Millwall Supporters Club - 1998 to 2011

Millwall Supporters Club (MSC) was formed at the start of the 1998-99 Season. Chairman Theo Paphitis felt that it was important for supporters to have an official body that would provide an avenue for them to air their opinions. At the same time the Club would at least appear to be open and inclusive and recognising the importance of the supporters. The Club agreed to provide a range of benefits that would be available exclusively to members.

A steering committee was appointed consisting of representatives from the two fanzines TLR and NOLU, the fan website House of Fun, the Junior Lions and the Club. This committee recommended free membership of the MSC to all season ticket holders and this was agreed.  At the end of the 1998-99 season a committee of five was voted for and the first committee was chaired by Paul Welch, a local businessman and life-long fan.

Members also voted for the South Stand to be named 'The Cold Blow Lane Stand'. Some events were organised, including Fans Forums attended by the Football Club Chairman and Manager, the first MSC Quiz Night and even a disco.

In May 2000 the Club provided 20 coaches to transport MSC members to the play-off semi-final at Wigan, at the club’s expense.

2002-2005
In 2002/3, Millwall introduced a members-only policy, and the MSC lobbied against this. In the event, MSC negotiated the membership price down from £15 to £5, and eventually members were allowed to bring a guest, and ticket restrictions for high profile away matches were relaxed. However, at this time MSC membership was seen as a punishment for the misdemeanours of others and most supporters were very unhappy. In 2003 The Lions Trust was formed, as a supporters group with a different focus, but the Trust was not recognised by Theo Paphitis the chairman, who was not convinced that the supporters had a constructive role to play. Through no fault of the MSC committees, few improvements were made to benefit the fans. MSC did succeed in securing a contribution of £1 out of the supporters’ membership fees to fund their activities, they secured a page in the matchday programme, and also instigated a Man of the Match award for each home game. The first MSC quiz nights were held. Despite Millwall reaching the 2004 FA Cup Final, and having a successful team that should have, and in other circumstances would  have, made it to the Premier League, fans were still unhappy and the club, and in particular the chairman and his managing director Ken Brown, chose to communicate sparingly with the MSC with meetings held only occasionally. As a result, in 2005 the MSC committee resigned en bloc.  hey were persuaded to resume their duties with the impending anticipated change of chairman, but nevertheless in the 2005 close season Millwall Fans United (MFU) was formed, a collaboration between MSC, The Lions Trust and other supporters’ communities such as the online message boards and fanzines. Leaflets were distributed in the car park and eventually the chairman agreed to a meeting. He was not of a mind to change the way he was doing things, but MFU was a short-lived organisation as by the end of the 2005 the tide was turning. 

2006
Peter de Savary took over as chairman, and at an MSC Fans Forum a question of having a fan on the board was raised. De Savary bought into the argument that the supporters are important and have a constructive role to play in the running of the club. Subsequently terms of reference were agreed, the MSC organised an election and Peter Garston was elected as FOTB. By this time Stewart Till had taken over as chairman, but De Savary’s legacy was not just the FOTB, but also the blue bus which has become a focus for supporters on match days.

2007
With Stewart Till as chairman the regular monthly meetings with the club which the MSC committees, and the other supporters’ organisations, had lobbied long and hard for over the years finally became a regular fixture. With a fan in the boardroom and constructive communication between the MSC and the club, the fans finally had the opportunity to have an influence at the Den. By the end of the year John Berylson had taken over the chairmanship, and Andy Ambler was appointed as, to all intents and purposes, Chief Executive.

2008-11
Since 2007 Peter Garston has been re-elected as FOTB twice and the generally healthy relationship between supporters and the club has been maintained. The Lions Trust has become primarily a shareholders’ group. The MSC has worked hard to become more relevant to its members, and innovations which the MSC has been able to implement in this period include

• The introduction of a £2 discount on advance matchday ticket sales.
• The introduction of Lions Live, the weekly radio show for supporters which started on South London Radio, and is now an internet broadcast entirely managed by the MSC.
• Presence at Bermondsey Carnival, Lewisham Peoples’ Day and other fetes, etc.
• Emails to MSC members, which hitherto the club had lacked the will and the database to enable.
• Provision of a sign on the renamed Dockers Stand.
• Participation in planning the 125 year celebrations including voting on the shirt design.
• Assisting supporters who believe that they have unfairly received club banning orders.
• Continually provide feedback to enable the club to improve the matchday experience for supporters.
• Development of the Awayday Guide for fans, on the MSC website.
• Ensuring that at least one coach goes to every away match outside the London area.

The Future
It is important that the MSC continues to forge a constructive relationship with the club. The fans are an important part of Millwall FC, it is OUR club and without us there is no club. The MSC and the FOTB must make our voices heard throughout the club including the boardroom. The FOTB in particular is a key role and the MSC must continue to support and develop this role.

Since its inception, the MSC constitution has been adapted to meet the challenges that have arisen and has brought more stability to the MSC. Despite its lack of independence, and indeed the fact that MSC’s activities are funded by contributions from club membership subscriptions, the MSC has at last got to position where it can challenge the activities of the club with a view to making things better for the fans. Over the years independent supporters’ organisations have been very limited in what they can achieve and so we must ensure that the MSC goes from strength to strength and that the supporters’ interests are represented in the strongest possible way.

Millwall Supporters Club, c/o The Den, Zampa Road, London SE16 3LN  -  phone: 07895 022 325  -  email: info@millwallsupportersclub.co.uk