Traore booed for foul, claim Millwall supporters

Millwall’s official supporters group today condemned the Football Association’s decision to charge the club for racist behaviour among their fans.

The south Londoners became the first club to be charged over racist behaviour by fans when football’s governing body ruled that Liverpool defender Djimi Traore had been racially abused in the Carling Cup tie between the sides at The Den on October 26.

But Joe Broadfoot, a board member of the Lions’ Trust, insisted Traore had been singled out by Millwall fans solely for an incident during the game.

“Djimi Traore was being booed because he fouled [Millwall midfielder] Marvin Elliott early in the game,” he said. “There was no racist chanting at all during the match.

“And when the fans began booing, I remember wondering whether the FA would bring out the old chestnut about racism.

“It had nothing to do with racism. If a visiting player winds the home fans up with something he does on the pitch, they will boo him. Millwall fans are like that.”

Both clubs were also charged for an incident in the away stand, when violence was quelled by riot police.

The second charge related to missiles that were thrown onto the pitch.

About 70 seats were launched onto the playing surface from the away end of the ground amid allegations that Millwall fans had taunted their Liverpool counterparts with chants about the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, when 95 Liverpool supporters were killed.

“How can Millwall be charged for something that Liverpool fans did?” continued Broadfoot, referring to the seats that were ripped out.

“The FA’s incompetence has never astounded me, but I think that even they have gone a stage further this time.”

Broadfoot also claimed Millwall’s history of supporter violence means the slightest indiscretion is punished by stewards at The Den.