Bannon has mixed feelings about that decision. Cold Blow Lane (Lower Tier): Why were you looking forward to visiting the Den? Yes Shirt Sponsors: At the end of the game, we were then held in for an hour. 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. 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. The game finished just before 3pm, and we were leaving the Den at 3:15. As I mentioned earlier I didn't see a Millwall fan other than in the ground, designated walk-way straight to the away end. This was my third trip to The Den. I had cuts and scrapes, hurt my rib and all sorts. There was a visible police presence at the turnstiles to help prevent any problems. The police will keep you in for about 1/2 hour to get the home fans away. The violence began when he passionately agreed with one drinkers description of John Fashanu as a lazy white c--- and thus revealed a basic ignorance of the famous black strikers ethnicity. Traffic congestion is a factor if travelling by car. At 4.70 a pint, its a little more than I pay back home, but then again, London prices! 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. Anyone that knows me, knows I love football, and love Wolves! 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. The concourse was a bit dull and could do with a lick of paint. Before the match, I went and had a look around the outside of ground and popped into the club shop as I had some spare time before the gates opened. Ipswich Town had got off to a very strong start, and were looking very positive. The police ensured that home fans to turned left as they came out of the station, and away fans turned right, virtually turning back on ourselves into a secure away fans walkway that took us straight to the visitors turnstiles. I punched and kicked a few people. To be fair, those other options consisted of train (none running on Boxing Day), and driving (no one fancied a sober Boxing Day)! This worked perfectly well for us as the game finished about 2.30pm and we were back on the train to London Bridge at 2.45pm. At 7pm on Friday April 3 1987, two novice undercover police officers left Brockley police station for a drive down the Old Kent Road in south London. London Bridge seems the best place to go. 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 its 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 wed all be better off going to other nearby stations instead, but more of that to come. Theirstadium is an excellent venue for a variety of activities, including but not limited to: Thank you for reading our guide to The New Den Stadium. 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. A local derby and I had heard about the intimidating environment". I dont think itll ever go away. He is not afraid of retribution now that hes revealed his identity nobody went to prison and it was a long time ago and, in fact, he says he hopes, theres a certain admiration for what I did., But, he adds, Im sure theres a part of them thats like, 'that cheeky little, Running with the Firm (Ebury, RRP 14.99) by James Bannon is out now. Display results as threads The Dens wide variety of renting spaces, many of which overlook the pitch, provide a comfortable environment for groups of various sizes. So be sure to go there if you want to grab a drink before leaving for The Den! FANS' GUIDE V MILLWALL Running with the Firm (Ebury, RRP 14.99) by James Bannon is out now. Millwall tickets can be purchased online, over the phone at +44 (0) 871 230 5585, or in person at The Dens Ticket Office. I strongly recommend The Den to anybody who gets a chance to go. The majority of Lions fans are loyal, passionate and support their club in a positive way. The food was reasonably priced and so were the beverages. The stewards were really friendly and helpful. You can see the ground on approach from the train and then the designated away walkway. There were about 80 of us at this point. They have excellent transportation links from all across London, Kent, and the surrounding areas, as well as enough parking for your guests. We had a few beers on the concourse, which were a little bit cheaper than the pubs earlier. Bannon was further tested when he fell in love with the sister of one of the senior hooligans. Millwall has two price structures. Having been expelled from school for fighting, Bannon found work in the civil service, transferring magazines to microfiche. Very easy to get away from the ground as the crowd was only 3,600 though we caught a lot of traffic in Central London. 22/12/12 when Barnsley won 2-1 with a late winner. This was my first visit to Millwall, and it is somewhere I had always been intrigued about going to. The Den is a small modern ground but is different to most other new grounds in that it has four distinct stands rather than one big continuous loop of a stand. This is a spooky place and the locals are hostile believe me. The concourse was a little confined, and service was slow, meaning quite lengthy queues. There also bouncers on the door to turn away any potential troublemakers who might otherwise spoil the harmonious atmosphere. You may also then be held for a while at the station itself, so please bear this in mind when booking the time of your return journey home. Adults 29 (B 26) (C 24), Over 61s 20 (B 17) (C 15), Under 18s 16 (B 14) (C 12), Under 16s 14 (B 12) (C 10),Under 12s 9 (B 7) (C 5)** The match tickets were very reasonably priced at 26. 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 home fans saw Millwall dominate almost all of the first half against a lethargic looking Forest side. Each two tier stand must be the same inside, and unlike most two tier stands, there is only one concourse inside, so you have to descend three flights of stairs to get to the bar. Then the Old Kings Head. He trained as an actor and helped write the cult 1995 film ID which was based on his experiences. We were both looking forward to this trip with me being a little apprehensive due to the clubs' reputation. The Bushwhackers struck again in 1985. Newer Than: Search this thread only; Search this forum only. What you do not need is any confrontation between rival fans, even a small one. The Lions Year Ground Opened: The game was a cracker with Bradford taking a first half lead and Millwall equalising in the second half. The day seemed to be looking up. Norwich won it through something of a rarity a set-piece goal, with Christoph Zimmermann getting his ginormous bonce on the end of Emi Buendia's corner. The most popular method of travel for away fans to the Den is by official club coach, or by train from London Bridge. If you are not in a major rush or with children best to wait for the next one. Whilst I wasnt 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. Where I lived, everyone stole cars, he says. However as it was the last match of the season and many of the Millwall fans were staying on to watch their team's lap of honour, the police allowed the away fans back up the walkway to South Bermondsey station pretty much straight after the game. It was like a church. That intense mood was thickened by the presence of individuals that he recognised from surveillance tapes as being highly dangerous. The match itself was a game of two halves. by Mark Steyn. The Den is separated into four stands, and the away fans are situated in the upper tier of the North Stand. Was I a football hooligan? Bannon asks of himself. Well, standing at grounds became prohibited under the Taylor Report and the club moved to the creatively named The New Den genius, hey? We went by National Express Coach to London Victoria and then made our way to South Bermondsey via London Bridge by London Underground/Overground. 