The West Ham - Millwall Debacle

While you were busy putting together your NFL fantasy football team, you might have missed what many in Britain could not stop talking about. I am, of course, talking about the riot that occurred outside, and to some degree, inside of Upton Park during their Carling Cup match against Millwall FC. A few weeks have passed, and the dust seems to have settled, which means we can all look at this with some perspective.

For those of you who need it, here is some background information that will help you to understand the severity of what happened on the 25th of August.



West Ham was drawn lottery-style to play against arch-rivals Millwall in the first round of the Carling Cup, a multi-league competition. On the night in question, organized groups of hooligans, known as firms, made plans to attack one another in the vicinity of the game. While the game was being played inside, there was carnage on the streets, culminating in brawls, projectiles being hurled at opposing supporters and police, and even a stabbing. This sort of behavior used to occur quite frequently in the heyday of football hooliganism, a period from the end of the 60s until the end of the 80s, which made this very public display of violence so shocking. Less shocking, but more idiotic, was the minor pitch invasion at the hands of several dozen West Ham supporters. (Reader comments attached to some media reports have indicated that true hooligans would never do something so blatant for fear of being caught. A number of the people on the pitch were wearing West Ham colors and had many were photographed - surefire ways to be identified.)


Of course, football violence in Britain never really disappeared. Firms began to fight each other in agreed upon locations away from stadia, as to avoid lifetime bans from matches as well as increasingly punitive measures that had been enacted over time. While the infamous firms have never fully gone away, it is something of a surprise that such blatant and open aggression would surface on the streets of London in this day and age. Nevertheless, as we sat and listened to Sky Sports recount the events of the day, we were stunned - but only slightly. After all, the moment I learned that the Irons had drawn against their oldest and fiercest rivals, I immediately considered the obvious implications.

The bitter rivalry has its roots in a time when teams often represented the company or profession from which its early players were chosen. In the case of these two teams, they represented competing ironworks on opposite sides of the Thames. When the employees of the Thames Iron Works, West Hams original incarnation, went on strike, there was immediate ill will towards the employees of the company from which Millwall was born, as they did follow suit. The rivalry also exists, to some degree, because these two parts of London are traditionally poorer, working-class neighborhoods. The very identity of those who live in such depressed areas has therefore been strengthened around their respective teams.


Furthermore, this should not have been treated as quite as much of a shock as it was in the media, given that the teams had not played each other in five years. This pent up desire to trounce one's greatest enemy must only have been heightened by the long wait between games. It should also be said that Millwall, although currently two leagues below West Ham, has a record of upsetting the Hammers. It is the very nature of both the Carling and FA cups that smaller, lesser known teams can sometimes embarrass squads from the Premiership.

The reaction could not have been more one-sided. Initial reports on Sky Sports indicated that Millwall supporters had planned attacks at nearby Tube stations. But the sheer numbers of West Ham supporters present, common for a home game, created a situation where Millwall supporters found themselves outnumbered. The poor decisions made by supporters within the grounds also made it seem as if West Ham and their supporters were entirely responsible for what happened. Both teams are generally looked down upon, but the reaction against West Ham in the press was disproportionate. There were a number of people calling for a grounds closure, whereby West Ham would play a number of games behind closed doors - a crude and ineffective group punishment unlikely to dissuade the minority of supporters involved.


Some called for West Ham to have points deducted from their standings in the Premiership. This sort of punishment can cripple a team, and is entirely unfair since the game was a Carling Cup match, not a Premier League event. It should be stated that fewer people called for a deduction of Millwalls points, which, despite being less one-sided, is still unfair and ludicrous.



Former West Ham player and manager, and current Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, made the most logical suggestion, but one that defies the lottery system of match-ups. He recommended that the teams never be allowed to play one another ever again. Should they ever be drawn at random again, they should both be placed back into the pool and drawn against other teams. This is fair minded as it attacks the problem at its source - crazed fans. However, this would not rid football of violence associated with other rivalries, nor would it negate the potential for trouble should Millwall ever ascend to the Premier League.

A number of journalists declared this a return to the "bad old days" of rampant hooliganism, but one must consider that policing is more effective, punishments have become more severe, and the problem of violence, although ever-present, has declined over time. But the reaction towards West Ham, as well as towards Millwall, is really beyond belief. I hate to have to defend Millwall, but would this have been the reaction if Chelsea fans had invaded the pitch, or if Blackburn supporters had thrown rocks at the police? I seriously doubt it.

Sadly, West Hams hard-earned victory over a surprisingly strong Millwall side was completely forgotten in the discussion altogether. By far the most touching moment, though, came at the end of the match. Jack Collison, whose father had been killed only days earlier en route to see his son play against Tottenham, (another rival, by the way,) left the field in tears. He was visibly upset, not only for his tremendous loss, but from the chaos of the evening in general. He, like just about all of our players, had been urging the wayward supporters back to the stands, proving that he is a player of exceptional integrity. Although this whole affair has been very disheartening, Collison showed everyone what true courage and class really is. Our thoughts remain with him in this extremely tough time.







If you are interested in reading more, take a look at some of these links:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1209050/West-Ham-fans-face-life-bans-hundreds-bloody-rampage-night-shame-Millwall-Upton-Park.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8221626.stm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/westham/6093066/Violence-at-West-Ham-v-Millwall-a-disgrace-says-Sports-Minister-Gerry-Sutcliffe.html

http://westhamprocess.com/2009/08/26/jack-collison-a-true-west-ham-hero/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1209062/West-Ham-3-Millwall-1-AET--Thats-worst-Ive-seen-says-Gianfranco-Zola.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8223000/8223844.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/aug/26/west-ham-millwall-violence-punishments

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/westham/6097814/West-Ham-and-Millwall-should-never-play-again-says-Harry-Redknapp.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham-millwall-hooliganism-history-violence

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/aug/30/football-violence-west-ham-millwall-carling-cup