August 7 – High Tech Hooligans
HOOLIGANISM has long been a problem for football in Britain and if there is one club that, rightly or wrongly is seen as the worst offender, it is Millwall.
A 1975 Panorama documentary about football violence at Millwall somewhat blackened the name of the club, and it has never recovered since (mind you, having Dennis Wise play for you is never going to help). One of the favourite chants at their home ground The New Den is ‘No one likes us. We don’t care,” or variations on that theme.
Many have claimed that the club’s reputation is unfair, and that the small minority of ‘fans’ that cause trouble are not representative of the Millwall supporters. A former Chairman of the club, Reg Burr, once said: “Millwall are a convenient coat peg for football to hang its social ills on.”
It was on this day however in 1999 that this small minority showed their reputation was well deserved, when they clashed with Cardiff City fans (no angels themselves) at the first fixture of the season in the Welsh capital.
The city’s ‘café quarter’ had to virtually close down for two hours with shop and café owners locking themselves in until Police and dogs were sent in to break up the mob.
This fight was no spur-of-the-moment thing between two sets of fans who had had too much to drink. This marked the day when hooliganism went online.
Police revealed that the two sets of fans had been organising the clash through internet forums, so the abuse could start weeks before the match itself.
Apparently one message on a forum described the trouble as the “tear-up of the year”. Another said: “Get ready Taffies, we are coming to wreck your country.”
One site even posted a running commentary of events, presumably to keep other hooligans who couldn’t make the journey up to date with events.
Chairman of Cardiff City Steve Borley said at the time that the trouble was disgraceful.
“Football is the loser,” he said.
Happily, another visit of Millwall to Cardiff was altogether more peaceful. Not a single Millwall fan was arrested at the 2004 FA Cup final which they lost 3-0 to Manchester United.
Here are the fans signing their signature chant at the match:
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