Millwall vs Everton: 'I know it’s a cliche, but it’s literally like having a 12th man', says Jordan Archer

Exclusive interview: Two years on from a famous FA Cup run, Millwall hope to summon the same memories, and the same force, at the Den on Saturday against Everton

It was one of the greatest FA Cup ties of the last few years. Premier League champions Leicester City came to The Den to play Millwall, who spent 40 minutes playing with only 10 men but still found just enough inside themselves to win the game. The roar when Shaun Cummings tucked in the last-minute winner sent ripples through the Thames.

That was the third Premier League scalp in a row Millwall had taken, after first beating Bournemouth and Watford, a run that saw them eventually go down bravely to Tottenham in the quarter-final at White Hart Lane. All three of those wins against top flight teams came at The Den, a ground that can still summon an unusual force when the mood takes it. Maybe it comes from the design of the ground, where the cold wind cuts through the stands, or the pugnacious underdog spirit of the fans, or their simple packed-in proximity to the pitch. But it does have its own feeling, distinct from the homogenised retail park boxes that dominate the game.

Two years on from that run, Millwall hope to summon the same memories, and the same force, at The Den on Saturday against Everton.

Jordan Archer played in goal for that 2017 cup run and after a spell out of the side at the start of this season he is now back in possession of the number one shirt. And he is expecting The Den to be at its difficult best this weekend.

The Millwall players and fans know exactly what they have to do. The Leicester win remains Archer’s “special moment”, not least because they were the reigning Premier League champions at the time. “I’ve never heard The Den make a roar like that,” he told The Independent this week. “That gave me real goosebumps.”

Of course it is harder for teams who do not play at The Den as part of their regular league campaign. “When The Den is sold out and rocking it’s a very intimidating place for Premier League teams to come,” Archer said. “I don’t expect anything else this time. It’s going to be a sell-out. There aren't too many grounds around the country that make a roar like that. The fans will make it a very hostile environment for the team.”

After that Leicester win, Steve Morison famously accused Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell of not wanting to take throw-ins because of the treatment he was getting from the fans. Chilwell has always denied it, but the fact that Morison could even say that is testament to the uniquely unwelcoming atmosphere.

Millwall have shocked Premier League opposition before (Getty Images) (Getty)

“As a home player, I know it’s a cliche, it’s literally like having a 12th man,” Archer explained. “It’s small things, like when the opposing players goes to get the ball for a throw in, and they’re getting abuse. I’m not here condoning abuse, but it’s all part of the atmosphere down at The Den. They do make it a very intimidating place. And it does help us.”

This is an especially local club, which looks after its nearest and dearest, and Archer was speaking at the launch of a new community astroturf pitch in Bermondsey, set up with help from the Football Foundation, who are funded by the Football Association, the Premier League and the government, and Southwark Council. That relationship between club and community is why so much regional pride gets channeled through The Den on a big night, and why Everton could be in for such a shock. “The club is very good with the community,” Archer said, “and The Den has always been a pivotal part of the club."