The Den facts for kids
View from the north stand in 2009
|
|
| Former names | The New Den Senegal Fields The New London Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Bermondsey London, SE16 |
| Coordinates | 51°29′9″N 0°3′3″W / 51.48583°N 0.05083°W |
| Public transit |  South Bermondsey |
| Capacity | 20,146 |
| Field size | 106 × 64 m |
| Surface | SISGrass (hybrid grass) |
| Scoreboard | 55sqm LED Display |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1992–93 |
| Opened | 4 August 1993 |
| Construction cost | £16 million |
| Tenants | |
| Millwall F.C. (1993–present) Millwall Lionesses L.F.C. (2015–2019) |
|
The Den is a famous football stadium in Bermondsey, south-east London. It is the home ground for Millwall Football Club. The stadium is right next to the South London railway line. It is also very close to the Old Den, which was Millwall's previous stadium. The Den opened on September 30, 1993, replacing the old one.
The stadium was built where houses, a church, and playgrounds used to be. It has seats for 20,146 people. However, the number of fans allowed is usually around 18,100. This helps keep visiting fans separate and ensures everyone's safety.
The Den is the sixth stadium Millwall has called home. The club started in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs in 1885. Before The Den, they played at places like Glengall Road and The Old Den.
Contents
The Den's History
Building a New Home
The Den was first known as The New Den. It was the first new all-seater stadium built in England after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. This disaster led to new rules for stadium safety. The stadium was designed to make it easy for crowds to move around safely.
In 1990, the club's chairman, Reg Burr, decided that The Old Den could not be made into an all-seater stadium. So, he announced plans to build a new stadium. It was built in the Senegal Fields area of south Bermondsey. The original idea was for a stadium with 25,000 to 30,000 seats. But the club decided to build a slightly smaller one, with just over 20,000 seats.
Millwall played their last game at The Old Den on May 8, 1993. They had been there for 83 years. Then, they moved to the new stadium, which was only a short distance away. The new stadium cost £16 million to build. John Smith, who was the leader of the Labour Party at the time, officially opened it. This happened on August 4, 1993, before a friendly match against Sporting CP. Sporting won that game 2–1. The Den was the first new stadium built for a professional football team in London since 1937.
Millwall's Journey at The Den
Since moving to The Den, Millwall has had many ups and downs. In their first season (1993–94), they finished third in Division One. This was their best finish since being relegated from the top league four years earlier. However, they lost in the playoffs and did not reach the Premier League. They were relegated to Division Two in 1996 but won promotion back in 2001.
In 2002, they almost reached the Premier League again, finishing fourth. But they lost in the playoffs once more. In 2004, the Lions made it to the FA Cup final for the first time ever. They lost 3–0 to Manchester United. Even so, they qualified for a European competition for the first time in their history. Millwall has been relegated twice since then, in 2006 and 2015. But they also won promotion in 2010 and 2017. The stadium has not yet hosted Premier League football. Millwall played in the old First Division for two seasons from 1988, but that was at their previous stadium.
Future Plans for The Den
In September 2016, Lewisham Council approved plans for land around The Den. These plans were for a big redevelopment of the "New Bermondsey" area. Millwall Football Club and local people were worried about these plans. They feared it would affect the club's car park and the Millwall Community Trust.
Millwall had their own ideas for improving the area around the club. But the council chose the other plans. In October 2019, Lewisham Council stopped the agreement with the developer. This was great news for the stadium, as it secured its future. In February 2020, Millwall announced their own plans. They want to expand The Den in stages. This would involve adding upper tiers to the stands. The goal is to gradually increase the stadium's capacity to 34,000 seats.
In June 2021, new plans for housing development near The Den were submitted. These plans include building 3,500 new homes over 15 years. A new train station, Surrey Canal railway station, is also planned for the area.
Stadium Stands
The Den has four main stands. Each stand has its own name.
On January 20, 2011, the East Stand was renamed the Dockers Stand. This name honors Millwall's history. Many of their early supporters worked as Thames dockers. The South Stand is called the Cold Blow Lane Stand. This name comes from the road that led to The Old Den. The North Stand is where visiting supporters sit. The West Stand was renamed the Barry Kitchener Stand. It is named after Barry Kitchener, who played for Millwall for a very long time. This stand also has Millwall's family area, press box, and special executive seats.
Average Attendances
Here are the average numbers of fans who attended games at The Den over the years:
EFL Championship
|
League One
|
The Championship
|
League One
|
The Championship
|
Division One
|
Division Two
|
Division One
|
Other Events at The Den
Sporting Events
The Den has hosted more than just Millwall football matches. In 1994, a boxing match took place there. Local boxer Michael Bentt lost his WBO World Heavyweight Championship.
On May 1, 2006, The Den hosted the FA Women's Cup Final. Arsenal L.F.C. played against Leeds United L.F.C.. Arsenal Ladies won the Cup with a 5–0 score.
The stadium has also hosted four international football matches:
- England Women vs. Germany Women (March 8, 1998)
- Ghana vs. Senegal (August 21, 2007)
- Jamaica vs. Nigeria (February 11, 2009)
- Australia vs. Ecuador (March 5, 2014)
In the Australia vs. Ecuador game, former Millwall player Tim Cahill scored two goals. He became Australia's all-time top scorer. On September 5, 2015, The Den even hosted a Rugby league match. The Wigan Warriors beat the Catalans Dragons 42–16.
Fun Events and Filming
The Den has also been used for fun events and filming.
Celebrity Soccer Sixes
On May 18, 2008, The Den hosted the Samaritans Celebrity Soccer Sixes. This event brought together film and TV stars to play football. It was the first time a non-Premier League club hosted it. Many celebrities took part, including McFly, Tony Hadley, and Amy Winehouse. They helped raise money for charity.
Filming Location
The Den has appeared in several TV shows and advertisements. It was used as "The Dragon's Lair" in the TV series Dream Team. It also appeared in an episode of the ITV show Primeval. The stadium was used to film an episode of The Bill in March 2008. Sportswear company Nike filmed their "Take It to the Next Level" advertisement there. In 2010, Kit Kat used clips from The Den for their "Cross your Fingers" advert.
Getting to The Den
The easiest way to get to The Den is by train. The National Rail station South Bermondsey is only a five-minute walk away. On match days, visiting fans have their own special path to the stadium. There are no official car parks for fans.
You can also take a bus. The P12 bus stops very close to the stadium on Ilderton Road. Other buses like the 21, 53, and 172 stop on the Old Kent Road. This is about a ten-minute walk away.
The closest underground station is Canada Water on the Jubilee line. It is about a 20-minute walk. The London Overground stations Surrey Quays and New Cross Gate are also about a 15-minute walk from the stadium.
Construction for a new London Overground station, New Bermondsey, started in 2012. It is right next to The Den. The plans for new housing in June 2021 included finishing this station.
There is also a cycle route, Quietway 1, that goes past The Den. However, this route is closed and changed on Millwall match days.
See also
In Spanish: The Den para niños
- Football in London
- Lists of stadiums
