Millwall F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Millwall Football Club | |
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| Nickname(s) | The Lions | |
| Founded | 1885, as Millwall Rovers | |
| Ground | The Den | |
| Capacity | 20,146 | |
| Owner | Millwall Holdings | |
| Chairman | James Berylson | |
| Head Coach | Neil Harris | |
| League | Championship | |
| 2018–19 | Championship, 21st of 24 | |
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Millwall Football Club is a professional football team from Bermondsey, South East London, England. They play in the EFL Championship, which is the second-highest league in English football.
The club started in 1885 as Millwall Rovers. Even though they haven't played in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs since 1910, they kept the name. From 1910 to 1993, they played at a stadium called The Old Den. Now, their home stadium is called The Den, which is nearby.
Millwall's symbol is a rampant lion, which is why their team nickname is The Lions. Their traditional uniform is dark blue shirts, white shorts, and blue socks.
Millwall was one of the first teams to join the Southern Football League in 1894. They won the title twice in 1895 and 1896. Since joining the Football League in 1920, they have been promoted 11 times and relegated nine times. They even played in the top league between 1988 and 1990, finishing tenth in 1989, which is their best league result ever!
In 2004, Millwall reached the 2004 FA Cup Final and played in a European competition for the first time. They have also won two play-off finals in League One (in 2010 and 2017) and the Football League Group Cup in 1983.
Millwall fans are known for their famous chant, "No one likes us, we don't care". They have a big rivalry with West Ham United. They also have rivalries with Leeds United, Crystal Palace, and Charlton Athletic.
Contents
- History of Millwall Football Club
- How Millwall Began: 1885–1920
- Joining the Football League: 1920–1940
- After the War and Moving Down Leagues: 1940–1965
- Unbeaten Home Record and the Class of '71: 1965–1987
- Top League Promotion and New Stadium: 1987–2000
- Champions, FA Cup Final, and European Football: 2000–2007
- New Owner, Stability, and First Play-off Success: 2007–2014
- Harris' Return, Play-offs, and FA Cup Giant-killers: 2014–2019
- Recent Years and Changes: 2019–Present
- Colours, Crest, and Nickname
- Stadiums Where Millwall Play
- Traditional Songs and Chants
- Club Rivalries
- Players
- Managers of Millwall
- Club Officials
- Club Achievements
- Club Records and Statistics
- Millwall in European Football
- Supporters and Hooliganism
- Notable Supporters
- Images for kids
- In the Community
- See also
History of Millwall Football Club
How Millwall Began: 1885–1920
The club started as Millwall Rovers in 1885. It was founded by workers from J.T. Morton's factory, which made canned food. The factory was in the Millwall area of London's East End. Many workers came from Scotland, especially Dundee.
The club's first game was on 3 October 1885 against Fillebrook, which they lost 5–0. Their first home game was on 24 October 1885 against St Luke's, which they won 2–1.
In 1886, Millwall won the East London Senior Cup. They won it again in the next two years, so they got to keep the trophy!
In 1889, the club changed its name to Millwall Athletic when they moved to a new home called The Athletic Grounds. They were one of the first teams in the Southern Football League and won it in their first two years. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1900 and 1903.
On 10 October 1910, Millwall played their last game as an East London club. They moved to a new stadium in New Cross, South East London, called The Den. This move helped them get more fans. The first game at the new Den was on 22 October 1910 against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Joining the Football League: 1920–1940
In 1920, Millwall joined the Football League in the new Football League Third Division. Their first Football League match was on 28 August 1920 at The Den, where they won 2–0 against Bristol Rovers.
In the 1925–26 season, Millwall set a Football League record with 11 games in a row without letting opponents score. In the 1927–28 season, they won the Third Division South title. They scored 87 goals at home that season, which is still an English record!
Millwall became known as a strong Cup team. They reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the third time in 1937. The game against Derby County that year had 48,762 fans, which is still Millwall's record attendance. By 1939, Millwall was one of the most popular teams in England. They were hoping to get promoted to the top league, but World War II started, stopping their plans.
After the War and Moving Down Leagues: 1940–1965
On 7 April 1945, Millwall played in a cup final at Wembley Stadium. It was a wartime cup final, so it's not officially recorded. 90,000 people watched, which is the biggest crowd Millwall has ever played in front of!
The Second World War made it hard for many clubs to keep their success. Millwall's stadium, The Den, was badly damaged by bombs in 1943. Other clubs like Charlton Athletic and West Ham United helped them by letting them play games at their stadiums. Millwall fans helped rebuild The Den, and the team returned in 1944.
