'I couldn't feel my feet or my fingers the day that I scored twice against Millwall'

Kim Grant recalls last time Charlton Athletic had winning feeling over Lions - and outlines reasons he ended nine-year stay with Addicks

The last time that Charlton Athletic defeated Millwall, John Major was prime minister, Mike Tyson took apart Frank Bruno in three rounds to win the WBC world heavyweight title in Nevada and Take That were the UK number one in the record charts with How Deep Is Your Love.

Kim Grant was 23. Not only was he part of the last Charlton Athletic side to beat Millwall 2-0 at The Valley on March 9, 1996, but he also scored both goals in a win by the same scoreline in the reverse fixture in early December.

Kim Grant celebrates scoring at The Den in December 1995

Picture: Tom Morris

The old TV footage on YouTube of a liberally snow encrusted Den surface is low quality compared to the high-res modern day camera work.

Grant twice pounced at close-range to beat Lions goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Prior to that Charlton had not won at Millwall’s stadium since October 1978, losing seven of the nine fixtures there in between.

It’s worth pointing out that for 13 years, between 1996 and 2009, the two clubs did not play each other because the Addicks were at a higher level. Eight of those seasons they were a Premier League side. For two of those campaigns over that decade-plus absence of derbies, Millwall were two promotions away from being at the same level as their rivals.

But the results since the resumption? Painful. Poor. Unpalatable. Charlton have drawn five and lost seven.

Millwall did the double in the 2018-19 season, the last time the two clubs met. Matt Smith scored a late stoppage time headed winner at The Den. Jake Cooper decided the return fixture at The Valley, played behind closed doors due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

Charlton striker Macauley Bonne has a shot saved by Bart Bialkowski during the behind closed doors Championship fixture against Millwall in July 2020

Picture: Paul Edwards

Grant, now 52 and combining the roles of director of football and head coach at Prague Raptors in the Czech Republic, can remember happier times. Although he admits the game that really sticks out when the Addicks recorded back-to-back victories was the match in SE16.

“I couldn’t feel my feet or fingers that day,” Grant told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “Doing the double over them was really unique.