London South East
The Valley. Home to Charlton Athletic
The New Den. Home to Millwall
Globe Theatre
Southwark Cathedral
The O2
The Shard
Introduction:
Things to Do:
Shard:
Or Shard of Glass is an 87 storey building lying adjacent to London Bridge Station on the south side of the Thames. Pyramid in shape there is a viewing platform at the 72nd floor. The finished building was the tallest in Europe but has subsequently been replaced by Mercury City Tower in Moscow. To book tickets to get London’s highest view, contact The Shard at enquiries@viewfromtheshard.com or by phoning 0844 499 7111.
Southwark Cathedral:
This Anglican Cathedral lies on the south side of the Thames adjacent to London Bridge Station. The building took from 1106 to 1897 to build and was made a cathedral in 1905. Visitors are welcome every day of the year basically from 10am to 5pm. After taking a tour there is a refectory and shop to browse. For further information can be obtained by phoning 020 7367 6734 or by email to:- cathedraltours@southwark.anglian.org .
Greenwich:
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is worth visiting as a whole. The town centre possesses historic buildings, the Cutty Sark tea clipper and good eating and retail outlets. The Old Royal Naval College is free to enter and is located in beautiful parkland. There are exhibitions in baroque buildings, the Painted Hall and Chapel. There are eating places for lunch, afternoon tea and fine dining. There is also a shop.
Dulwich Art Gallery:
Located in Gallery Road, SE25 7AD, the Picture Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. This was the first purpose built art gallery to open to the public and houses one of the best collections of Old Masters in the world. Canaletto, Gainsborough, Rembrandt and Rubens are amongst those whose works are displayed here. There is the Gallery Café for refreshments and Gallery Shop for browsing and buying.
Entry is £6 for adults and free for children, concessions for senior citizens and other concessions are available. Parking is free on Gallery Road, and the nearest mainline railway stations are North Dulwich from London Bridge and West Dulwich from Victoria.
O2:
This entertainment and exhibition/conference centre was built as the Millennium Dome and later changed name to the O2. The best way of getting there is by the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich. There is also the Emirates Cable car which runs from Docklands to O2 and is a 10 minute ride.
Globe Theatre:
The current theatre was opened in 1997 and is based on the original Globe that burnt down in 1599, although 750 yards away from the original site. Shakespeare’s plays are the core productions and a good range is presented every year. There are three galleries to choose from for watching the performances and tickets can be bought by phoning 020 7401 9919 or by the box office website. The Globe can be found at Bankside SE1 9DT.
Shopping:
Bluewater just outside the M25, near Dartford, is one of the largest Malls in UK. Department stores, including John Lewis and House of Fraser and chain stores sit alongside eating places and entertainment venues.
Other interesting areas to shop, eat and dink can be found at Borough Market in Southwark and Greenwich.
CLUBS
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Introduction:
The football club is located in the London Borough of Greenwich which is an inner London Borough lying on the south side of the River Thames. The current population is 255,500.
Transport in the Borough:
Buses:
An extensive bus service operates within Greenwich with full details on Transport for London web site. Away from the centre of the Borough routes lead to Thamesmead, Belvedere, Woolwich, Sidcup, Bellingham, Peckham, Canada Water and Russell Square in Central London. There is also a night bus which runs from Tottenham Court Road to the centre of Greenwich.
Underground:
One station, North Greenwich, lies on the Stratford to Stanmore Jubilee Line. Use this station for the O2.
Road:
There is a severe lack of parking in the Borough so driving is discouraged. However, if needs be from Greenwich to Central London the best road is A2 heading towards Deptford and Elephant and Castle.
From outside London head for the M25, using the M20, A2 from Dover, M23 from Brighton/Sussex Coast, M3 for Hampshire and Dorset, M4 for west of England and South Wales, M40 for Midlands, M1 for north of England and M11 for East Anglia.
Railway:
The mainline railway runs from Charing Cross/Cannon Street/ London Bridge to the North Kent Coast. The main stations in the Borough are Greenwich, Maze Hill and Charlton.
Two stations, Cutty Sark and Greenwich lie on the London Dockland Railway Lewisham to Bank/Stratford lines.
Boat:
Greenwich benefits from being on the Thames waterbus routes.
From Greenwich Pier, near Cutty Sark, boats travel west to Tower Pier (30 minutes), Charing Cross Pier (45 minutes) and Westminster Pier (55 minutes). Eastwards the route is to Thames Barrier Pier (30 minutes) but this does not run December to February.
Air:
City Airport is just across the river at Silvertown, Gatwick is accessible by train via London Bridge and Heathrow from across London via London Bridge, Waterloo, Charing Cross or Cannon Street.
Taxis:
Half a dozen taxi firms run within the Borough.
