Millwall FC has been around since 1885 and it is based in South East London. It is currently a member of the EFL Championship, the second tier of league football in England.
It currently plays its games at The Den and the club’s nickname is “The Lions”. Over the years, Millwall fans did have somewhat of a bad reputation for hooliganism. This guide looks at the different aspects of the club.
History of Millwall FC
The club was originally founded in 1885 by a group of workers at a local factory and was named as Millwall Rovers. It was in 1889 that the team was renamed to Millwall Athletic and it moved to The Athletic Grounds. The team was a founding member of the Southern Football League and was the champion for the first two years of this competition.
Millwall FC saw some success at the start of the 20th century, getting to the FA Cup semi-final on two occasions and winning the Western Football League in 1908 and 1909. It was in 1910 that the team moved to The Den. The club became a part of the Football League for the 1920/1921 season. Millwall set a Football League record in 1925/1926 when they kept 11 clean sheets in a row.
A major club
While Millwall was in the Second Division for many years, it was still one of the most highly supported teams in English football in the 1930s and was one of the most financially wealthy clubs. The team did struggle due to the Sequenced World War and got relegated to the fourth division and went back and forth between the lower tiers for a few years.
Between 1964 and 1967, the team set a record of having 59 home games without losing. One of the best eras for the clubs was during the 1970s. It narrowly missed out on promotion to the First Division by a single point.
Reaching the top tier
The club managed to win the Football League Group Cup in 1982/1983. It was in 1987/1988 that the team won promotion to the first tier of football in England, the first time it had managed to do so. The partnership of Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino was key in achieving promotion.
Millwall FC had solid performances in the top tier but ended up getting relegated in the last place at the end of the 1989/1990 season. The team moved into a new stadium in 1993, still called The Den and it was the first all-seater stadium built in the region following the Hillsborough disaster Taylor report. Millwall remained in fluctuation between the second and third divisions for a number of years.
FA Cup run
It was in 2003 that Dennis Wise took charge as caretaker manager and led the club to its first-ever FA Cup final. They ended up losing to Manchester United 3-0 in the final. It got a spot in the UEFA Cup as a result of its final appearance. During most of the noughties, the club was in a constant state of upheaval with managers regularly changing.
It did manage another successful FA Cup run in 2016/2017 when they beat Premier League opposition three rounds in a row before losing in the quarter-finals. The team made it back to the Championship in 2016/2017 after winning the League One playoff.
Major rivalries
Millwall FC has a number of major rivalries with opponents from the local area. Its biggest rival is West Ham United and has always been a passionate local derby. There was a lot of violence at these fixtures over the years, but in recent times they have not really played one another.
Another fierce rival is Leeds United, with both sets of fans having associations with hooliganism. Finally, there are some South London rivalries with the likes of Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace.
Notable players
Over the years, there have been some great players to pull on the Millwall jersey. Many international players plied their trade for the club despite it being a part of the second tier of English football for so long. The likes of Eamonn Dunphy, Alf Wood and Barry Bridges were part of the great early-1970s team.
As the team made its way to the top tier for the first time, the likes of Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino were chief goal scorers. Other notable past players include:
- Tim Cahill,
- Sam Allardyce,
- Dennis Wise,
- Mick McCarthy and
- Kenny Cunningham.
Betting on Millwall matches
Millwall is known for a passionate fan base and this always sees a great atmosphere at the games. This makes them great spectacles to watch and to have a bet on. All major football betting sites will have dozens of different betting markets for Millwall games. If you want to bet on the team, you will never be short of a betting opportunity. You can check out the best operator by looking at the Roger.com reviews.
