v 
THE BLUES
Just when we thought it was safe to go to Millwall.
A promising performance in the opening league fixture brought three deserved points but now the doubts that many had before that game have returned. Nicky Bailey's transfer has left a sour taste but that's football life and the squad, let alone us, have to move on.
The back five can stay as they are. So The Moose and Grant? Defensive but that might be what we need at the New Den. Unless we sign someone very late this afternoon I can't see what choice Tilly has. If we stick with two widemen chances should still be created, however I would start with Betsy especially as it looks as if Walker will be unfit. Three starts in seven days would be too much for Furlong so Revell for me to start with the good Lord.
We will all find out in 24 hours time but I see a 2-1 win, probably at the bottom of a glass!
THE OPPOSITION
Well cheer up, the Lions have lost both their opening games! They haven't lost their captain, Paul Robinson, sent off at Oldham he's served his one match ban and plays against us.
Early days but the first two results may have confirmed the pessimism of this particular Lion who fears they be toothless going into the campaign. (Thanks to www.iron-bru.net)
How did you fare last season?
How do you think you will do this season?
Mid-table, with maybe an outside chance of the play-offs. The manager Kenny Jackett has picked his new signings carefully but there's a lack of inexperience in the side and without a decent goalscorer I can't see us dominating games like we should.
What is your squad like?
The average age of the squad has been cut significantly, with Richard Shaw retiring and Dave Brammer about to leave. Jackett has also signed a load of youngsters which may work but could back-fire significantly on him.
Which youngster will make the biggest impression in your team this season?
We have so many that you can take your pick. Hopefully it will be Lewis Grabban - for the right reasons.
What's your manager like and will he still be there at the end of the season?
Millwall have had about six hundred managers in the last six seasons. The jury's still out on Kenny Jackett but if he is there at the end of it he'll be the first for a very long time.
Are you happy with your chairman/backroom staff?
Not really. We have millionaires galore on the board, none of them are interested in investing in the team, though.
Which team do you want to beat the most and why?
All of them. Then we'll go up. Failing that, Leeds United.
Predict your champions and runners-up, the four play-off teams and the four to go down
Champions: Peterborough United
Runners-up: Leeds United
Play-offs: Oldham Athletic, Leicester City, MK Dons Southend United, (thanks mate.) Relegated: Colchester United (more respect!), Brighton & Hove Albion, Crewe Alexandra and probably Scunthorpe United (if they'll still relying on Ben May to score there goals...)
Lions boss Kenny Jackett tried to find positives in the 1-0 defeat to Northampton in the Carling Cup at the Den which drew boos from the depleted home support at full-time. The decisive goal was struck by full-back Jason Crowe on 15 minutes when he drove a shot under David Forde after an intelligent step over from former Lion Adebayo Akinfenwa. They also lost 4-3 away to Oldham in the league after leading 3-1 into the second half! (See the League One Round Up in the Club Lounge section for that one.) The report is from News Shopper Online.
"I felt we dominated the match from the last 15 minutes of the first half to the end. We created some good chances and got some great crosses in, but we need to put them away. Lewis Grabban and Tresor Kandol both had good chances tonight. I know if we keep on creating chances for them they will score goals. Wins breed confidence in the players and the fans and although we've lost our first two games, I feel we've been the better team in both of them."
The Cobblers could have taken the lead with barely a minute on the clock when Ryan Gilligan slid in at the back post, but the midfielder could only guide Liam Davis' cross into the upright.
Millwall's defence had conceded four at Oldham at the weekend and still looked decidedly shaky in dealing with the early Northampton pressure. They were exposed when a low cross from the left was allowed to roll across the face of goal and tapped in by the unmarked Crowe.
Following the goal, the Lions response was anything but inspired. It took the home side until the 35th minute to finally get into their stride when Marc Laird cleverly flicked past his marker, fed Nadjim Abdou, who spread a pass out to Lewis Grabban but the striker fired wide. The move seemed to inspire the Lions who threatened with a couple of headers before Abdou and Grabban combined once again, with the latter again missing the target.
Jackett made a double substitution at half-time, replacing the ineffective Gary Alexander and Abdou with Ahmet Brkovic and Tresor Kandol. With this change came a new impetus to Millwall and Kandol nearly added to the goal he picked up on his debut at Oldham when he nodded David Martin's cross goalward, but saw his effort sail wide.
Grabban, who looked lively all night, nearly made the breakthrough on 52 minutes when he received a long diagonal pass, turned inside his marker and hit a fierce shot which Mark Bunn in the Northampton goal did well to parry to safety. A series of speculative long-range efforts from Martin and Kandol failed to trouble Bunn before a far more accurate 30-yard drive from Grabban rattled the woodwork on 76 minutes.
However, this scare aside, Northampton dealt well with anything the somewhat toothless Lions could muster and always seemed in control of the tie.