Stadium: The Valley. Floyd Road. London SE7 8BL
Founded: 1905
Joined League: 1921
Chairman: Richard Murray
Manager: Nathan Jones
Current League: League 1
Phone Number: 020 8333 4000
Email: info@cafc.co.uk
Brief History:
On June 9th 1905 a group of teenagers in the then East Street formed the football club. In 1906 they joined the Lewisham League (Junior) Third Division and their first game was won 6-0. Eventually in 1913 the club joined the Lewisham League and adopted senior status. The Valley was acquired under lease in 1919 and in 1920 the club turned professional and joined the Southern League. In 1921 the club was invited to play in Division 3 South and in 1929 was promoted to the Second Division. However, in 1933 the club was relegated back to their original League which led to the appointment of manager Jimmy Seed who won successive promotions to take Athletic to the top flight in 1936. In 1937 Athletic reached its highest league position ever, 2nd in the top flight and in 1938 the biggest attendance, 75,031, versus Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
Post WW2 the club reached its first FA Cup Final in 1946 but were beaten by Derby County 4-1 but the next year they won the trophy by defeating Burnley 1-0. However, after this the club, over the next thirty years changed manager on a regular basis, were relegated to third tier twice but found a scoring gem in Derek Hales, who became the club’s record striker.
Then in 1986 the club left The Valley to ground share at Selhurst Park, much to the angst of the fans. This five year arrangement did include a promotion back to the top flight. Greenwich Council rejected the new plans for The Valley and then the club was relegated again. In 1991 the council did finally approve the plans for the stadium but due to the sixteen month build the club ground shared again but this time with West Ham United. The next few years were devoted to returning home and then in 1999 the club returned to the top flight, the Premier League.
Again, after further development to the ground and manager changes, relegation from the Premier League arrived in 2007, followed in 2009 to League One. 2011 saw a return to the Championship, but relegation came again in 2016.
Season 2018/19 saw Athletic promoted back to the Championship.
Honours:
F A Cup Winners:
1947.
Match Day:
Tickets:
Away fans should check with their home club for availability.
For home fans, if not season ticket holders, they should telephone 03330 14 44 44.
Alternatively, the ticket office, based adjacent to the main entrance in the West Stand, is generally open until 5pm Monday to Friday and until half time on 3pm kick off match days.
Transport:
Bus:
Many service buses serve the ground including 53, 54, 161, 177, 180, 422, 472 and 486. These routes are generally South London routes except for 53s which run from Central London. All these buses arrive at either Woolwich Road or Charlton Village, both a five minute walk from the stadium. Check Travel for London web site for timetables.
Alternatively, the club operates the Valley Express which picks fans up from across South East England for £8.50 return.
Rail:
A good service operated by South Eastern Trains runs between Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Bridge to Charlton Station via Greenwich. The station is just a few minutes’ walk from The Valley.
Underground and DLR:
The Jubilee Line runs to North Greenwich from where buses, either 422, 472 or 486, run to the ground.
The DLR runs to Greenwich where a change to the mainline railway can be made.
Car:
Travel by car is discouraged as there are restrictions on the nearby roads and you need a permit to park at the ground.
However, if driving is essential, for all routes outside of London it is advised to travel on the M25 around the capital and then on to The Valley via the A2.
From central or north London travel east and take the A102 through the Blackwall Tunnel and then to the A206 Woolwich Road to Charlton.
From south London using the South Circular Road, leave same at Woolwich and travel to Charlton on the Woolwich Road.
Stadium:
Having moved into The Valley in 1919 the club still plays there but along the way had to have two ground shares, at Selhurst Park and Upton Park. At one time, when the ground had a capacity of 75,000, it was the largest League ground in Europe. There are four stands. The North is the home of the Robins most vocal fans and also executive seats. The East is a single tier stand which houses the TV gantry and executive boxes. Sometimes, on Cup match days, part is allocated to away fans. The largest and main stand is the two tiered West, which houses the changing rooms, main offices and ticket office. The Jimmy Seed stand is the oldest and houses away fans.
This away stand has refreshment outlet(s) selling usual fare of pies, sausage rolls etc. There is also a betting office.
There are away friendly pubs on Woolwich Road and a good fish and chip shop in Floyd Road. A superstore sits in front of the West Stand.
MILLWALL
Introduction:
The football club is located in the London Borough of Lewisham, which is an inner London Borough, with a small boundary next to the River Thames. The current population is 276,900.
Transport in the Borough:
Buses:
A couple of dozen bus routes operate throughout Lewisham and onto nearby boroughs in South London and Victoria Station, Paddington Station, Stratford, Shoreditch and the City of London north of the Thames.
Full details of routes and timetables are available at Transport for London web site.
Underground
No tube stations are based in Lewisham.
London Overground:
Two stations, New Cross and New Cross Gate are terminuses on the East London line to Whitechapel.
Dockland Light Railway:
Lewisham is a terminus on the DLR which connects to Bank/Tower Hill and Stratford.
Road:
The main road through the Borough is the A20 which links to the M25 at Swanley, in Kent, through Lewisham centre to the Old Kent Road and on to the City of London. The A205, South Circular Road, which runs from Woolwich Ferry in the east to Clapham Common in the west passes through Lewisham at Catford, in the south west of the Borough.
