An ‘out-of-date’ report recently resent to councillors which suggests support for a land grab around The Den, was leaked to “cause trouble”, according to author Cllr Alan Smith.

The report, which the Association of Millwall Supporters Group shared on social media last week, reignited concern for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of three plots of public-owned land around the stadium.

Millwall bosses have said the club would be forced out of the borough if a CPO went ahead.

But Cllr Smith said he sent the document again to provide background information for new councillors, and had no personal interest in “destabilising” what have been described as productive talks between the authority, Millwall and developer Renewal.

Cllr Smith was deputy mayor under Steve Bullock when the CPO process was under scrutiny.

But he is now a backbench councillor and is not involved in the process, he said.

He said: “The facts [of his report] remain the same.

“I want to see a resolution to this and affordable homes built on the site.

“I was asked to resend it and somebody has chosen to misuse it,” he said.

The authority dropped plans to seize and sell the leasehold plots to developer Renewal for the New Bermondsey scheme, but both parties are still in a conditional land sale agreement – meaning a fresh CPO is still possible.

But new mayor Damien Egan has said he wants to work with the club and Renewal to create a development which has public support.

A spokesman for Millwall Football Club also confirmed the report was out of date.

He said: “We were surprised to see a document in circulation that is obviously very out of date, but since it was addressed to Lewisham Councillors, it is a matter for the council.”

A spokesman for the Association of Millwall Supporters Group said they welcomed the improved relationship between the club and the council since mayor Damien Egan’s election last March.

But he had no comment on Cllr Smith’s views “beyond noting that none of it is new and appears to have been sent as a tactic designed to spoil the positive atmosphere.”

“Why Smith fails to see the benefit of Millwall Football Club as a collaborative partner in New Bermondsey is a matter for him,” he said.

Lewisham Council set up a public inquiry to investigate its due diligence behind the plans to compulsorily purchase land.

In 2017 its inquiry cleared the council and Renewal of any wrongdoing.

This came after a series of Guardian articles raised questions about the scheme and highlighted while Renewal’s current ownership is not known because of offshore privacy rules, the company was set up by former Lewisham council officer, Mushtaq Malik, and former mayor Dave Sullivan.

The New Bermondsey development includes 2,400 new homes and a new state-of-the-art £40m indoor sports complex.

Cllr Smith is now an independent after his recent defection from Labour.