State of Play: Millwall – punching above their weight

MILLWALL, the subject of our latest State of Play report, is a unique club in many ways; controversial, historically feared by opponents, hamstrung by a past reputation not totally in keeping with the reality of today’s football club.  

A trip to the Den as a neutral, while occasionally intimidating, is certainly a very different experience. It is passionate, raw and uncompromising, but you either love it or hate it. 

Sadly, the club was recently struck by tragedy when their popular chairman, John Berylson, died in a car crash in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. His son, James, who has been a director since 2010, has since taken over. Berylson senior oversaw two promotion campaigns to the Championship and allowed Millwall to exceed expectations.One can only assume his son will want to maintain the momentum established by his father. 

They may be one of many London clubs that live in the shadow of the big capital city clubs, but there are few football institutions that truly represent a support base better than Millwall. They have two South London clubs on their doorstep in Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace and they have a cultural rivalry with West Ham United even if they rarely meet the Hammers. In 2022-23, the club drew an average attendance of 14,767 – their best crowds since 1989. Clearly, they are doing something right in south London.

To see the full State of Play Report, click here