Millwall was relegated to Division Three South in 1948. In 1958, they became a founding member of Division Four. However, they won the Division Four title in 1962. They were relegated again in 1963–64 but quickly bounced back with two promotions in a row. This was the last time Millwall played in the fourth tier.
Unbeaten Home Record and the Class of '71: 1965–1987
Later in the 1960s, Millwall set an amazing record: 59 home games without losing! This streak lasted from 1964 to 1967. During this time, they won 43 games and drew 16. This record was later broken by Liverpool.
In the early 1970s, Millwall had a great team known as "The Class of '71". This team included players like Bryan King and Barry Kitchener. They almost got promoted to Division One, missing out by just one point. In 1974, Millwall hosted the first football game ever played on a Sunday against Fulham.
George Graham managed Millwall from 1983 to 1986. He led the club to win the Football League Group Cup in 1983. In the 1984–85 season, Millwall reached the FA Cup quarter-finals and got promoted to the Second Division.
Top League Promotion and New Stadium: 1987–2000
Under manager John Docherty, Millwall won the Second Division championship in 1988. This meant they were promoted to the top league of English football for the first time ever! They started the 1988–89 season very well, even topping the league for a short time. This was thanks to players like Tony Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham, who scored many goals together. Millwall finished their first top-division season in tenth place. However, they were relegated in the 1989–90 season.
In 1993, Millwall moved to a new stadium, first called The New Den, and now simply The Den. It was the first all-seater stadium built in England after the Hillsborough disaster. In the 1994–95 season, Millwall beat Arsenal in the FA Cup and reached the League Cup quarter-finals.
The club faced financial problems and was managed by several people during this period. In 1999, Millwall reached their first official final at Wembley Stadium in the Football League Trophy, but they lost 1–0 to Wigan Athletic.
Champions, FA Cup Final, and European Football: 2000–2007
Mark McGhee became Millwall's new manager in 2000. Eight months later, the club won promotion as Division Two champions, setting a club record of 93 points. Striker Neil Harris was the top scorer with 27 league goals. In the 2001–02 season, Millwall finished 4th in Division One and qualified for the play-offs, but lost in the semi-finals.
In 2003, Dennis Wise, a famous ex-Chelsea player, became player-manager. In his first season, Wise led the team to their first ever FA Cup Final! They played Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 22 May 2004. Millwall lost 3–0, but because Manchester United had already qualified for the Champions League, Millwall got to play in the UEFA Cup (a European competition) for the first time! In the UEFA Cup, they lost to Hungarian champions Ferencváros.
After this, the club had a few difficult seasons with many manager changes. In 2006, Millwall was relegated to League One.
New Owner, Stability, and First Play-off Success: 2007–2014
In 2007, American businessman John Berylson invested a lot of money into the club and later became chairman. Millwall appointed Kenny Jackett as their new manager in November 2007. Jackett led Millwall to two top-six finishes in League One. On 13 January 2009, Neil Harris broke Teddy Sheringham's record to become Millwall's all-time top goal scorer.
After losing a play-off final in 2009, Millwall finally won the 2010 League One play-off final against Swindon Town with a 1–0 win. This secured their return to the Football League Championship after four years!
In 2010, Millwall celebrated their 125th anniversary. They wore a special kit with the names of every player who had played for the club. Kenny Jackett resigned in 2013 after managing 306 games. Steve Lomas became the new manager, but he was sacked in December 2013.
Harris' Return, Play-offs, and FA Cup Giant-killers: 2014–2019
Ian Holloway became manager in 2014 and helped the club stay in the Championship. However, he was sacked in 2015, and Neil Harris became caretaker manager again. Millwall was relegated to League One that season, but Harris was made permanent manager. In his first full season, Harris led Millwall to another play-off final at Wembley in 2016, but they lost to Barnsley.
In the 2016–17 FA Cup, Millwall had an amazing run! They reached the Quarter-finals by beating three Premier League teams in a row: Bournemouth, Watford, and even the champions, Leicester City! They then made it to the League One play-off final at Wembley for the second year in a row. This time, they won 1–0 against Bradford City, getting promoted back to the Championship!
In their return to the Championship in the 2017–18 season, Millwall had a club record 17-game unbeaten run. In the 2018–19 FA Cup, they reached the Quarter-finals again, losing to Brighton. They also beat Everton, a top-flight team, in an earlier round. Neil Harris resigned as manager in October 2019.
Recent Years and Changes: 2019–Present
Gary Rowett became the new manager in October 2019. He led the club to an 8th-place finish in the 2019–20 season, just missing out on the play-offs. In 2021–22, they finished 9th, again close to the play-offs.
