[lfc-news] Millwall and Liverpool charged - PA

PA Sport, 9 Dec 2004
MILLWALL AND LIVERPOOL CHARGED

Millwall have become the first club to be charged by the Football
Association over racist behaviour by fans.

The disciplinary action comes after Liverpool's French defender Djimi
Traore was racially abused during the Carling Cup game at the New Den on
October 26, and Millwall have been charged with breaching FA rules by
failing to prevent racist behaviour by their fans.

Both Millwall and Liverpool each face another disciplinary charge related
to violence in a stand that had to be broken up by riot police.

The second charge against Millwall relates to missiles being thrown onto
the pitch - around 70 seats were ripped up during the disturbance - while
Liverpool are in the dock in relation to violent or threatening behaviour
by their fans.

There were claims following the match, which ended 3-0 to Liverpool, that
Millwall fans chanted songs about the Hillsborough disaster and Kenneth
Bigley, the Merseysider who had just been murdered in Iraq.

Both clubs have until December 23 to respond and Millwall are expected to
mount an impassioned defence.

The Lions chairman Theo Paphitis today attacked the credibility of the FA.

"I find it very difficult to explain it because there was never any
indication of racist abuse being brought into the discussions," he said.

"God knows what the FA are up to. We are still waiting for the FA to send
us their evidence.

"I just find the whole thing staggering. It just seems like the FA is a
rudderless-ship at the moment and are seeking publicity for their own aim.

"Racism is too an important subject to use to point score."

Paphitis added on Sky Sports News: "We will respond and we will invite the
FA for discussions.

"Maybe they will leave their palace at Soho Square to show us the evidence
they have on these charges and if they show us the evidence then maybe we
can respond in a more detailed way.

"The charges are completely ridiculous and we'll see what evidence they
have got to back it up."

Former Liverpool skipper Phil Neal, who works as a charity co-ordinator for
the families involved in the Hillsborough tragedy, was at the game as a
local radio pundit and was stunned by the chants.

He said at the time: "Seeing what happened tonight made me rather subdued,
and I had to apologise to my listeners because I did not say anything for
about 20 minutes."

Millwall's official supporters group have condemned the decision to charge
the club for racist behaviour among their fans.

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.

"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.

He added: "Millwall have to make sure that, as a club, they are completely
free of suspicion; they cannot afford to mess up on anything.

"That's why there is a zero-tolerance policy on racism, and people are
ejected very quickly.

"I know of people who have been thrown out of the ground simply for
shouting 'come off it ref'.

"I go to other grounds, and I always notice that the stewards are so much
more relaxed than the Millwall ones."



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