Millwall - Love It or Hate It?

Our next trip to London and more stadiums to visit! We were looking forward to this trip partly because it was summer and partly because it was going to be interesting to see some of the smaller clubs. The boys were looking forward to using the overland trains. I know, most people must think we are crazy that we would be excited by this. The season was finished and all the clubs would be in hibernation, but I hadn't really thought about that until later. We got an early start and arrived at London Bridge by about 9:30 and the platforms all had that hollow sound after a rush of people. We had decided to use London Bridge as a hub and we would travel back and forth to Millwall first as per the instructions in the book. The book, oh we got got a new book.

It is not quite as good as the old book, but it is good enough - it's ours so we can mark it. We've started noting the dates we visit the clubs.

When we arrived at South Bermondsey station, we were greeted with the sight of stray dogs mating behind a travelers housing area and the stench of the rubbish. I read that someone descibe it like "a cross between a rotting rubbish tip & a bag of warm dogshit". I must agree. We walked along the pavements with chain link fences to our side. Behind the fences are an aray of what you might expect near a football ground: soggy fried chicken takeaway boxes with old bones sticking out, newspapers, broken bottles and crushed cans, fag ends and the odd dirty nappy. I hurried the boys along hoping to see the more welcome signs of a stadium - floodlights. And within moments we saw Zampa Road - the street that would lead us to our destination. Dodging dustbin lorries, we headed down the street and a new stench greeted us - I think that there is a fish factory there or something. 

But we didn't let our noses stop us and soon saw across the road - the stadium. We took some photos from the outside. The  "New" Den looks fairly new, built in 1993: the main welcome signs, the visitors entrance (good luck to them?!) and the coach parking area. This ground looked unique to me despite the fact that we had already visited other stadiums. Our usual first port of call was the shop. After more photos of garden gnomes, vintage footballs and last season's kit on sale we asked the shop assistant our customary questions for advise on what else we might see. She mentioned that we should try reception. When we stepped in to the office and asked permission to take more pictures of the signed shirts and a the trophies on display, the lady there kindly offered to take us into the stadium itself. Wow! So this is a what Championship clubs are like! We waited about a half a second and said YES immediately. So she made a few calls and someone came and unlocked a few doors and she pointed us in the right direction and said that we could go out there as long as we didn't go on the pitch. And we walked right in, just like that!

We saw the signs for the changing rooms, the first aid area and before we knew it, we were going down the tunnel, pitch-side, just like the players. More and more pictures were taken - thank goodness for digital cameras. We sheepishly headed back just as the reception lady was coming to find us, hoping we hadn't disappeared. At that moment, I happened to glance down into a bin  and noticed an old football sock right there on the top of other odds and ends. I picked it out and sheepishly asked the lady if we could keep it as a memento. She said that we could, but she didn't want us to say mention it. So I tucked it into me bag and after profuse expressions of gratitude, we rushed back out into the real world.

We couldn't believe our luck. Seeing the pitch and coming away with the sock left us feeling like we better start supporting Millwall. All of the people that we had encountered were so obliging and compassionate. We hadn't expected to witness fights or threatening chanting that Millwall are known for, but for them to have been so indulgent in our pastime was unexpected.

So I will end this as we sit on the train coming back into London Bridge, now scattered with families bringing children for day trips, reflecting, and basking in our success.

Millwall, hate the smell, love the club. What do you think? Pictures to follow once I decide whether to let google into my iPad.