A Saturday afternoon was free after Louise had decided to go wedding dress shopping with Helen. At a bit of a loss with what to do, I decided to try to go see a football match. I focussed on the 'best available' game. So that ruled out the Premier League games at Arsenal and West Ham as they were sold out, all the Championship London teams were playing away. That brought Millwall of League One (the old Division 3) into pole position. Millwall was only about 40 mins train/tube/train from home, which made it reasonably convenient. I managed to convince Zac that it would be a good idea to come along. We met up at Waterloo and off we went into Bermondsey to the 'New Den' to see Millwall versus Huddersfield.
Despite the game being a way off the standards of the Premier League, the crowd attendance was 7,500. The away team brought some fans, maybe 3-500, and they were totally segregated with one stand to themselves, and all in the central area, however they managed to escape out of their central area to antagonise the Millwall supporters in the next door stand later in the game. However no real concerns as the sets of fans were just yelling at each other. The most interesting aspect of the day was the family that sat behind us. The main protagonist was Dad, a very rotund fella, who came out with the memorable call to the referee after a foul was given against Millwall - I hope your wife dies of AIDS, you c*. Of course his sub 10 year old son is getting involved gesturing and copying the words of Dad. As Zac put it, the poor child didn't stand a chance, the day he was born he was stuffed. Of course there were plenty of similar characters, with a good level of commitment to the cause, demonstrated by the Millwall FC club crest tattooed on their bodies.
For the match itself, it was a good game, helped by the hot and sunny weather. My first impression was that I probably could manage a side in the grade, as the predominant tactics seemed to be - lump it forward to the big striker. After the game settled down, the ball was played along the deck and it flowed quite well. Millwall went behind to a wonderful overhead bicycle kick. A great goal, but I didn't support it as much as I would have liked. A quiet comment to Zac - that was a good goal, was all that I could manage. Millwall then equalised just before halftime, scored by a player that we were describing as useless and unmotivated, a sentiment that was shared by the crowd we noticed. Mind you, if you score the you are everyone's best friend, at least for the next 15 minutes, as this fellow discovered later.
Millwall dominated the second half, and scored a go-ahead goal with about 15 to go, a well worked move. By this stage the Millwall fans were well worked up, and were charging through the stand to gesture and chant rude words at the away team supporters. Then controversy, with 5 minutes to go a very dubious penalty was awarded to Huddersfield, I thought the foul was well outside the box. Up steps David Unsworth, former England defender, and the goalkeeper pulls off a great save. Now the crowd goes truly mental. Some great chants - you're s t and it’s a long way home, 1-0 and you f'ed it up. Lots of Millwall etcetc. Pretty entertaining stuff.
Overall the game was pretty good, I was impressed by the central defenders for both sides as they dealt with the frequent attacks of the aerial game very well, and the attacking skills on the quick break were equally impressive.
One goal of mine, when I came over, was to try and get to each of the London clubs that play in the football leagues home games. So one down, 13 to go. The list remaining is Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Watford, Leyton Orient, Barnet, Brentford, Dagenham & Redbridge. Of course these won't be the only football games I get to!
Despite the game being a way off the standards of the Premier League, the crowd attendance was 7,500. The away team brought some fans, maybe 3-500, and they were totally segregated with one stand to themselves, and all in the central area, however they managed to escape out of their central area to antagonise the Millwall supporters in the next door stand later in the game. However no real concerns as the sets of fans were just yelling at each other. The most interesting aspect of the day was the family that sat behind us. The main protagonist was Dad, a very rotund fella, who came out with the memorable call to the referee after a foul was given against Millwall - I hope your wife dies of AIDS, you c*. Of course his sub 10 year old son is getting involved gesturing and copying the words of Dad. As Zac put it, the poor child didn't stand a chance, the day he was born he was stuffed. Of course there were plenty of similar characters, with a good level of commitment to the cause, demonstrated by the Millwall FC club crest tattooed on their bodies.
For the match itself, it was a good game, helped by the hot and sunny weather. My first impression was that I probably could manage a side in the grade, as the predominant tactics seemed to be - lump it forward to the big striker. After the game settled down, the ball was played along the deck and it flowed quite well. Millwall went behind to a wonderful overhead bicycle kick. A great goal, but I didn't support it as much as I would have liked. A quiet comment to Zac - that was a good goal, was all that I could manage. Millwall then equalised just before halftime, scored by a player that we were describing as useless and unmotivated, a sentiment that was shared by the crowd we noticed. Mind you, if you score the you are everyone's best friend, at least for the next 15 minutes, as this fellow discovered later.
Millwall dominated the second half, and scored a go-ahead goal with about 15 to go, a well worked move. By this stage the Millwall fans were well worked up, and were charging through the stand to gesture and chant rude words at the away team supporters. Then controversy, with 5 minutes to go a very dubious penalty was awarded to Huddersfield, I thought the foul was well outside the box. Up steps David Unsworth, former England defender, and the goalkeeper pulls off a great save. Now the crowd goes truly mental. Some great chants - you're s t and it’s a long way home, 1-0 and you f'ed it up. Lots of Millwall etcetc. Pretty entertaining stuff.
Overall the game was pretty good, I was impressed by the central defenders for both sides as they dealt with the frequent attacks of the aerial game very well, and the attacking skills on the quick break were equally impressive.
One goal of mine, when I came over, was to try and get to each of the London clubs that play in the football leagues home games. So one down, 13 to go. The list remaining is Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Watford, Leyton Orient, Barnet, Brentford, Dagenham & Redbridge. Of course these won't be the only football games I get to!
1 comment:
I never made it to Millwall, but have (in London) got to Crystal Palace, Charlton, Wimbledon, Fulham, Chelsea, and Tottenham. I heartily recoomend the burgers outside Craven Cottage...
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