City Versus Millwall

It wasn’t until towards the end of my second season of watching Exeter City that I first saw Millwall play. if I am honest, I can’t recall anything about the game and had to look it up to see what happened.

Both clubs were in the Fourth Division, with City struggling towards the bottom of the table, whilst the Lions were chasing one of the four promotion spots.

The game went as per form book, although it was a close affair as goals from Graham Rees and Ray Carter were not quite enough to prevent Millwall from taking the two points, as they netted three times.

After that, between then and today, our respective teams’ paths have not crossed with any regularity, as we have played in different divisions.

Sadly I never got see the Grecians play at Millwall’s old ground of ‘The Den,’ although I did manage to get along to a couple of games there against other opposition.

This was in 1973, when I lived not too far away in Gillingham, Kent, and I remember thinking that it was an opportunity to tick another ground off by visiting ‘The Den.’

That would have been towards the end of the 1972-73 season, as by the start of the following campaign, I made a return visit - my only two visits to Millwall’s old ‘home.’

I have yet to visit Millwall’s ‘new’ home, and whether I ever will, now that I live so far north, only time will tell.

However, a few years before I set foot in ‘The Den’ I was fortunate to be able to chat with a player who had worn the colours of both Exeter City and Millwall.

I was working in the head office of the Western National Omnibus Company at the time - mid 1960s - whose building was located (and still is, although nothing to with my former employers now)) at the end of Queen Street in Exeter, overlooking the clock tower.

Anyone who knows this particular building will know that there is a lot of glass! And who should make regular visits to clean the windows?

I soon got talking to Angus Mackay, a clever, Glasgow-born ball-playing inside-forward who had joined Exeter City from Ipswich Town in September 1947.

He proved to be a great success at St James’ Park going to make a total of 257 league appearances and scoring 78 goals.

He then left the Grecians to link up with Millwall in June 1955, where he stayed for one season before returning to Exeter to live.   

After doing various jobs, including being the landlord of the Locomotive in Exeter, Mackay was then employed as a window cleaner, hence his regular visits to my place of work.

I wonder how many present day footballers will end up working as a window cleaner? 

It was fascinating listening to his tales of what went on at St James’ Park during his stay there, and indeed his one season at Millwall.

Let’s face it, talking about City in the 1940s and 50s was far more interesting than me having to worry about organising a list of buses that needed a complete repaint!

I lost touch with Mackay for quite some time, although he remained in the Exeter area, and sad to say he eventually died in 2000

There have been a few players who have played for both clubs, and I recall winger Barry Rowan in particular as being one

But there is another strong Exeter City link with the Millwall squad that will be visiting St James’ Park this evening and a player who made a terrific impression on everyone during his stay in Devon.

Gary Alexander began his career with West Ham United, but his first taste of senior football came with a very successful loan spell at Exeter City in the 1999/2000 season. 

He lodged with then City commercial manager Keith ‘Archie’ Hartshorn, and I know they became great friends and kept in touch long after he left Exeter.

Alexander proved to be an immediate success as he netted 16 goals in 37 league games for the Grecians.

Much as City would have loved to have signed him on a permanent basis, it was a forlorn hope really, in view of the fee involved, and the goalscoring form convinced Swindon Town to sign him for £500,000 In July 2000.

However, Alexander's time at Swindon was not a success, and he moved to Hull City a year later. 

A superb first season saw him score 23 goals, but the following season he was not as prolific. In January 2003 he returned to London and signed for 
Leyton Orient where he soon became a first team regular. 

After scoring 52 goals in 179 league outings,  Alexander rejected a new deal in May 2007, and two months later he joined Millwall, the team he supported as a boy.

On 24 May 2009 Alexander scored twice for Millwall in the 2008-2009 League One play-off final. The first of which being described as one of Wembley's best ever goals, old or new. 

However, he was unable to prevent Millwall losing 3-2 to Scunthorpe United, despite Alexander's two goals giving Millwall a 2-1 half-time lead. 

It will be good to see Gary Alexander back at the Park tonight as he did so much to help lift the gloom that had descended over Exeter City during his one season stay on loan. We would appreciate it if you didn’t score this evening through!