"No one likes us, we don't care" is the chant synonymous with Millwall FC, a club that has spent the majority of its history yo-yoing around the Football League.

Millwall FC are a professional club based in Bermondsey, South East London who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.

In 1885 Millwall were founded as 'Millwall Rovers', despite not playing in the Millwall area. The team's nickname is 'The Lions' and their crest depicts a rampant lion.

The club has yet to win a major trophy, the closest they came was as runners-up in the 2004 FA Cup final.

Millwall's highest-placed finish in the top flight of English football came in the 1988/89 season when they finished 10th in the First Division. The club have also been champions of the second, third and fourth tiers of the Football League on a number of occasions.

In more recent years, the club has been infamously linked with hooliganism and are one of England's most notorious clubs.

Their rivalry with West Ham is one of the most well known in English football but not for the right reasons. Their fans' behaviour is never far from the headlines.

 

 

The early years

Millwall Rovers were founded in 1885 by the workers at the J.T. Morton's canning and preserve factory in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs. JT Morton's was founded in 1849 to supply sailing ships with food.

Four years after their creation, Millwall changed their name to Millwall Athletic.They were founding members of the Southern League having turned down the chance to join the Football League.

In 1910, the side moved to The Den, in New Cross, South London having spent the previous 25 years in four different grounds.

Before the 1920/21 season, Millwall joined the Football League in the new Football League Third Division. They also dropped the 'Athletic' from the team's name. In their first Football League fixture, they won 2-0 against Bristol Rovers at The Den.

In their first years in the Football League, Millwall performed better in the cup competitions and were affectionately known as a hard-fighting cup team.

In the 1925/26 season, Millwall set a Football League record of 11 consecutive clean sheets. The following season Millwall won the Third Division South title and scored 87 goals at home in the league, a record that still stands today.

Millwall had one of the best attendance records in English football in the 1930s and 1940s. They were the 11th best supported team in England in 1939 despite being in the Second Division. In 1939 World War Two started and like for most clubs, this robbed Millwall of the chance of pushing for promotion.

Once the Second World War came to an end in September 1945, football returned. However, Millwall struggled and were unable to reach their previous heights.

Twenty years after they were pushing for promotion to the top flight, Millwall were one of the founding members of Division Four in 1958. A monumental fall from grace from a club that had so much promise.

 

Millwall's late 20th century rise and fall

In the late 1960s, Millwall embarked on a run of 59 home games without defeat (43 wins and 16 draws) from 22 August 1964 to 14 January 1967.

In the early 1970s, Millwall had one of their most memorable squads, known affectionately as "The Class of 71".

This side missed out on promotion to Division One by just one point. By going through that season unbeaten at home, Millwall became the only club having gone through an entire season at home unbeaten in four different seasons. They were also part of history, by playing the first game played on Sunday.

George Graham managed Millwall from 1983 to 1986 and helped the team to the 1982/83 Football League Group Cup. They beat Lincoln City 3-2 in the final to achieve the honour.

Graham led Millwall to promotion to the Second Division in 1984/85 and his work was built upon by his successor, John Docherty. In Docherty's second season in charge of the club, Millwall gained promotion to the top flight of English football.

Tony Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham starred for the Lions in the 1988/89 top flight season as they topped the table after six games and went on to finish 10th in the division.

However, in 1989/90, the club had a less successful campaign and Millwall were relegated back to the second tier.

Millwall's form and fortune plummeted towards the end of the millennium and they had a brief period in administration in the late 1990s. This continued the trend for Millwall of having a period of success and then a period of failure.

 

Millwall in the modern era

Millwall's fortunes took a turn for the better in the early 2000s, including this cracker in 2001. 

Caretaker and later permanent player-manager Dennis Wise led the Lions to the final of the 2004 FA Cup, where they were ultimately beaten 3-0 by Manchester United.

They qualified for the UEFA Cup as a result of their FA Cup final appearance but went out in the first round to Hungarian side Ferencvaros 4-2 on aggregate.

Millwall were relegated to the third tier of English football in 2006, but finally gained promotion back up to the Championship via the play-offs in 2010.

The Lions were relegated in 2015, but promoted again in 2017 under Millwall legend and all-time record goalscorer Neil Harris. They have remained a steady Championship club since then, with the occasional giant-killing cup run keeping spirits up at The Den.

In total Millwall have knocked out 25 top-flight teams when they themselves are not in the top-flight. They hold the record of 25 FA Cup 'Giant-killings' with Southampton.

Gary Rowett has cemented the stability of the club in the Championship when he took over in 2019 with 8th, 11th, 9th and 8th-placed finishes in the last four seasons.

But he left the club by mutual consent on October 18, 2023 with the club 15th in the Championship, just three points off the play-off places.

Former interim England Under-20 boss Joe Edwards was named the new Millwall boss in early November 2023, but he only lasted until late February 2024.

The 37-year-old won only won four of his 19 matches with the Lions, seeing his team fall to 21st in the Championship, just one point above the relegation zone.

Millwall quickly reappointed Harris as their new head coach hours after sacking Edwards.