On 4 July 2023, the club announced the sad news that owner and chairman John Berylson had passed away in a car accident. His son, James Berylson, became the new chairman. Gary Rowett left the club in October 2023, and Joe Edwards was appointed Head Coach. However, Edwards was replaced by former player and record goalscorer Neil Harris in February 2024, marking his third time in charge of the Lions.
Sadly, on 15 June 2024, the club's goalkeeper Matija Sarkic died while playing for his country, Montenegro.
Colours, Crest, and Nickname
Kit Colours
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| Millwall Rovers first home kit from their 1885–86 season, which the team wore for the 125-year anniversary of the club in the 2010–11 season. |
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Millwall's traditional uniform has mostly been blue shirts, white shorts, and blue socks for over 125 years. For the first 50 years, they wore a dark navy blue, similar to the Scottish team. This was to honor the Scottish workers who helped start the club.
In 1936, the manager changed the color to a brighter royal blue. They played in this color for about 74 years, except for a few times when they wore all white. For their 125th anniversary in 2010–11, they went back to the darker navy blue of their first kit and have kept it since. For away games, they often wear white shirts and blue shorts, or yellow shirts and black shorts.
Club Badge
The club's badge has featured a rampant lion since 1936. There have been different versions of the lion over the years. The current badge, a leaping lion, first appeared on the kit in 1979 and was brought back in 2007. The club's mascot is a giant lion named Zampa, after Zampa Road where The Den is located.
The Lions Nickname
The team's nickname is The Lions. Before that, they were called The Dockers, because many early supporters worked in the London docks. The club changed the nickname after newspapers called them 'Lions of the South' when they beat a top team in the FA Cup in 1900. Millwall then adopted the motto: We Fear No Foe Where E'er We Go.
The club still celebrates its dock roots with "Dockers' Days," where former dock workers can attend games for free. In 2011, the east stand of The Den was officially named the 'Dockers Stand'.
Kit Sponsors and Manufacturers
For the 2013–14 season, Millwall chose the charity Prostate Cancer UK to be their shirt sponsor for free, to help raise awareness.
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| 1936–39 strip. The first change of colour from navy blue to royal blue. This was the first appearance of the lion rampant crest on the kit. |
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| Year | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor | Secondary sponsor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–80 | Bukta | None | |
| 1980–83 | Osca | ||
| 1983–85 | LDDC | ||
| 1985–86 | Gimer | London Docklands | |
| 1986–87 | Spall | ||
| 1987–89 | Lewisham Council | ||
| 1989–90 | Millwall | ||
| 1990–91 | Lewisham Council | ||
| 1991–92 | Fairview Homes PLC | ||
| 1992–93 | Bukta | Fairview | |
| 1993–94 | Captain Morgan | ||
| 1994–96 | Asics | ||
| 1996–97 | South London Press | ||
| 1997–99 | L!VE TV | ||
| 1999–2001 | Strikeforce | Giorgio | |
| 2001–03 | 24 Seven | ||
| 2003–04 | Ryman | ||
| 2004–05 | Beko | ||
| 2005–06 | Lonsdale | ||
| 2006–07 | Oppida | ||
| 2007–08 | Bukta | K&T Heating Services Ltd | |
| 2008–10 | CYC | Oppida | |
| 2010–11 | Macron | Matchbet | |
| 2011–12 | Racing+ | Sasco Sauces | |
| 2012–13 | BestPay | ||
| 2013–14 | Prostate Cancer UK | Wallis Teagan | |
| 2014–15 | Euroferries | ||
| 2015–16 | Wallis Teagan | ||
| 2016–17 | Erreà | ||
| 2017–18 | TW Drainage & EnergyBet | DCS Roofing | |
| 2018–19 | Macron | ||
| 2019–22 | Huski Chocolate | ||
| 2022–23 | Hummel | ||
| 2023–24 | Erreà | ||
| 2024– | My Guava |
Stadiums Where Millwall Play
History of Millwall's Grounds
Millwall started on the Isle of Dogs and played at four different stadiums in their first 25 years. Their first home was a piece of land called Glengall Road. They later moved to the Lord Nelson Ground and then to The Athletic Grounds, which was their first stadium built just for football.
In 1901, they moved to North Greenwich. On 22 October 1910, Millwall moved across the river to South East London, to a new stadium called The Den. This stadium was designed by a famous football ground architect, Archibald Leitch, and cost £10,000.
Millwall played at The Den for 83 years. Then, on 4 August 1993, they moved to their sixth and current stadium, which was first called The New Den but is now also simply known as The Den. This new stadium was the first all-seater stadium built in England after the Hillsborough disaster. It can hold 20,146 fans.
