Away Supporters - North Stand arrangements

Shawmi

Well-known member
Annoyed me for years with the away stand upper tier never really full and lower tier empty, why have we never put them in the Kitchener upper or lower tier (close to the away stand). Would be a much better set up if we had home support at both ends. Most away teams bring on average 1,000 supporters at a push apart from a few local teams or so called bigger clubs.

But for 50% of games they could be put in the Kitchener stand with some segregation, let’s face it cannot see it kicking off or issues with the likes of Blackburn, Blackpool, Preston, Barnsley & Reading etc. For the so called bigger games stick them back in the North upper with the 2/2,500 capacity and there must be a way for us to then fill the lower tier and cowards way in place for these games, just a waste and with the so called plans to update the ground are they still planning to leave the lower tier empty!!!!, I doubt it and there will be some sort of segregation planned so why not now.
 
Annoyed me for years with the away stand upper tier never really full and lower tier empty, why have we never put them in the Kitchener upper or lower tier (close to the away stand). Would be a much better set up if we had home support at both ends. Most away teams bring on average 1,000 supporters at a push apart from a few local teams or so called bigger clubs.

But for 50% of games they could be put in the Kitchener stand with some segregation, let’s face it cannot see it kicking off or issues with the likes of Blackburn, Blackpool, Preston, Barnsley & Reading etc. For the so called bigger games stick them back in the North upper with the 2/2,500 capacity and there must be a way for us to then fill the lower tier and cowards way in place for these games, just a waste and with the so called plans to update the ground are they still planning to leave the lower tier empty!!!!, I doubt it and there will be some sort of segregation planned so why not now.
I can remember we did it when we beat Oldham 5-0 I think on the last day when we went up under Mark McGhee as Champs. They sat in the upper corner. It’s an option but we rarely need the space as mentioned already and its safer for us all if the away thugs (like palace’s flame tossers) are in the upper tier so they cannot cause us too much harm (cheaper cost for the old bill too).
 
When the 2 Russian flops played in their first game I remember home fans filling the away stand also.
 
I can remember we did it when we beat Oldham 5-0 I think on the last day when we went up under Mark McGhee as Champs. They sat in the upper corner. It’s an option but we rarely need the space as mentioned already and its safer for us all if the away thugs (like palace’s flame tossers) are in the upper tier so they cannot cause us too much harm (cheaper cost for the old bill too).
Didn't Oldham have about 10 fans that day
 
It seems to me that nowadays clubs are bringing more support to The Den than ever before. It is the first choice away day of most now with the lure of pay on the day, drinking around London Bridge singing and scaring tourists then a safe passage directly to the ground and all with having the kudos of going to Millwall and having a easy day of it.

Clubs that used to bring only a few hundred are now regularly backed by 1500 plus fans. Have a look at the away end when we’re at home and you’ll see rival fans having the time of their life, no wonder our home record isn’t much to shout about these days.
 
To change the stand to have proper segregation wouldn't be a cheap job.

Maybe have an upper concourse to divide Lower and Upper Tiers, if you want to split the stand down the middle the toilets in the middle would have to be changed around to divide down the middle rather than in thirds at present.

The best solution would be to change it into a single tier, fill in the lower stairs and extend the seating deck down from the bottom of the upper tier to a drop of 6 feet or so to the ground.