3. Pre-match we ate at the Globe Theatre Cafe and wandered around Borough Market. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Football Ground Guide. It is probably best to go by rail, as South Bermondsey Railway Station is only a few minutes walk from the ground. The violence that day was so bad that Margaret Thatcher formed a war cabinet to tackle the problem. 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. As a result of his actions and those of four other undercover officers, Scotland Yard is now being sued by eight women. You keep your head down and your mouth shut. Then, over the hill, came 120 Middlesbrough. Theyd led you into a trap? 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. I quite like the more traditional feel of the ground, however, the area around it is like some scene from a post-apocalyptic world. West Ham and Millwall fans end years of Finally, the Sheaf, a modern downstairs cellar bar. I turned around and grabbed the person whod done it by the throat. As usual, I don't have a drink or food in the ground. Thetoilet facilities were clean and tidy. West Ham United, Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic. Whys he talking to him? Saw a few Bradford fans outside the ground and not a hint of any aggression. 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. Pandemonium in the away end! 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 decided to take a train intoLondon Victoria to go to a pub. It wasn't a bad drive up to the ground, taking just over two hours. The stands were neat, and the two-tiered away end was certainly not the worst weve had this season. It is great for away fans. Millwall F.C. - Reddit Brilliant day out! As the Founder of Away Grounds, I love travelling to watch football matches throughout the UK. 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). It took us over an hour to find the right bus that took us 25 minutes walk past our hotel. 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. We then took a tube journey on the Northern Line to London Bridge where we stopped for a few drinks. We support responsible gambling, so in case you require information about gambling addiction or need support please use the link GeGambleAware. Millwall upped their tempo, we retreated to virtually on top of our keeper and the inevitable equaliser duly arrived and 1-1 it stayed with some good defending from us. The train took about 4 minutes to get to London Bridge where we got off. Parking is limited at the ground and it's not a place to wear your teams colours. Also going for the experience of visiting one of football's more "notorious" venues. Were having a superb season, and the chance to tick off another of the 92 really appealed, despite The Dens, ahem, reputation for being a place away fans fear to tread. The snow did not put off the 2000 strong expected away support. I travelled by train from Chesham and got off at London Bridge. Any home support were friendly enough, taking pity I expect given our lowly position. Whys he doing that? We left Coventry station on the 08:51 train to London Euston and arrived just before 10am. My experience of Millwall fans is that if you fine with them, then you wont have a problem. I had eaten prior to getting the coach so I didnt 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 caf or from inside the ground when we were finally let in. Chris had his nose and finger broken. We almost, almost nicked it at the death though. If you are traveling on coach, wear your colours. The people were friendly, the ground neat with good views and a great game. After that hiccup, we got the right train, and then led down the separate entrance to the away end. When travelling to away fixtures there was not enough information on a football away days guide so we have set up to bridge this gap. 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. Had a couple of pints at the classic Wetherspoons Metropolitan Bar at Baker Street, before journeying onto London Bridge. 2. I would advise keeping any colours covered, even when drinking in the London Bridge area. Gradually Charlton worked their way back and eventually equalised early in the second half. The Albion, on Albion Street, is being replaced with flats but locals hope to keep its memory alive by salvaging the 12ft sign commissioned by Courage Brewery. It was launched when public and political outrage at football hooliganism was at its peak. At the end of the match, Millwall Once. That occasion was a game at Middlesbrough in October 1988 during which the police stood by as the northern fans lobbed lumps of concrete, bricks and sharpened coins at the Millwall supporters. There were no stanchions inside the ground to restrict the view from your seat and there was plenty of leg room. With that in mind I wasnt overly worried about going to The Den although I did have the advantage of not going as an away fan, I guess. A Den. The ground is a five minute walk from South Bermondsey Station. Come out of London Bridge tube station, turn right and its only 200yds down the road on your right hand side. We left the ground on the final whistle to make sure we got on the first train back to London Bridge and, while the carriages were packed, it's a very short journey back to civilisation! Norwich's 3,200 strong following in fine voice as you'd expect when we're top of the league while that lot down the A140 kissed goodbye to their faint hope of survival with defeat at home to Reading and Norwich loanee Nelson Oliveira. The pies, drinks on offer were on the expensive side. We then got the train from London Bridge to The Den. Half time entertainment consisted of Millwall and Southend youngsters pedaling inside a plastic transparent sphere in a race from penalty area to penalty area. Beforehand we went around Borough Market near London Bridge Station. There we took the underground circle line to Moorgate, and then the Northern Line to London Bridge. It is a great pub with reasonably priced beers and food. But first, they had to repair the damage of the initial disaster in The Old Castle. Your email address will not be published. Although the Den ground itself is directly unaffected, the losing of supporting infrastructure, such as for example, most of the current Club Car Park, would make the Clubs stay untenable and Millwall would need to relocate elsewhere. Further down the High Street is the Borough Market, which on nearby Stoney Street is situated the legendary Market Porter pub. 0844 826 2004 Pitch Size: Chris surrounded by Millwall. They were aggressively asking Bannons partner what he was staring at. 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. Didn't feel threatened at all. But, more than that, its in his presence. We were packed into the train like sardines and as it a baking hot day, I was glad that the journey only took about five minutes. I completely enjoyed the whole Den experience. Calling all Millwall Taxi Companies Why not advertise your company here?. It is a bit of a trek but incredibly interesting, railway arches, scrapyards, garages and probably the biggest traveller site I have ever seen. Unquenchable arrogance. Bannons father was a policeman.

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