Sheffield United vs Millwall

90 UTB
FORGOTTEN GROUNDS
T he Old Den
Opened: 1909 Closed: 1993
Each week UTB looks back over a stadium from the past to
discover United’s first, last and most memorable performance...
× THE GROUND…
Millwall moved into The Den
in 1910 and famed stadium
architect Archibald Leitch was
the man charged with the
stadium’s design. The Den
largely consisted of grass
banking in the early days, but
eventually the terraces were
concreted, taking capacity to
an estimated 40,000. After
some gradual improvements
over the years, the ground
suffered during WWII when
susceptible to air raids due
to the nearby docks. In 1943
a German bomb hit the North
Terrace and a week later a
fire destroyed the Main Stand.
Millwall were homeless for a
time as renovation took place,
work which was undertaken
mainly by fans. In 1948 a new
Main Stand was constructed,
and this was the only part of
the stadium with seats and
fully covered. Few alterations
R The scene in August 1976
were made in the following
years, and even as early
as the ‘70s the club were
considering a new stadium.
The plan proved unpopular
with supporters and the club
failed to raise the necessary
funds. Minor improvements,
mainly in terms of facilities,
were made in the ‘80s but the
stadium looked inadequate to
handle the increased crowds
later in the decade as Millwall
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs MILLWALL