MILLWALL’S famous chant goes: ‘No one likes us, we don’t care’.
But like them or not, here’s a worrying Lions’ tale which shows why you should
care.
The South Londoners face a crunch week where they meet Lewisham council to try
to convince them to include the club in plans to regenerate the area
surrounding The Den.
Millwall hold a long-term lease from the council for the land on which the
stadium, its car park, cafe and community centre is situated.
They are fully supportive of plans to redevelop an area which badly needs it,
but have been snubbed as the council look to sell all the land – barring the
stadium, which is safe – to property developers Renewal.
Were that to go through, Millwall will miss out on precious potential revenues
which could safeguard the club for years to come – and instead are now
fearing for their long-term future.
Not only that, but the council are considering enforcing a compulsory-purchase
order on the land, meaning it could be sold off at a lower price than the
Lions’ valuation.
Were that to happen it could set a concerning precendent for clubs up and down
the country who also lease their land from councils – as the same thing
could theoretically happen to them.
Millwall chief executive Andy Ambler told SunSport: “I’m baffled as to why the
council won’t allow us to participate.
“We have the infrastructure, the advisor power, the chairman’s financial
power, we have everything in place to allow us to do the redevelopment on
the land that we already occupy on our doorstep.
“We can deliver this for the council and we believe we can do it to give the
council more of a return than we think Renewal will give.
“We believe it’s a win-win for the football club and the council if we’re
allowed to develop this land.
“We’ve consistently said we can do it but we’ve been consistently been batted
back by the council saying we’re too late.
“Why would the council take land off its local football club and give it to a
company whose ultimate ownership is offshore? I don’t understand that.”
Renewal say their plans for the area will create 2,000 new jobs, 2,400 homes
and a new overground train station, believing it to be of great benefit to
the club.
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But while having more people on the club’s doorstep could boost gate receipts,
Millwall argue it would still leave them out of pocket as it would severely
limit income on non-match days.
Millwall want to acquire the freehold of the land and create 400 homes, a
hotel, accommodation for local businesses and a new home for their community
trust.
In an age where predominantly surviving off matchday income is proving more
difficult, many clubs are developing hotels and places for business meetings
to generate income all year round, such as at MK Dons or Norwich.
To be denied that opportunity could have dire consequences on Millwall’s
future and while chairman John Berylson – who has injected £50million in the
last ten years – continues to bankroll the club, there is always the chance
he could turn the tap off one day.
Millwall also make the case that the future of their Lions Centre, which does
great work in local community, would be in jeopardy.
To replace its schemes could cost the council £7m, it is estimated in a new
report soon to be published.
An online petition entitled ‘Defend Our Den’ supporting the club’s plight has
now picked up close to 20,000 signatures and has garnered support from fans
of other clubs, as well as former star Tim Cahill and Gary Lineker.
The decision whether to utilise CPO was deferred at a meeting in February, so
Ambler hopes to use all his powers of persuasion to convince the council not
to use it when they meet this week – where he believes some councillors will
be seeing the club’s plans for the first time.
He added: “I don’t believe the elected officials have fully understood because
I don’t think the executive of the council have taken this to them.
“We sent them a copy of our plans back in February and I think it was the
first time they had ever seen it.
“I think the mayor might have seen it, the head of regeneration might have
seen it but I don’t think they were taken to the elected officials. I can’t
prove that, but I don’t think they were.
“I’m just hoping they haven’t already made their minds up that CPO is the way
forward.
“A CPO process is really complicated for the council in that we could
complicate it. We could take it to the GLA, we could get it ‘called in’ as
they say, to appeal it and delay it even longer.
“We don’t want to do that, but we can. We’ve got to protect the assets of the
club to the shareholders, the chairman and the fans. We may have to. We
don’t want to, but we may have to.”
He added: “Why should other fans be concerned about this? Because it feels
like the local football club isn’t being supported and because, in the
future, it could be them.”
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