Millwall's biggest game for years...

Ask any Millwall fan and they will tell you that Charlton are a "joke club" and our supporters have no "passion." By this, they invariably mean that they harbour a jealousy over our ambition and achievements, and that those Charlton fans more interested in fighting rival supporters than watching football are a small minority as opposed to their large minority (some would say majority). 


This hurts them far more than they would ever admit, or in most cases, ever realise. It's the one reason why demand from Millwall fans for tickets to Charlton derby matches knows no bounds. They covet this one far more than a Palace derby and , dare-I-say-it, more even than a fixture against the Hammers. Sure, it's not the same aggro opportunity for them but then again the bullies pretty-much enjoy a free run and they relish the opportunity to beat us which somehow enables them to ignore our relative histories.


They are out again in force for 13th March and have already sold out the home areas. To our credit, we have sold our initial 2500 allocation and are hoping to get 500 tickets for the Lower tier, although the end blocks have to be left empty to discourage less thoughtful Millwall fans from losing the plot and trying to get through a line of stewards or police. As if to emphasise the point I am making here, this will be their largest home attendance for a number of years, almost certainly more than last years Play-Off first leg against Leeds United.


Many years ago, when God was a little boy, and we had been languishing in the same division as Millwall, a bloke I was working for locally from Swindon, said to me, "I've finally realised what the difference is between Millwall and Charlton fans?" I could have given him plenty but went along with the question and politely declined to comment. "Charlton fans believe their club is better than it actually is, whereas Millwall fans know theirs is shit." I often think about that because he hit the nail on the head for me and it sometimes takes an outsider to see things more clearly than we are able to.


Let's hope that our belief will be enough to get us another result against that lot to continue the belated improvement in results between our two clubs. Unbeaten in three and seven points from the last nine against them must be a record! Unfortunately, I will be at Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup, a decision I took before the tournament started and when I again had hopes that my countrymen would finally over-perform again. It might not now hold the attraction of a feisty Millwall derby but I will enjoy the day far more than a visit to the New Den. I will be with you in spirit lads and if we are struggling to sell the last few tickets next week, I will be buying one as a matter of principle.