Haven’t We Met Before? Millwall

Saturday 16th February 1974
Millwall 3-0 Swindon Town
Division Two

This was another dismal away defeat for a Town side clearly on their way to relegation. Yet to register a win on their travels, and having an unenviable record of 12 losses from 14 games on the road, Swindon were under no illusiion to the task facing them at The Den against mid-table
Millwall. To make matters worse, Wolves had recalled loanee striker Peter Eastoe to Molineux leaving manager Les Allen short of options up front.

The match went pretty much as expected. Swindon were totally outplayed by a solid, if not unspectacular opposition. Inventive in midfield and always dangerous in attack, Millwall took command from the start. The only real surprise was that it took 38 minutes for the home side to break the deadlock. And that was from a penalty. Gordon Bolland finished comfortably and Millwall never looked back.

Five minutes into the second half Bolland headed home, but this was ruled out for a foul on Jimmy Allan by Brian Clark. On 65 minutes Derek Smethurst netted only to be pulled up for an offside. Eventually, on 69 minutes, Alf Wood headed in following a Bolland free-kick and thus went any chance Town had of getting anything from this rather one-sided affair.

Thirteen minutes from time Wood scored his second and, like his first goal, it was with his head. He met a cross from Clark and it was game over.

Up the other end, Millwall keeper Bryan King was rarely called upon and when the Town did create a chance or two they were soon wasted. One wondered how Peter Eastoe might have fared with them?

Soon after this defeat Les Allen was relieved of his managerial duties and this paved a way for the return of Danny Williams. More good news followed when Peter Eastoe was secured for a record-breaking £80k from Wolves.

Sadly, on the field, the misery continued. 6 of Town’s next 9 games were lost and they didn’t taste victory until mid-April, when Blackpool were beaten 1-0 at the County Ground.

Millwall:
B.King, D.Donaldson, E.Jones, A.Dorney, B.Kitchener, D.Allder, G.Bolland, B.Clark, A.Wood, D.Smethurst, G.Hill.

Town:
Jimmy Allan, John McLaughlin, John Trollope, David Munks, Ron Potter, Ken Stroud, David Moss, Terry Hubbard, Ray Clarke, Dave Syrett, Joe Butler

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