‘Incredible atmosphere’ – Gary Rowett on Millwall’s biggest Den attendance since 1995

Millwall manager Gary Rowett would love to see The Den packed to the rafters again after today’s capacity crowd for their 1-1 draw against Sunderland.

An attendance of 18,524 turned up for the Championship match – the Lions’ biggest turnout since 1995.

“It was an incredible atmosphere,” said Rowett. “Our fans, when they pack this out, is a very unique atmosphere. The really helped the game. It was a really good game.

“This is what you want to play in front of. To turn up to play at our stadium, with another three or four thousand fans there, and a big away following was incredible.

“For us, I’m being greedy, in an ideal world I’d want that every week – because it makes such a difference. Our atmosphere is always good. Just there was a little bit extra when you went out. It was one of those games where you could sense it was going to be a pleasure to be on the side of the pitch and just a shame – I’m sure me, Adam [Barrett] and Robbo (Paul Robinson) would’ve loved to have been on the pitch because it was that type of game and atmosphere.

“I appreciate our fans efforts and I think they’d have gone away seeing their team giving everything they could to try and win the game.”

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray said: “The environment created from the terraces, it’s a unique place to play football. Credit to them, we had an extraordinarily young team out there and they stood up to the environment and intensity of the game from the opposition.

“It’s a good learning experience.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD