Afternoon:
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The real trouble is the hatred never died
Ken Dyer26 Aug 2009
We hoped it had disappeared forever but deep down, we knew it was still out there, festering, simmering.
And on a late summer's evening in east London, the violence which we prayed had left our football grounds for good, came snarling back in all its ugliness.
The first mistake they made when West Ham were paired at home to Millwall in the second round of the Carling Cup was not to have a redraw.
The second one was not playing this match in an empty stadium on a day and time not previously announced.
For those who remembered matches between these two London rivals were dreading the worst from the moment the draw was made.
The antagonism between these two clubs goes back a long, long way.
For some it is the keenest sort of rivalry, for others something altogether more sinister. Today, when the blood is washed from the pavements of east London and the ripped seats, coins and other detritus are cleared from the pitch, questions will be asked.
What could have been done to prevent the trouble inside the ground, the fighting with the police, the pitch invasions, the missile throwing, the alleged racial abuse of West Ham striker Carlton Cole?
The Football Association will want answers and are sure to come down heavily if they believe that the planning for such a match was inadequate.
West Ham fans were, for example, allowed to cavort on the pitch, dangerously close to both sets of players at times, before disappearing into the crowd again.
Why, it will be asked, weren't the stewards more pro-active? The answer could be that they weren't being paid danger money and were, funnily enough, not that keen on getting a smack in the mouth.
The truth is that, even in these so-called enlightened times, those that seek out trouble will usually find it.
For the sensible fans in the crowd of 24,492 at Upton Park, it left a nasty taste in the mouth. West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola, for example, was shocked by what he had witnessed.
Zola is a disciple of the beautiful game. He made life more palatable for tens of thousands of supporters when he was a player and his mantra now he is a manager is similar.
Yes, he wants his teams to win but above all, he wants his players to entertain, to play with a smile on their face and stardust in their boots.
Yet we saw him down by the touchline last night, watching the violence and the hatred erupt and you could see he was hurt. He was dumbfounded, speechless and forlorn.
He was thinking, 'Why are you doing this? You are not even watching the game? I do not understand it.'
Normally the Sardinian smiles easily, he likes people to be happy but last night, there was no laughing, just a lot of head shaking and a look of disappointment, almost disillusionment.
Somehow, though, amongst all the mayhem, this cup tie unfolded dramatically. Millwall started the match by far the better of the two and fully deserved their 21st-minute goal from striker Neil Harris.
West Ham, with four changes from Sunday's match against Tottenham, were out of sorts, sluggish and within four minutes of going out of the Carling Cup before one of their young players, Junior Stanislas, slammed home an equaliser.
That, and everything else that was going on around them, seemed to knock the stuffing out of Kenny Jackett's Millwall and when Andy Frampton handballed in extra-time, Stanislas scored his second goal of the night from the penalty spot.
The best goal was scored by substitute Zavon Hines after 101 minutes of play but Zola was in no mood to celebrate.On a thoroughly distasteful night, though, there was just one thing that lifted the spirits.
It was the sight of young West Ham midfielder Jack Collison, playing the full 120 minutes despite the tragic death of his father Ian, in a motorcycle accident as he travelled to watch his son play against Spurs on Sunday.
Zola said afterwards that Collison insisted that he wanted to play despite his broken heart.
"He showed what kind of boy he is. Not many would have done the same thing," said the West Ham manager.
At the end Collison, the tears streaming down his cheeks, stayed out on the pitch to acknowledge the supporters who had applauded loudly when his name was announced before the game started.
Some of them, of course, were already long gone, bent on finding more mayhem down the Barking Road.
Zola and the rest of us looked upon the ugly face of football last night - and were mortified.
Thank goodness then, for a young man named Jack Collison, who proved that there are still young men of true character and courage, ready to face any challenge, no matter how big or daunting.
