Below is a copy of an e-mail that
one of our members sent to Burnley FC following our match against Millwall.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I do not know whether the club is aware of the treatment received by its fans after the
game at the New Den yesterday, but if not you may be interested in the following.
For their own safety, all away fans, including those travelling home by coach, were
kept in secure areas adjacent to the ground, and were subject to adequate police
protection, thus preventing Millwall 'fans' from attacking us. The police would not allow
fans to leave at their own risk, because of mobs of Millwall fans waiting round the corner
armed with bottles, stones and rocks.
By 17.30 the police announced that all away fans who needed to leave the ground on foot
should follow them. A convoy was created which moved slowly towards South Bermondsey
railway station, and included those fans who had left their cars locally and didn't want
to go to the station at all. The convoy comprised perhaps 150 Burnley fans and a massive
number of police, including about 20 police vans, mounted police, and a large number of
police in full riot gear, carrying batons and riot shields. We moved forward slowly,
enabling the police to clear each side street of threatening Millwall followers.
During all of this I had a number of very amicable conversations with police officers.
What they said was:
- For the Met the short straw for London officers is to police at Millwall.
- The scenes after the games were the worst since the infamous Millwall/Man City game.
- The police acknowledged that there was wholesale public disorder and that it would have
been the preference of officers on duty to arrest the large number of Millwall fans
causing the trouble, but that this could have led to further substantial disorder.
- The cost of the police operation was huge, but anything required outside of the ground
was at the expense of the Met, and not the responsibility of the club.
- The main objective was to get the Burnley fans away from the scene unharmed.
We saw bottles thrown at Burnley fans and at times the Millwall fans charged the lines
of police - but unsuccessfully. This was very frightening to some.
By 18.00 we successfully reached the station. Those fans not travelling by train were
then allowed by the police to disperse in small groups and make their way back to their
cars. However it was made clear that the police could not provide protection and that
everyone walked away at their own risk. We had no trouble thereafter as our group was not
wearing away colours. I do not know if there was any other violence.
All we wanted was a nice afternoon out at a football match. We did not bargain on being
drawn into riot conditions.
The police did not appear convinced that Millwall FC either wants, or is able, to
control the situation. It is intolerable that there should be such intimidation on the
streets of Britain in the 21st century. Football hooliganism is supposed to be a problem
which has gone way. I suggest that it is alive and kicking in south London.
I have nothing but praise for the police operation and feel very sorry that their
officers have to deal with such appalling situations in the course of their duty.
Why am I writing to you? As one of a group of loyal supporters following BFC around the
country, I would hope that the club would have our interests at heart, and in the interest
also of supporters of other First Division clubs, should make representation to the
directors and management of Millwall FC about our wholly unacceptable treatment on
Saturday afternoon. I have been to a very large number of away grounds but behaviour of
the home 'fans' at Millwall is the worst anywhere by a long, long way.
Please draw this note to the attention of Andrew Watson or other senior club official.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
Yours truly,
Grant Waters