Railway:
Lewisham Station is part of the suburban commuter system that operates out of Cannon Street, in central London, to Dartford, Sevenoaks and Gillingham etc. The routes are operated by South Eastern Trains.
To the south west of Lewisham centre, New Cross Gate, the destination for The Den, Millwall’s old home, lies on the Cannon Street/London Bridge to East Croydon and South Coast route. It is also a major suburban commuter hub..
Air:
The Borough is connected to Gatwick Airport, by rail, via East Croydon Station.
Taxis:
Ten taxi companies operate within the Borough.
Stadium: The Den. Zampa Road. London SE16 3LN
Founded: 1885
Joined League: 1920
Chairman: John Berylson
Manager: Neil Harris
Current League: Championship
Phone Number: 020 7232 1222
Email: questions@millwallplc.co
Brief History:
Starting out as Millwall Rovers, a works team, on the Isle of Dogs in 1885, the club joined the Southern League as a founder member in 1894. The club name was changed to Millwall Athletic and finally just Millwall. In 1910 The Lions relocated from north of the Thames, to The Den, to the south of the river. The first match in their new home was against Brighton & Hove Albion, the then current Southern League champions, which they lost 0-1. In 1911 a full international match, England v Wales, was played at The Den, which England won 3-0.
In 1920 the Lions became founder members of Division 3 in the Football League, then as a founder member of Division 3 South in 1921. In 1928 the club gained promotion to the Second Division and were then relegated back to Division 3 South in 1934. A return to Division 2 was achieved again in 1938. Pre war the team was regularly attracting crowds in excess of 40,000 and were amongst the ten best supported clubs in the Football League. The blitz saw two raids on the ground, one damaging the north terrace and the other destroying the main stand.
In 1948 Millwall were relegated again to the third tier and with League reorganisation in 1958, Division 4 beckoned. Further promotions and relegations saw the club reach the second tier again in 1966. Another bout of ups and downs continued but things started to change for the better when George Graham became manager and players like Teddy Sheringham emerged.
Then, after Graham departed to Arsenal, new manager John Docherty lead the team to the dizzy heights of Division One in 1988. Sadly, it didn’t last. After briefly sitting at the very top of the football pyramid in September 1989, they were relegated that season. Reaching the play offs next season the Lions were thwarted by the Seagulls of Brighton.
In 1993 the club left The Den in Cold Blow Lane for their new home, The New Den, a 20,000 all seater stadium at Senegal Fields, just a quarter of a mile away.
League success eluded Millwall, until the turn of the Millennium, although scalps of top flight teams were taken in various cup campaigns. Promotion to the second tier was followed by relegation and the club did not return to the, now, Championship until 2010. Relegation in Season 2014/2015 saw the Lions return to Division One. However, the Lions gained promtion back to the Championship , via the Playoffs, in 2016/17.
Match Day:
Tickets:
Fans of away teams should contact their clubs regarding tickets.
There are three ways to purchase tickets for matches, by phone on 0844 8206 2004, by going online to www.millwalltickets.com or in person, to the ticket office, at The Den from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm and on match days from 10am. If you are taking children then the Zampa Family Club, with seats in the Dockers Stand, is an option.
Transport:
Bus:
Take route 21 from the City and alight at Peckham Park Road. Route 53 from Westminster and alight at Peckham Park Road. Route 172 from St. Paul’s Cathedral/Waterloo and alight at Peckham Park Road. Route 1 from New Oxford Street/Waterloo and alight at Galleywall Road. Route 381 from Waterloo/London Bridge and alight at Galleywall Road. Route P21 stops in Iderton Road just two minutes from the ground.
Tube:
Canada Water, on the Jubilee Line, is a twenty minute walk away.
Overground Rail:
A fifteen minute walk away are the New Cross Gate and Surrey Quay stations.
Rail:
The New Den stadium is located next to South Bermondsey Station which lies on the East Croydon to London Bridge and Cannon Street/Blackfriars/Waterloo/Charing Cross Stations lines.
Car:
It is advised not to drive to this venue as parking is virtually non existent in the vicinity. If you do travel by car then travel along the Old Kent Road from the centre of London or the M25, travelling through Kent. Then turn off at Iderton Road which will take you to the New Den area.
Stadium:
After a feasibility study it was decided that The Den could not be redeveloped and plans went ahead for the New Den. The last match at The Den was in May 1993 and the New Den opened in August, of the same year. This was the first new all seater stadium built after the Bradford City fire and first new stadium for a professional football club, in London, since 1937.
There are four, separate, two tier stands. The East Stand, now named Dockers Stand, the South Stand now known as the Cold Blow Lane Stand, the West Stand renamed Barry Kitchener Stand and North Stand which houses away supporters. The concourses have the usual food and drink fare on sale.
However, for a more interesting atmosphere it is worth considering the pubs and cafes close to London Bridge Station, in Borough High Street.
The stadium also has a club shop and tours can be arranged via the club’s phone number.