Millwall Football Club is in that category of a football club that is more than its parts, with a devoted fan base, and a stadium simply called ‘The Den’. But it’s Millwall’s humble beginnings that is a story to tell.
Club motto “ we Fear no foe where e’er we go”
Millwall Football Club Motto
When Millwall FC was Millwall Rovers Football Club
Millwall Rovers Football Club as it was originally known played its first-ever football match against Fillebrook F.C on the 3rd of October 1885, they were beaten 5 – 0. The club was formed by the workers of C&E Morton’s (J.T Morton’s Canning and Preserve) factory which was situated either side of West Ferry Road, on the Isle of Dogs. The factory is no longer there, on old maps is marked down as approximately 17-23 West Ferry Road
The first FA Cup Season
The FA record of the first season results: played 24, won 17, drawn 3 and lost 4. Goals 45 for and 28 against.
The 4 club pitches on the Isle of Dogs
The club used the Islander pub as changing rooms and also its headquarters. Unfortunately, the pub was destroyed during world war 2 and was not rebuilt. The club no less used 4 football ground sites over its history while operating on the Isle of Dogs. The fourth ground being in the vicinity of the current Mudchute DLR station. There was some suggestion when the DLR network was being constructed mud chute DLR would be called Millwall DLR. As the story goes, there was some thought to confused away fans arriving on the tiny DLR platform looking for ‘The Den’.
Theclub has such a nice back story, buit from the working men from the factory that the Docklands Light Railway should have tiped its hat to the hallowed former site of Millwall Rovers Club.
Millwall’s move to New Cross and ‘The Den’
The Club eventually packed its bags and moved across the river to its current home in New Cross in 1910. The current stadium is called the Den and can be seen by many traveling in by rail from Kent through South East London on the way to London Bridge.
This stadium was feared because of the noise and the supporters were strong for their home team. The Supporters would challenge officials and be very forthright.
Their Motto slogan being “ we Fear no foe where e’er we go”.
The Millwall roar, it was thought to be sportsmanlike to cheer when the opposition played well but Millwall fans roared for their own team all the time.
