10 things you didn't think you'd know about -
Millwall
1 When some visit the Isle of Dogs, you think of London's docklands and then Millwall. Go to find the Den though and you'd end up back over the Thames, high and dry in land-locked New Cross.
2 The club formed during 1885 at old Morton's preserves factory, on IoD's West Ferry Road. This area is now modern Canary Wharf - so yes, they finally managed to get some jam out of it.
3 In those early C19 days of Southern League, Millwall FC moved across river to Cold Blow Lane. That put the wind right up a lot of suburban locals in 'Sarf Lundun'.
4 Millwall won promotion from Third Division South twice, when only champions made it into div2. The Lions were thus rampant on average once every twenty years, for a fairly toothless bite at increasing their pride.
5 In a time when the Port of London handled a huge percentage of national trade, supporters of Millwall Docks 'local' side also enjoyed success. Cranes were well loaded and so were Dockers on 60s & 70s Saturday afternoons.
6 That old Den was buzzing again when George Graham lifted the team back up in the mid 80s, before he bunged his 'prospects' for fortune over to cash-rich Highbury.
7 1988 and Docherty took Lions up to the elite First Division for their er, first ever go - but it wasn't Tommy. 'Ere, ooh the bloody 'ell was it then John?'
8 A new Den was underway, as the 80s property boom went 90s bust. Millwall had been relegated and inner city deprivation sent ex-Dockers and their hooligan off-spring into violent reaction. Nobody likes 'em, except mean mothers.
9 Teddy Sheringham - isn't he still kicking about in east-end London after all these years?
10 Millwall won div2 in 2001 and reached div1 play-offs in 2002, when managed by Mark McGhee. In the end, lack of numbers through the gate will always tell. So he left for a big club with proven past and an ambitious future.
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