The Pride of Lions

By Kristina Howells

Highs and lows in the history of Millwall F.C. as told to a young female by amongst others,
Jimmy Carter, John Fashanu, Chris Hart, Margaret Moran MP and Fred Reveall.
Relive with them the thrills of promotion, the tension and drama of relegation. Problems at the ground and the sharing of the community spirit.
Above all Millwall is a community club and despite all of its past problems, and limited resources. Maybe its climb back to success may
begin this season.
So come on you Lions, keep that roar roaring as loud as ever - you may never know tomorrow's glories may just be a reality awaiting round
the corner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristina Howells
• Release date: Mar 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465734891

Kristina Howells

I am a published author and poet. I currently live in Calais in France, I am a British expat. I have written non-fiction and fiction works. I design all my book covers, and I have become an online judge of ebooks. My works include: A Hatter goes Mad Te Deum Una voce Lettre Fatale Making sense of the Genesis Flood Making sense of the Life of Christ Law and Gospel Les Delices de Calais Short stories Poetry Since my publishers have gone out of business due to the credit crisis I am now self publishing using Lulu.com to help me. It is easy to publish without paying for it when you know how. All my works are found on amazon. If you wish to contact me please do not hesitate all queries will be answered.

Book preview

The Pride of Lions

Copyright Kristina Howells

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Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter One Matches pre-World War One

Chapter Two 1918-1945 Football re-established

Chapter Three The start of Millwall's decline 1945

Chapter Four Life's looking up 1960s

Chapter Five Down one decade '70s, Up the next '80s

Chapter Six Life in the '90s

Chapter Seven End of an era

Chapter Eight New beginnings

Chapter Nine Lions in the 21st Century

Summary

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

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Forward

1 was very proud, and very pleased to be able to play for Millwall. It was in a tough area, the East-end of London, and that's why I sort of played my football. They were tough but very disciplined as well.

It was nice because out of all the clubs I played for, the support, the vocal support at Millwall especially, was able to give you protection on the pitch. That is what I used to enjoy, and that is one of the things I will always remember when it comes to Millwall F.C, the passion of the supporters, and their vocal support.

John Fashanu

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Introduction

From the ladies allowed into the ground for free, to ladies running football clubs!

How did this leap occur?

Well, it all started with changes in every aspect of employment within society, and in particular the individual communities across Great Britain. Around the turn of the century there was the suffragette movement who fought very hard for the women's right to vote, and for their better employment and pay conditions. At the same time, women were allowed into football matches for free, accompanying their husbands, fathers and children.

Then during the Second World War, when husbands, fathers and sons were called up to fight, it was the women of this country who were able to keep the economy going by doing jobs that men had once filled.

So, in terms of football clubs, and in place of the young lads who were now fighting in the Army, Navy or Air Force, there would be women making the tea, selling the programmes and working in the ticket office at home on match days.

A female fan called Mollie tells of how life at Millwall was like at the time of these social changes:

"I am 76 years old now, and l can remember my father saying to me in the early 1930's. 'Would you like to accompany your brother and I too watch Millwall play?'

I cannot remember the very first game I saw in great detail, but I do remember seeing the team play in blue and white, and the other in some sort of stripes.

But it was from this early experience that prompted me to continue my support for the club, as I grew older. Because, when Millwall scored, the crowd seemed lifted, and that' s the reason why I am now a fan.

Then the war broke out in 1939, many of the young lads who had made the teas had to go off and fight. This now meant the club needed people to do the jobs the lads had once done on match days, and it was the women they turned to.

I was quite fortunate, and got a job alongside my friend Celia, making the teas at half time. Each cup of tea I made, I didn’t know if it was for Cliff Bastin, Frank Swift or the average Joe Blogs and his wife. I enjoyed making the teas as it meant I could go to watch Millwall play at home free and get paid for it.

Soon after the war had ended I got promoted to being in charge of the teas and Bovril’s. This is where I met my husband Alfred. Alfred had just come back from fighting in Africa, and I sold him his first match sarnie for seven years!

We became firm friends and we eventually got married in 1948. When I was pregnant with our first-born I had to give up my part-time job working behind the counter so I could bring up my family.

Looking back now, if it was not for the war and my father introducing me to Millwall F.C. I don't think I would have ever got to make the teas at half-time, and to have met my Alfie."

Even though the war had many terrible consequences, it had helped to give women the opportunity that they might never have had in all aspects of community life. After the war, the government realised just how established women had become in the workplace, and that they were in jobs they might never had got to do if the war had not taken place. This soon resulted in changes to employment laws, so that more women would have the opportunity in the workplace, which they never had before.

So let's now look back to Millwall's history through accounts of former players, supporters, key match reports and former politicians. Who through their eyes, tell of their support and opportunities of working for, playing for and watching the Lions through the decades!

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Chapter One

Matches pre-World War One

Millwall was formerly known as Millwall Rovers. Where employees of Morton and Co, a jam and marmalade factory formed in 1885 in West Ferry Road. The founders, who are of Scottish decent, based their headquarters at the Islanders pub in Tooke Street, Millwall.

Their earliest matches were friendlies; and cup matches. Millwall's first ever cup success was the East End