Six decades of Cardiff City v Millwall matches.

Six questions on this afternoon’s opponents – I’ll post the answers either later today or tomorrow.

60s. What uniquely links Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle in Millwall’s history during this decade?

70s. Millwall were the only south London team this man played for, but his first club were based there when they were formed. Signed as a deputy for a Welsh international originally, he got his chance though an injury to the number one choice and, although he let no one down, he was soon back to his cover role. He left at the start of a new decade to sign for a club a few miles to the north that, seemingly, specialise in headwear. Again an understudy to an international, he played thirty odd times in two years before he moved to a venue named after a King’s wife who came to a sticky end. The next six years saw him established as a regular starter and two trophies soon followed – as, indeed, they did for him at a Midlands location at the same time. When it was time to move on again, he upped sticks to play for the Motor City before turning up at Millwall where he was, once again, an understudy. After less than ten appearances for the Lions, he saw out his career on the south coast during the first couple of years of this decade, his third in the game, but can you name him?

80s. Although the reality is not quite as impressive as the “headline”, this son of Senghenydd, for whom Finland will always be a very happy memory, enjoyed a 100% winning record when it came to City v Millwall matches. Cardiff was the second of ten different clubs he was attached to in an eighteen year career in the game (although he never played in the first team for three of them during the time he spent on loan with them). Virtually all of his career appearances came with four clubs, the first of which, for whom he played most games, could be called Privateers I suppose. He also played over a hundred times for both thieving birds and a team whose ground name is associated with another sport. He ended his career by making nearly one hundred appearances for non league Robins – who is he?

90s. Hair liners used by both Millwall and City?

00s. Name this scorer for Millwall against us during this decade.

10s. He played four times against City for Millwall during this decade without finishing on the winning side. He picked up a couple of bookings in these matches, which was pretty much par for the course for him as he amassed three reds cards and twenty six yellows in his eighty three games for the Lions. – I can also confirm that it wasn’t him who spent a very profitable four days in Ireland in July, but can you name him?

Answers.

60s. Bristol City won at the old Den on 20 April 1964, but Millwall would win forty three and draw sixteen matches at the ground before they next tasted defeat – by Plymouth on 14 January 1967. The fifty nine game unbeaten home run is a Football League record.

70s. Jim Standen stood in for Wales goalkeeper Jack Kelsey during his seven years at Arsenal. He arrived at West Ham via Luton and was in their sides which won the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners Cup the following year and he was also an important member of the Worcestershire bowling attack as that team won the County Championship in the same years (Standen took over three hundred wickets for the county in a career which lasted from 1959 to 1970). After a summer spent playing for the Detroit Cougars in 1968, he signed for Millwall on his return and played eight times for them as a deputy for Bryan King before seeing out his career at Portsmouth.

80s. Martin Thomas’ only appearance for City against Millwall came in a 4-0 win in London in 1982 – one of fifteen appearances he made in goal for us during a loan spell from Bristol Rovers. He was also loaned to Spurs, Southend and Newcastle, signing permanently for the last named in 1883. Thomas won his only Welsh cap, against Finland, while at Newcastle and, after playing one hundred and fifteen times in five years on Tyneside, plus four more at Middlesbrough during another loan spell, he next moved to Birmingham City where he was loaned out across the city to Villa and then to Crystal Palace. Thomas finished his career playing for Cheltenham Town before retiring from the game in 1995.

90s. Neil Harris.

00S. Jo Tessem scored in the 2-2 draw at the New Den between the teams in October 2004.

10s. Shane Lowry played in both Millwall v City matches in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons.

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