Millwall: Forde, Hackett, Frampton, Fuseini, Craig, Frampton, Laird, Martin, Grabban, Alexander (Kandol 46), Abdou (Brkovic 46). Subs not used: Edwards, Dunne, Harris, Smith, Forbes. Att: 3,525
Played 77: WON 24 DRAWN 20 LOST 33
First played them on Feb. 5 1921 away losing 2-4, Fairclough getting a brace for us.
The first game seen at the New Den was on August 22 1993 and captured by the 'Sunday Match' cameras. Highlights can be seen in the Back in Time section on www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDY3&id=401965
The very next year we played them on August 13 and I was called into duty at a friends country wedding to help the cars arriving park in the right place by waving them into a specified field next to the church. I had my radio on. Iorfa equalised, up went my hands, and a car started with it's right front wheel went into a ditch. Terrible, I mean we lost 3-1.
It had to be, Nicky Bailey scored both our goals against the Lions last season. His looping header gaining us our first points against a lack lustre Millwall on August 25, we do like that month against them, with a 1-0 win.
The return fixture on a cold Feb. 12 2008 saw over 1,000 of us pile into the New Den and witness a brilliant Bailey volley to take the lead. Then our game fell apart a touch and two set piece goals handed Millwall a 2-1 win. Who would have thought the next time we would lose would be two months later at Tranmere.
THE GROUND
The ground is a dramatic improvement from the dank and foreboding 'Old' Den and is quite smart looking. The new Den is made up of four fair sized two tiered stands that are of the same height. The corners of the ground are open, apart from one corner where there is a large video screen. Away fans are located at one end of the ground in the North Stand (usually in the upper tier only). Like the general improvement in football, a trip to Millwall is not as threatening as it once was. The Police are well drilled in dealing with the coaches and once inside the ground you will generally find the stewards helpful & friendly.
THE CAR
There are number of ways of getting to the ground, but the most straightforward, if not the shortest in distance is to follow the A2 into London from Junction 2 of the M25. The A2 actually passes the ground. Once you go past New Cross Gate tube station on your right the ground is about a mile further on. The only awkward bit is about half way in-between New Cross Gate and the ground where the road splits into two. Keep to the right following the signs A2 City/Westminster. You will come to the ground on your right. Street parking can be found on the small estate on your left just past the ground. There are no sizeable car parks around the ground. More info at www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW4
THE TRAIN
South Bermondsey Railway Station is only a few minutes walk from the ground. There is a direct walkway specifically built for away fans which takes you directly to the away end and back to the station afterwards. This has made the Police's job of keeping rival supporters apart so much more manageable.
If your team brings a sizeable following, then an 'away fan' football special may be laid on from London Bridge. In these instances the police are well drilled in getting away fans into the ground from the special train and safely away afterwards. Although don't be surprised if you are held in the stadium for sometime after the final whistle, before being allowed back up the walkway to the station. More info on times and prices at www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW4
THE PUB
The area around London Bridge have the pubs of choice. For a recommended pub crawl go to www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW8
THE REF
His assistants are Steve Child from Kent and Mike Murphy from West Midlands with Graham Scott on the touchline.
THE HISTORY
We Fear No Foe Where E'er We Go is the Millwall motto adopted in 1936 along with the Lions badge.
Millwall "Rovers" were founded by the workers of J.T. Morton in Millwall in the East End of London on the Isle of Dogs in 1885. J.T. Morton was first founded in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1849 to supply sailing ships with food. They opened their first English cannery and food processing plant on the Isle of Dogs at the Millwall dock in 1870, and attracted a workforce from across the whole of the country, including the East Coast of Scotland. The group of tinsmiths who founded Millwall were predominantly, but not exclusively Scottish.
The club secretary was seventeen year old Jasper Sexton, the son of the landlord of The Islander Pub in Tooke Street where Millwall held their meetings. The first chairman of the club was Irish international footballer and local GP Doctor William Murray-Leslie, who surprisingly never played for the club.
Millwall 'Rovers' first fixture was in 1885 against Fillebrook, who played in Leytonstone. The newly formed team was well beaten 5-0. Learning from this early defeat, they were unbeaten in their next 12 games before they lost to the top East London side Old St Pauls. In their first season, they were only beaten three times. In November 1886, the East End Football Association was formed, and along with it came a Senior Cup Competition. Millwall made it to the final against London Caledonians. The game was played at the Leyton Cricket Ground. The match finished 2-2 and the teams shared the cup for six months each. During this season, Millwall played two games on the same day, both at home. The first was a 0-0 draw against Dreadnought in the morning; the second, a 4-1 win against Westminster Swifts in the afternoon.
Despite an 8-1 defeat in the FA Cup, Millwall went on to win the East London Senior Cup at the first attempt. They went on to win it for the following two years and the trophy became their property.
For a fuller history which takes you up to the present day go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millwall_F.C.
(Thanks to all the usual suspects for their help with this article.)