Millwall's football ground.

[AnotherArch]

It's obviously quite a few years ago now but from memory getting to and from the ground was very intimidating walking through the side streets. It felt as if all eyes were on you, despite no one wearing any colours it felt as if everyone was watching you and knew that you weren't Millwall. Possibly because we were walking upright. Inside the ground it felt as if it was going to kick off at any moment.

I would have been a teenager at the time and found it very intimidating but I suppose it could have just been my teenage mind working overtime along with their reputation.

This.
Certainly my first experience of football violence in the 60's. No segregation. The walk to the station was avoiding eye contact with anyone.

 

[dazzer6666]

It's obviously quite a few years ago now but from memory getting to and from the ground was very intimidating walking through the side streets. It felt as if all eyes were on you, despite no one wearing any colours it felt as if everyone was watching you and knew that you weren't Millwall. Possibly because we were walking upright. Inside the ground it felt as if it was going to kick off at any moment.

I would have been a teenager at the time and found it very intimidating but I suppose it could have just been my teenage mind working overtime along with their reputation.

Serves you right for having the correct number of fingers on each hand, keeping them off the ground when you walk and having more than one eyebrow

 

[ofco8]

I used to be jealous of their stadium

This. When we were travelling to Gillingham in late 90s, there was a Sussex County Cricket do at this stadium one evening.
People like myself were commenting on the stadium and someone turned the lights on that lit up the ground for us to see.

Weren't us Albion fans jealous. We never thought we would have a similar, smart stadium. Time is a healer.

 

[AnotherArch]

A trip to Millwall is the biggest difference in the 'then' and 'now' conparison of any away game. In the past at the old Den it was dark and brooding, for very good reason. Nowadays travelling by train is the modern day football experience - totally sanitised. There is no contact (good or bad) with any locals, total segregation from S Bermondsey station going in, all the way back to London Bridge coming back out. No sight of any police horses or dogs, sound of sirens, the frisson of the unexpected round the next corner, the sound of chanting, shouts and running feet. However.......................

what was a throwback to the 70's and 80's was the good old-fashioned crowd crush to firstly get through the exit gate once it was opened, then get onto the train, and then to survive the train journey. When my boys were 6 and 4, I started taking them to some tasty away games in the 80's, but I would have struggled with them last Tuesday by train. I didn't see any kids around, but then you wouldn't have done unless they were right next to you.

 

[Wozza]

Nightmare to get to Margate afterwards though...

 

[TomandJerry]

Lets be honest, if fans were made to mix like they used to do (no away section lined with police and barriers) how many people would go to Millwall?

 

[Surf's Up]

It's obviously quite a few years ago now but from memory getting to and from the ground was very intimidating walking through the side streets. It felt as if all eyes were on you, despite no one wearing any colours it felt as if everyone was watching you and knew that you weren't Millwall. Possibly because we were walking upright. Inside the ground it felt as if it was going to kick off at any moment.

I would have been a teenager at the time and found it very intimidating but I suppose it could have just been my teenage mind working overtime along with their reputation.

I went to the old Den quite a lot as a student because I was St college in New Cross. Used to love it to be honest because for most games I was with Milwall fans but on the few occasions I watched the Albion there, knowing what I knew about the home fans, I found it very intimidating. Previous posters are right - the place was a powder keg.

 

[Turkey]

One of my favourite away days. Granted the home atmosphere was rubbish this time but it's usually pretty good.