Traditional Songs and Chants
When Millwall and the opposing team walk onto the pitch at The Den, the official club song "Let 'em Come" by Roy Green is played. This song was written just for the club and talks about old London culture. It ends with fans standing and singing, "Let 'em all... come down.... to The Den!"
Other songs often played at The Den before a game include "London Calling" by The Clash and "House of Fun" by Madness, which has the line "welcome to the lion's den...". After every home win, Status Quo's "Rockin' All Over the World" is played.
Club Rivalries
Millwall has several big rivalries. Their main rivals are West Ham United, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, and Charlton Athletic. They also have smaller rivalries with Portsmouth, Everton, and Gillingham.
Major Rivalry with West Ham United
Millwall's biggest rival is West Ham United. Their games are some of the most intense local derbies in football. The two clubs haven't played each other much recently because they are in different leagues. Most of their games happened before World War I. They have played 99 times since 1899, with Millwall winning 38, drawing 27, and losing 34.
Rivalry with Leeds United
Millwall also has a strong rivalry with Leeds United. This rivalry has grown stronger in recent years, especially since 2004 when Leeds was relegated from the Premier League. The teams have played 28 times in 16 years. In 43 games since 1931, both Millwall and Leeds have won 19 games each, with five draws.
South East London Derbies
Millwall is very close to Charlton Athletic, with their stadiums being less than four miles apart. Millwall has a good record against Charlton, being unbeaten in their last twelve games against them over 24 years.
Millwall also plays against Crystal Palace. They last played in the 2021–22 season in an FA Cup game, which Millwall lost. In almost 100 games since 1906, Millwall has won 39, drawn 29, and lost 29 against Crystal Palace.
Players
Current Squad
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Players Out on Loan
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Retired Numbers
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Millwall Under 21s
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Millwall Under 18s
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Player of the Year Awards
- Voted by Millwall Supporters Club members and season ticket holders.
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Player Honours
English Football Hall of Fame
These Millwall players are in the English Football Hall of Fame:
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PFA Fans' Player of the Year
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Players who won the PFA Fans' Player of the Year while playing for Millwall:
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PFA Team of the Year
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Players included in the PFA Team of the Year while playing for Millwall:
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Notable Former Players
Here are some famous footballers who have played for Millwall:
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Note: Current players George Saville and Tom Bradshaw have been capped internationally while playing for Millwall, and will be added to the list when they leave the club.
Managers of Millwall
Since 1911, Millwall has had 35 permanent managers and 15 temporary managers. Before 1910, club directors acted as honorary managers. Bob Hunter was Millwall's longest-serving manager, staying for 15 years. He worked at the club for 36 years in total. All of Millwall's managers have come from the United Kingdom or Ireland.
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(s) = secretary (c) = caretaker
Top 10 Managers by Games Managed
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- Managers in bold denotes still managing the club
Club Officials
Board Members
- Chairman: James Berylson
- Directors: Constantine Gonticas, Trevor Keyse, Demos Kouvaris, Richard Press, Peter Garston and Matthew Sidman
- Managing Director: Mark Fairbrother
- Chief Financial Officier: Emma Parker
- Chief Commercial Officier: Luke Wilson
- Director of Football: Steve Gallen
Coaching Staff
- Head Coach: Neil Harris
- Assistant Head Coach: David Livermore
- First Team Coach: Adam Barrett
- Goalkeeping Coach: Andy Marshall
- U21 Elite Development Squad Manager: Kevin Nugent
- U21 Elite Development Squad Assistant Manager: Paul Robinson
- Academy Director: Scott Fitzgerald
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Second Division (Level 2)
- Champions: 1987–88
- Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division / League One (Level 3)
- Champions: 1927–28, 1937–38, 2000–01
- Promoted: 1965–66, 1975–76, 1984–85
- Play-off Winners: 2010, 2017
- Fourth Division (Level 4)
- Champions: 1961–62
- Runners-up: 1964–65
- Western Football League
- Champions: 1907–08, 1908–09
- Southern Football League
- Champions: 1894–95, 1895–96
Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Runners-up: 2003–04
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 1982–83
- Runners-up: 1998–99
- Football League War Cup
- Finalists: 1945
- Third Division South Cup
- Winners: 1937
Other Trophies
- London League
- Champions: 1903–04
- United League
- Champions: 1896–97, 1898–99
- Kent Senior Shield
- Winners: 1912, 1913
- London Challenge Cup
- Winners: 1909, 1915, 1928, 1938
- East London Senior Cup
- Winners: 1887, 1888, 1889
- East London FA Cup
- Joint-winners: 1886
- Southern Professional Charity Cup
- Winners: 1904
- Finalists: 1903
- London Charity Cup
- Finalists: 1892
- Source:
Club Records and Statistics
Barry Kitchener holds the record for most appearances for Millwall, playing 596 matches between 1966 and 1982. The record for most goals is held by former manager Neil Harris, with 138 goals in all competitions. He broke the previous record of 111 goals, held by Teddy Sheringham, in 2009.
