Today I'm going back 29 years to 1993 and Millwall's first ever home League game at their brand spanking new Den for an early season League Division 1 (now Championship) fixture against Southend United. The attendance, no doubt boosted for this Sunday game by the presence of a few groundhoppers like myself, was 10,273.
Millwall, located in London's docklands area of New Cross, had based themselves at their former home "The Den" from 1910 until it was demolished in 1993. The Den, now seemingly referred to as "the old Den" was yet another football ground designed by the architect Archibald Leitch and it had cost £10,000 to build but was extensively damaged during World War Two as the Luftwaffe targeted the Docklands area. The Den was always regarded as something of a fortress and indeed Millwall had a formidable record there including remaining undefeated there in 59 consecutive games (1964-67). Millwall's supporters also had a fearsome reputation which I have commented on previously (search on Millwall in my blog if you'd like to know more). By the late 1980's it was clear that Millwall needed some kind of update and image makeover and the decision to move to the all-seater £16 Million New Den (now known as The Den) at Senegal Fields was part of that.
Possibly it was against the run of play but it was Millwall who would score the first League goal at their new home in the 21st minute following great work from Ian Bogie. Bogie put Canadian-born American striker John Kerr clean through for a precise finish into the bottom corner. Kerr would go on to make 16 appearances for the USA scoring 2 goals. That was as good as it got in the featured game for Millwall however. Southend's Jason Lee, strangely without "a pineapple on his head" as the old terrace song would have it, scored a smart headed equaliser from a corner in the 36th minute to take the teams in level at half time.
Barry Fry, Southend's manager was interviewed at half-time (see the video attached to my blog) and he said that he was expecting better things in front of goal from his under-strength side in the second-half. They certainly delivered that! In the 56th minute Ricky Otto scored for the Shrimpers and this was followed by further goals from Tommy Mooney (71st minute) and Andy Ansah (81st minute) as Southend proved to be master party poopers on Millwall's big day.
Despite their early season setback, Millwall went on to have a good season and the defeat to Southend proved to be the only home League defeat that season with the club finishing in 3rd place and qualifying for the end-of-season Play-Offs. However Millwall went on to lose to 6th placed Derby County in their Play-Off Semi-Final over two legs before Leicester City themselves beat Derby in the Play-Off Final at Wembley. Division 1 champions that season were Crystal Palace with runners-up Nottingham Forest also gaining promotion. Southend United, who lost boss Barry Fry to Birmingham City in December finished season comfortably mid-table in 15th place (of 24) with new manager Peter Taylor at the helm. Fry's new club Birmingham City, Oxford United and Peterborough United were all relegated that season.
CRB Match No. 846
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