A key meeting over plans that could force Millwall to seek a new home in north Kent has been postponed.

Lewisham Council’s cabinet were set to meet last Wednesday to rubber-stamp a decision to buy up land surrounding the club’s stadium before selling it to an offshore developer.

Such an agreement would likely force Millwall to leave The Den, with north Kent a possible destination, which led to huge backlash from the club’s supporters and other figures within the football community.

The council has now chosen to postpone the meeting and no new date has yet been confirmed.

Broadcaster Danny Baker was among those who had reacted angrily to the council’s plans, with the lifelong Lions fan, who previously suffered from mouth and throat cancer, tweeting to wish cancer upon its cabinet members.

He said: “I hereby bring a hex down on Lewisham Council & Renewal their greasy vampiric partners.

“May you be ill. May you have cancer as I had cancer.”

A Millwall spokesman was quick to distance the club from his comments.

“The chairman has always been determined that this would never happen, but under such circumstances any and every option would have to be considered to secure the football club and the Millwall Community Trust’s future as viable concerns" - Steve Kavanagh

Millwall has been based in southeast London since 1910 and been at its current ground since 1993, with American chairman John Berylson keen to keep it that way.

He had been in favour of the council’s initial proposal, which would have allowed the club to develop its own land and build facilities, apartments, a hotel and retail outlets to produce long-term income.

The council’s new plan would see all of the land instead sold to Renewal, who want to build thousands of homes, community facilities and a new railway station around the stadium.

More than 27,000 people have signed an online petition against the proposals, but Millwall chief executive Steve Kavanagh admitted the club may have to prepare for a move.

He said: “The chairman has always been determined that this would never happen, but under such circumstances any and every option would have to be considered to secure the football club and the Millwall Community Trust’s future as viable concerns.”

The community trust operates within the borough to provide opportunities to young and disadvantaged people, as does the Lions Centre, which houses a 24-hour Astroturf pitch.

Millwall’s category two academy status relies on the facility, and without it the club would struggle to attract talented young players.

Any move to Kent would make Millwall the county’s second League club. The only one at the moment is Gillingham.

Large swathes of Millwall’s fanbase stems from north Kent and the club has a close relationship with Dartford FC, sharing academy players and going up against each other in a number of pre-season fixtures over the years.