Millwall's biggest league win is 9–1, which they achieved twice in 1927. Their heaviest league defeat was 8–1 away to Plymouth Argyle in 1932. The club's biggest loss in any competition was 9–1 against Aston Villa in the FA Cup in 1946. Millwall's largest Cup win was 7–0 over Gateshead in 1936.
Player Records
- Most Appearances
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- Most Goals
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- Players in bold denotes still playing for the club.
- Only Football League and senior cup competitions included.
See List of Millwall F.C. seasons for Millwall's top goalscorer each year since 1895.
Millwall in European Football
After reaching the FA Cup Final in 2004, Millwall qualified to play in the UEFA Cup. They played against Ferencváros from Hungary and lost 4–2 over two games.
European Record
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponents | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
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| 2004–05 | UEFA Cup | First round |  Ferencváros |
1–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 |
Supporters and Hooliganism
Millwall fans are known for their strong loyalty and passion. The club has a long history, and its supporters are mostly from the areas around their stadium in South East London.
Over the years, Millwall has sometimes been linked with football hooliganism. This was more common in the 1970s and 1980s. Because of this, the club's stadium, The Den, was closed by The FA on five occasions, and the club received fines for crowd problems.
The media has sometimes focused heavily on these issues, which some people at the club feel is unfair. Former chairman Reg Burr once said that "Millwall are a convenient coat peg for football to hang its social ills on." This means that Millwall is sometimes blamed for problems that are bigger than just football. This feeling of being unfairly treated has led to the famous Millwall fans' chant, "No one likes us, we don't care", which shows their defiant spirit.
The club has worked to address these issues. For example, after some serious crowd problems in 2002, the then-chairman Theo Paphitis said that the club couldn't be blamed for the actions of a few people. He also introduced a membership scheme for fans to try and improve behavior.
In recent years, the club has continued to promote positive fan behavior. For example, in December 2020, after some fans booed players taking a knee (a gesture against racism), the club worked to educate supporters. In the next game, fans applauded as players from both teams held up an anti-racism banner.
Notable Supporters
| Name | Occupation |
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| Danny Baker | Radio DJ and comedian |
| Michael Barrymore | Actor |
| Geoff Bell | Actor |
| Big Narstie | MC, rapper |
| Ted Cheeseman | Boxer |
| CM Punk | WWE wrestler |
| Bob Crow | Former RMT trade union leader |
| Daniel Day-Lewis | Actor |
| Madeline Duggan | Actress |
| Andy Fordham | Former darts world champion |
| Lars Frederiksen | Singer in Rancid |
| Johnny Garton | Boxer |
| Steve Harley | Singer in Cockney Rebel |
| Frank Harper | Actor |
| Blake Harrison | Actor |
| Tamer Hassan | Actor |
| David Haye | Retired boxing world champion |
| Rod Liddle | Journalist |
| Lord Ouseley | Kick It Out Founder |
| Nick Love | Film director |
| Kellie Maloney | Former boxing promoter, born Frank Maloney |
| Roland Manookian | Actor |
| Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook | Rugby player |
| Laila Morse | Actress |
| Patrick Murray | Actor, Mickey Pearce in Only Fools and Horses |
| Des O'Connor | Entertainer |
| Gary Oldman | Actor |
| Theo Paphitis | Entrepreneur, Dragons' Den |
| Scroobius Pip | Musician |
| Timo Soini | Politician |
| Gregg Wallace | MasterChef presenter |
| Denzel Washington | Actor |
| Ian Wright | Former footballer |
| Zerkaa | YouTuber |
Images for kids
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Danny Baker
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Andy Fordham
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Tamer Hassan
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In the Community
In 1985, Millwall Football Club started the Millwall Community Trust (MCT). This trust helps local people with sports, education, and charity projects. It works with young people from nearby areas, offering sports programs, educational workshops, activities for people with disabilities, and soccer schools.
The club also helps to promote anti-knife and anti-gun crime messages. In a game against Charlton Athletic in 2009, both teams wore special kits to honor local teenagers who had been murdered. The shirts said, "Street violence ruins lives." The club has also raised a lot of money for charities like Help for Heroes.
See also
In Spanish: Millwall Football Club para niños
- Millwall Lionesses L.F.C.
