Chairman Reg Burr Stadium The Den FA Cup Fourth round | Manager John Docherty First Division 10th League Cup Third round | |
During the 1988–89 English football season, Millwall F.C. competed in the Football League First Division. This was Millwall's 62nd season in the Football League, and first ever season in the top tier of English football, after achieving promotion from the Second Division as Champions in 1987–88.
Contents
Season summary
Few had tipped Millwall to do well in their first season ever in the First Division, but the Lions defied the naysayers to stand at the top of the First Division at the beginning of October, after 4 wins and 2 draws from 6 games. The team slipped from there, though they were still in the top five by Christmas, and their final tenth-place finish was the lowest placing they had occupied all season. Perhaps the only low point of the season was being defeated by arch-rivals West Ham United twice during the season; the Hammers were relegated in 19th place. Millwall's high placing owed much to the strike partnership of Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino.
In his autobiography, Sheringham said of the season, "It was a crazy exhilarating time. There we were, little Millwall, in our first season in the First Division and topping the table until about March. Everybody said it couldn't last and of course it couldn't and it didn't, but we gave them all a good run for their money. We were beating the best teams when we shouldn't and getting away draws to which we had no right."
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Final table
First Division
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