Pre-Match View From Millwall

[Grappler]

https://roysviewfrom.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/pre-match-view-from-millwall-5/

Cheers Panchero!

 

[oldblade]

https://roysviewfrom.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/pre-match-view-from-millwall-5/

As always with Millwall, a good read.

 

[Weasel]

It actually reads that Wednesday used the ground and then stopped using it - not that they were ever the occupants/owners of the ground.

I take you point. That said, the post did state that Sufc only originated because Wendy stopped using the Lane. Not really. It wasn't just Wendy who used the Lane - a lot of Sheffield teams did all for their bigger games. Basically the committee at the Lane saw potential profit for having a permanent club based there and thus Utd came into being. No doubt Wendy deciding to move full time to Olive Grove might have been a factor but I doubt it was the sole reason for the decision to start up a new club as they were never permanently based there.

Originally, the Pigs played matches at Highfield, but moved several times before getting a first 'permanent' ground at Olive Grove. Other locations were Myrtle Road, Heeley, and Hunter's Bar. Major matches were played at either Sheaf House (on land at the back of the existing boozer) or the Lane.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Wow ! That A. - Z has to be the best ' view from' ever.

So much insightful detail about our club from an opposition supporter is almost beyond belief .

OK, some minor details were not quite correct but considering the fact that I could write my knowledge of their club on my thumb nail, I am mightily impressed and the humour behind it ( which appears to have eluded some on here) is just wonderful.

 

[1980]

I take you point. That said, the post did state that Sufc only originated because Wendy stopped using the Lane. Not really. It wasn't just Wendy who used the Lane - a lot of Sheffield teams did all for their bigger games. Basically the committee at the Lane saw potential profit for having a permanent club based there and thus Utd came into being.

Whoever wrote that A-Z, genius that they are, I believe knew that, but wanted to place United's origins into the hated Wednesday's hands without question for added comic value - rather that get bogged down in second guessing why some distant land owners decided on starting up Sheffield United. He seems a fellow who takes his History seriously - perhaps he is some kind of historian? Who knows. But I imagine he is very good looking.

 

[1980]

Wow ! That A. - Z has to be the best ' view from' ever.

considering the fact that I could write my knowledge of their club on my thumb nail

I can give you a quick run-down... (not that you asked!)...

Millwall were vital in pioneering professional football in the south, where amateurism and snobbishness still ruled the game in those early days. It was Millwall who played the key role in founding the Southern League in 1894, the first professional competition for southern based teams. And it was Millwall who were its leading team, winning successive titles, the first by remaining unbeaten, the second by only losing once.

In fact, it is because of this early success that Millwall are also the only senior club in England to actually earn their nickname through footballing endeavour. In 1900 Millwall beat the mighty Aston Villa, English football’s first dominant force, to reach the FA Cup Semi-Finals, prompting one newspaper to christen them the ‘Lions of the South’ in recognition of Millwall’s prominence in southern football. This was also the start of a fine cup tradition for the ‘Lions’, with runs to the FA Cup Semi-Finals on five occasions, a runners-up spot in 2004, and the felling of such giants as Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Everton and Chelsea over the years.

However, founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885 by tinsmiths at the JT Morton cannery and preserve factory, perhaps it was always the club’s destiny to be perceived as a rough and tough outfit. For this was the very heart of the old East End and the bedrock of Millwall’s support was drawn from the dock workers and other tough characters that made up the Isle of Dogs in those days. Indeed, trouble at Millwall matches pre-dates the coming of the hooligan era in the 1960s by some distance, with a match with fierce rivals West Ham United making the newspapers as early as 1906 because of crowd trouble. And the first time the FA closed Millwall’s ground was in the 1920s, after the Newport County goalkeeper was knocked unconscious by one burly docker, after he had unwisely tried to confront his detractors. The ground was closed on a further four occasions, more than any other club.

In 1910 Millwall made the short hop over the river to become a southeast London club, but this was still docklands London and the club remained the team of London’s dockers, so much so that Millwall were allowed to kick-off at 3.15pm to allow the dockers to make games after their Saturday shift right up to the 1960s. The Den became one of the most feared venues in the league, and Millwall have gone unbeaten at home on five separate occasions and across four different divisions. The most impressive run was 59 home games unbeaten between the 22nd August 1964 and the 14th January 1967.

The docks also provided a huge bedrock of support and Millwall enjoyed big crowds between the 1920s and 1960s. However, slum clearance and the docks closing have reduced Millwall’s matchday support, but the club can still pull in a huge floating supporting for big games, as demonstrated by, 47,349 roaring them on in the AWS Cup v Wigan Athletic in 1999 and 49,661 for the League One Play-Off final v Scunthorpe United in 2009.

Nowadays Millwall play in Bermondsey, just over the road from the Old Den and the home crowd is still as partisan as ever and where the popular home chant of “no-one likes us, we don’t care” acknowledges the club’s role as pariahs of English football, with no little pride.

 

[TTMeysh]

I used to work with a Millwall fan, he was a very smart, funny guy and like many of us Blades, had that fatalism and humour in adversity that comes from knowing even in the good times a hard fall is usually just around the corner. I went to a couple of their games with him and found their fans to be ok in general, although 'that look' would come into their eyes if you innocently mentioned certain local rivals. Or Leeds. Or Birmingham.

 

[metalblade]

Oi. Since the introduction of 4 tiers in 1958 Millwall & Charlton have played pretty much the exact same amount of seasons in the second tier!

And as an aside, it is also the most one sided derby in English football - 35 Millwall wins to just 12 wins in 74 fixtures for the trainspotters! And there's a fair few wallopings in that lot too, 6/5/4 nils. It's been 21 years since they beat us.

Apart from Charlton's few years as a premiership team recently I have always seen Millwall and Charlton as evenly matched i'm a bit surprised the head to head stats are so heavily in favour of Millwall. I must have witnessed a rare Charlton win (2-1 I think it was) at the valley probably around 1969 (skinheads were in fashion) could have been a pre season friendly.

 

[1980]

Apart from Charlton's few years as a premiership team recently I have always seen Millwall and Charlton as evenly matched i'm a bit surprised the head to head stats are so heavily in favour of Millwall. I must have witnessed a rare Charlton win (2-1 I think it was) at the valley probably around 1969 (skinheads were in fashion) could have been a pre season friendly.

According to this https://www.11v11.com/teams/millwall/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Charlton Athletic/

We only lost to them once in the 1960s and that was 1-0 in 68. Could be that one. Unlikely it was a friendly - the two sides were in the same division late 60s through the 70s and most of the 80s and to mid 90s.

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

"G is for Greasy Chip Butty song – sung to the tune of “Annie’s Song”, it celebrates Sheffield culture – such as getting fat and smoking & drinking yourself to death."

Something to aspire to for young Blades everywhere.
Cheers Roy

Have upgraded our GCB cup today for the play off push