QPR midfielder Gary O’Neil has revealed that he once built Millwall’s famous old Den stadium – in his back garden.

Devoted Millwall fan O’Neil attended the very last match played at the old Den in May 1993 – and at the end of the 3-0 defeat to Bristol Rovers, went home with a very special souvenir.

“I was only five or six at the time. It was in the very last match played there and everybody ran on and started pulling the pitch up,” said O’Neil. “I was too small to get on, and as people were ripping it up and sharing, this bloke gave me a piece.

“I took a bit of the old Den home with me and me and my grand-dad built our own mini stadium with it. We built stands out of Subbuteo stuff and kept the grass going as long as we could. It lasted ages until I got too old to care for it and I thought it a silly idea!”

O’Neil heads back to Millwall on Saturday – to the new Den – and says that while he still holds the Lions close to his heart, a win for QPR is all that matters.

“I was a big fan as a kid, but once you start playing it changes you’re perspective, but I always hope they do well and I always look at their results,” he added. “All my family support them. My granddad might be there.”