Harris, who previously managed the Lions between 2015 and 2019, left his role as Cambridge boss and signed a contract until June 2025.

In his previous spell in charge permanently, Harris steered Millwall to consecutive League One play-off finals – winning the second against Bradford.

During his playing career Harris scored a club-record 138 goals in all competitions over 10 seasons.

 

 

Death of chairman John Berylson

Millwall owner and chairman John Berylson died in a car crash in the United States on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

The 70-year-old first became involved with the London club in 2006 and invested heavily in Millwall to secure their stability in the Championship.

"It is with a collective broken heart and the deepest of regret that we announce the passing of our beloved owner and chairman, John Berylson," Millwall posted on Twitter.

"John, who turned 70 last month, lost his life in a tragic accident on Tuesday morning, and the thoughts of everyone at the club are with his wife, Amy, his three children, Jennifer, James, and Elizabeth, and the rest of the Berylson family.

"John's sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him. He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness.

"He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people.

"Under John's passionate leadership and guidance, Millwall has enjoyed tremendous success and stability.

"Since first becoming involved in the club in 2006, he has presided over some of the greatest moments in Millwall's history, and his influence in providing the platform for those was immeasurable.

"John continued to speak eagerly about the new season and his vision for the future, and any success moving forward will be in his memory and honour. It will be his legacy.

"John revelled in the club's underdog status and mentality. He related strongly to such values and identity and adored Millwall supporters. He was fiercely loyal to all his staff, and both they and the fan base will miss him beyond measure."

The English Football League tweeted: "The EFL is shocked and saddened by the news and sends its deepest condolences to John's family and everyone connected with Millwall."

Former Millwall defender Alan Dunne, who made almost 350 appearances for the club, also posted a tribute.

"My deepest condolences to not only my Chairman for many years but also friend," Dunne said on Twitter.

"John was a gentleman who put Millwall back on the map. What he has done for the club will always be remembered and can only thank him for everything he done for me and MILLWALL. Rip JB."

Millwall defender Danny McNamara's message in a book of condolences for Berylson on Millwall's website read: "Suited and booted with a cigar in his hand. A classy and honest down to earth man.

"Someone who has looked after this club when times were low to make us the club we are today. Without you, this wouldn't be the case.

"A genuine loving family man who always had the time to ask how myself and my family were. He'd talk about his family life and how much he loved golf.

"Watching him take care of my club growing up as a fan to now playing for this club is a true honour and everything we do as a club is now for you and your family. Thank you Mr chairman. RIP."

Midfielder George Saville, who rejoined the club in 2021, dedicated Millwall's future successes to Berylson and noted the club would not be in its current position without his guidance.

Saville wrote: "An amazing owner but more importantly, an amazing man.

"The club wouldn't be where it is today without his dedication and support. Thank you doesn't seem enough but everything going forward will be for him.

"Sending all my love to Mr chairman's family, friends as well as everyone connected past and present with Millwall Football Club. Rest in peace Mr Chairman."

Defender George Evans added: "An incredible guy who did so much for this amazing football club and me personally. Thank you for everything Mr chairman, you will be deeply missed."

 

Millwall's infamous fanbase

Millwall's fanbase has traditionally been associated with hooliganism, however fairly or unfairly.

During the Covid-19 pandemic when fans were allowed into grounds based on the tier system, there was a controversy at the Den when Millwall supporters booed players who took the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign.

After the booing took place, Millwall player Mahlon Romeo did an interview with the South London Press, voicing his opinions on the fans boos, "Today's game, to me now, has become irrelevant. The fans have been let back in - which the whole team was looking forward to," Romeo said.

"But in society there is a problem - and that problem is racism.

"The fans who have been let in today have personally disrespected not just me but the football club. And what the football club and the community stand for.

"What they've done is booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which was put in place to highlight, combat and stop any discriminatory behaviour and racism. That's it - that's all that gesture is"

 

Millwall's rivalries

Millwall's fiercest rivalry is with West Ham United, and is one of the most infamous derbies in English football. They have played almost 100 times and each time they play there is a threat of violence between the fanbases.

Both clubs originated in London's East End just three miles apart and their rivalry was once known as the Dockers derby, as fans worked for rival shipyards.

The Lions eventually moved across the Thames to South London but the conflict never went away, especially with the rise of the ICF and the Millwall Bushwackers firms in the 70s and 80s.

 

Despite calls of games being played behind closed doors, the two sides have not played together for a few years so these ideas have not been needed.

As well as the West Ham rivalry, Millwall have a fierce rivalry with Leeds and strong rivals within London, such as Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

 

Millwall's finances

Millwall is owned by Millwall Holdings, and American businessman and chairman John Berylson was a 70 per cent shareholder.

Berylson had pumped more than £100million into Millwall, with the club's 2022 accounts showing he put in another £13m to offset losses.

However, the 70-year-old Berylson died in a "tragic accident" in July 2023 and his son James took the reins.

The Championship outfit's income rose to £18.5m - a climb of £6m - with operating losses dropping from £13m in 2021 to £11.7m.