brought you to The Den. I must admit I didn’t do much hanging around before going into the ground, but I didn’t feel I had the time to as I had to collect my ticket from the box office first – which actually didn’t take long at all – and buy a programme for £3, the Millwall version of which is a very smart and well-designed small glossy magazine.
After making my way to the Cold Blow Lane end and going through a turnstile which could do with some WD40, I got into The Den itself. I would describe it as a modern, no-frills ground with its four, two-tier stands. The concourses were a bit on the dingy side with their bare breezeblocks and low-level lighting, but the blocks were well signposted. Generally it’s a smart enough ground compared to some of the others in the Football League.
Interestingly, the seating at the Cold Blow Lane end was unreserved so you could sit anywhere, which I preferred as I was able to get a seat behind the goal in the upper tier – albeit at the expense of having the guy next to me spread out and encroach onto my seat – but I doubt the few hundred Forest fans had the same luxury as they were flanked by police and stewards in the upper tier of the opposite North Stand.
After the pre-match routine of music and announcements – not that I could understand them, as Millwall’s PA system is a bit ropey – and Zampa the Lion prancing about with a brolly to emulate the Forest manager, the match began. The home fans saw Millwall dominate almost all of the first half against a lethargic looking Forest side. The workrate was high, the pressing was hard, the passing was crisp and this led to a deserved early goal when Darius Henderson flicked in a corner at the near post.
My half-time was spent not standing in a queue for either the toilets (strong bladder) or the food counters (resolved not to buy any food at matches anymore as it’s just too expensive) but watching the entertainment of a race between youngsters from both clubs around the perimeter of the pitch and trying to work out a new journey home; as news filtered through from the PA that South Bermondsey station was suffering severe delays and we’d all be better off going to other nearby stations instead, but more of that to come…
The second half began with Forest’s only period of dominance against a tiring Millwall side which culminated with Robbie Findlay hitting the post. But the match was fully secured by the home side when substitute Danny N’Guessan sprinted past Forest’s left-back and pulled the ball back from the by-line to be turned in by Liam Trotter – a goal which illustrated Millwall’s impressive wing play throughout the match.
The atmosphere was predictably noisy and raucous throughout the game from the Millwall fans, who launched into several blasts of the legendary Lions roar and took great and understandable pleasure in trying to get under Steve McClaren’s skin with chants of “where’s your brolly gone?” and “you let your country down”. You don’t need me to tell you that the language was very spicy at times but I didn’t feel that the atmosphere become overly hostile in any way, which as I mentioned at the beginning has become something people almost expect to be the case at Millwall matches.
During the second half the PA announcer repeatedly reminded us of the situation with South Bermondsey, but I begun to wonder whether this was a bluff in order to get both sets of supporters to disperse themselves more thinly at other nearby stations – and this combined with not really knowing alternative ways to get home made me go to South Bermondsey anyway. The approach road and staircase to the platform was inevitably lined with police vans and police officers to potentially deal with both sets of supporters ending up there, but fortunately I got there early enough to catch the last train heading to London Bridge for an hour to change over for one to Bexleyheath.
In conclusion, my trip to The Den was an enjoyable one overall. It would’ve been better had Nottingham Forest made an even match of it. I recognise that my experience might have differed had I been there as a Forest fan and not a neutral, but the most important thing was that at no point did I feel intimidated or threatened both within the Millwall ground or around the Millwall fans, which would seem to bear out the good work the club has done to quell the hostility around it.
If you keep yourself inconspicuous, and maybe steer clear of the volatile matches like Cardiff or West Ham, you should enjoy going to see Millwall too – particularly if they play as well as they did against Forest.