Reader views (9)
Millwall and West Ham shouldn't even have been allowed to play together. If so it should have been behind closed doors. I live near the stadium and it was truly frightening to witness the violence. It would be embarrassing if the government had to step like they did in the Netherlands (i.e. banning away supporters for the next 5 seasons for Ajax-Feyenoord games). On the bright side, West Ham have a certain young Welsh prospect who has done his dad proud.
- Jim M, Upton Park, 23/11/2009 02:25
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If you are stupid enough to think that football hooliganism ever went away you seriously need to wake up, granted violence within and around the stadiums is not as prevalent as it once was, but I can assure you organised football related violence is alive and well and taking place up and down the country on a regular basis.
- Paxton, N17, 23/11/2009 01:25
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To see middle aged men involved in this violence is pathetic,I was involved in football violence in my late teens ,early twenties but grew out of it,to see fat balding men on the pitch was to me quite a sad sight,I think that at age 40 plus these sad old men whoever they support should call it a day.
- Jim Ex Pat,Islington N1, thailand, 23/11/2009 01:25
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Ken Dyer is right - there should have been a redraw.
West Ham and Millwall should never be allowed to play each other in cup competitions again, and if they are ever in the same division, the games should be played behind closed doors with any supporters found in the vicinity of the stadium arrested. It's a shame that the innocent will have to suffer for the guilty, but this is the only way forward.
- Blue Baby, London, 23/11/2009 01:25
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Paul is absolutely right.
These hooligans would pick a fight anywhere, it just so happens that it's football they choose, where numbers are greatest - it could be outside a regular meeting of the WRVS if they thought it would be a place to carry out their violent aims.
I don't say these thugs have a non-existent interest in football, some of them actually do have an interest but they are not supporters, as supporters of football wouldn't behave that way.
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England, 23/11/2009 01:25
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Absolutely spot on, Paul R. The media sensationalism of events has been marginally less disgusting than the events themselves, but not by much at all.
There was, for instance, no "violence" in the ground. Not at all. There were fat blokes running on the pitch when we scored. I, and the two girls I went with, found it hilarious. Yet every single picture of these invasions is accompanied with text ranting on about the "hooligan" problem.
The segregation was fine for this game. If the Police couldn't do their job outside that is not West Ham's fault. If the stewards couldn't control ridiculous goal celebrations then that is, but it is not, as you rightly say, a return to these oft-referred to "dark days", it is a bunch of berks getting too excited.
Malcolm Clarke (I hope I have the name right) said it best as spokesman for fans when he said far too much hysterical overreaction doesn't help a thing.
For that, read "absolutely any media reporting".
- Stu, Beckton, 23/11/2009 01:25
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These thugs were glorified in Hollywood style movies and it was just a matter of time before these two sets of 'fans' were presented with the opportunity to live up to their reputation, by way of their clubs being paired to play each other. Once again, they did not 'disappoint'.
- Nicolas M.S., Nicosia, Cyprus, 23/11/2009 01:25
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Why is it that this match - the first to take place in 5 years between these clubs - is being pulled out as something so truly awful when such violence takes place in towns and cities across the country every friday and saturday night across the country outside clubs and bars? Is it because the media can attach the tag "football" to it?
I'm not condoning the violence or saying we should accept it, i just think the media should think again about making statements about the "return of regular football violence" and "going back to the dark days of the 80's". It was one match with organised violence outside of the ground by thugs under the convenient banner of football - not actual football fans. Had that organised violence outside of the ground not occurred then what little happened inside the ground would have been largely ignored by the media.
- Paul R, London, 23/11/2009 01:25
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The fact is that a significant minority of football fans cannot behave like normal human beings. They are foul mouthed, violent idiots who behave like this away from football matches as well as at them and reflect this so called under class that in truth are the route cause of most of the violent and anti-social behaviour around the country. Watch any football match (West Ham Vs Tottenham on Sunday) and all you see is foul mouthed idiots swearing and gesturing at players. The BRoadcasters ignore it, edit most of it out and talk about the cracking atmosphere. Personally, more than anything i would like to see the police shout some of them. problem solved.
- Rob, London, London, 23/11/2009 01:25
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