Millwall highlight ugly side of sport
That said, I don’t think the problem ever really went away completely. It might be nowhere near the scale it was years ago, but it’s still there and probably gets brushed under the carpet to some degree to save the image of “the beautiful game”. The only reason it’s back in the headlines and provoking such a huge debate is purely because the violence broke out at an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, with the result that millions around the world witnessed with their own eyes the disgusting behaviour on display inside the stadium.
Firstly, I want to say that I genuinely feel for the vast majority of Millwall fans because they must despise the reputation they have because of the few brainless thugs who go to games for non-footballing reasons.
I’ve played at Millwall on a few occasions in my career and I have to say there’s always a tense, nervy atmosphere there, as if it’s just at boiling point ready to explode at the slightest thing. The first time I went there as a young professional I was a sub and I remember the London lads in our squad and, in particular, the black players, saying to be careful when you’re out warming up.
To be honest, I didn’t really take much notice and, as I was stretching, I even got chatting to a few of their fans when the ball was out of play. But the next time I went out to warm up it was clear the fans I had spoken to had by now realised I was Irish and spread the word — and the torrent of abuse I received was disgraceful. It actually culminated with me giving a little bit of stick back to one or two, and them trying to get past two stewards to get at me in the dug out.
As recently as October of last year when we played at the New Den, one of our players alleged he was racially abused by some fans while he was warming up. There are obviously big problems at this club and people there who are found guilty of causing trouble have to be punished to make sure behaviour like this doesn’t persist.
I myself have witnessed very little major violence at football matches but, ironically, one time I did was on home soil — that infamous night in 1995 at Lansdowne Road when the Ireland-England game was called off after a section of the visiting fans kicked off.
If memory serves me right it was a neo-Nazi organisation called Combat 18 who instigated the trouble. Although I was shocked at the scenes which unfolded that night, my major memory is the regret I felt at not getting to see a game I was thoroughly looking forward to since, as a 14-year-old in Dublin, it was not very often that you got to see household Premier League names playing in your home town.
As I continue my rehab from injury, I’m hoping to be involved the next time we face England, this time at Wembley in May. I would fully expect us to bring a huge following from home and all over the UK and I sincerely hope this momentous occasion passes with the only talking points being ones on the pitch, not in the stands.
As I said at the beginning, my own experience tells me that, even if only among a minority of supporters, an undercurrent of trouble has never been too far from the surface at some games in England. I remember one occasion when, playing for Wolves in a local derby against Birmingham City, we encountered trouble with the opposition fans. After the match we were making our way out of the stadium on the bus when bricks started to rattle it from every angle. A few windows were cracked but fortunately nobody was injured and the police scared the culprits away.
Attending some of my away games over the years, my family and friends have also witnessed a few unsavoury scenes, whether it was bottles being hurled by home fans into the away sections or simply the vile chants that, unfortunately, seem to be part and parcel of the football soundtrack...
I cannot comprehend the mentality of people who derive pleasure from going to sporting occasions purely to cause trouble and fight each other. Growing up, I used to follow the Dubs wherever they played. I remember one occasion going to a match in Portlaoise with my dad and uncles. We pitched up at some pub down there, got the bacon ribs out of the tin foil and ordered a couple of drinks — I was on rock shandy that day, I think. The pub was full of fans from both counties and never in a million years would you expect any trouble between them.
Maybe it’s a bit too much to expect that, at football matches in England and elsewhere, a pint of rock shandy and some bacon ribs would suffice as an accompaniment to the match. But, the very least we should demand, is that families and young children can go to games without being exposed to sick chants, punch-ups and worse.
