It is one of the most talked about rivalries in English football. Millwall FC andA�WestA�Ham – two London clubs – have an unparalleled hatred towards each other. Everybody in England is well aware of the rivalry; one which poses a headache to the London police like no other.
From a simple song that Millwall sing to the way they celebrate and do things, from the players on the pitch and the manager and the background staff; every single aspect about Millwall is anti-Hammers.A�Emotions are always running high in any football match, but this game is an exception. This derby reflects the pride that these set of supporters have in their team and the lengths they would go toA�and the things they would do and sayA�for theirA�club to be looked upon as the best around.
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Millwall fans believe that they are the biggest ‘smallA�club’ in the world. Millwall fans have hated the fact that they have hardly met West Ham in the last few years and thisA�game will show their true emotions – that have been bottled up for a long while – towards the Hammers.
The Millwall-West Ham rivalry goes back over eight decades, originating in the royal docks of London,A�when the Millwall side ofA�the docks refused to take part in the 1926 dockers strike. It caused an uproar in the north side of the dockers, which happened to be full of West ham fans. This started the rivalry between the two sets of fans, which has only intensified over the years. Another dimension to the rivalry is the story of Ian Pratt – a Millwall supporter. When Millwall fans and West HamA�fans started fighting in a train station called the ‘New Cross’, Ian Pratt ended up being pushed onto the tracks by West Ham fans and was killed by an oncoming train.A�At the next home game, the Cold Blow LaneA�StandA�(south stand) had leaflets passed round with the piture of Ian Pratt andA�words under the picture reading ‘A West Ham fan must die next week to avenge him’.
The rivalry seems to have gone up a notch in the last decade; perhaps, due to the reduced frequency of the fixture. The last two meetings have ended in fatal incidents between the two sets of fans.A�The mutual hatred has no signs of changing for decades to come. There is a feeling of injustice among the Millwall ranks, with ‘Same Old Millwall’ bearing the brunt of media criticism, while the Hammers are believed to get away with anything in the riots.
The last meeting between the two clubs was in the Carling Cup when Millwall were defeated 3-1 after extra time at Upton Park. Millwall played brilliantly, though. At the time, Millwall were in League One and West Ham were a Premiership side. The gap has closed, now.
Millwall’s current form is patchy. The defence seems strong, but is letA�down by the inability of the strikers to convert chances.A�In the latest game – a defeat to Birmingham – these factors were on show throughoutA�the game.A�Millwall’s defense was let down by the misses from the strikers. Alan Dunne slipped to let in their first goal but for the rest of the game Millwall were solid at the back. The same solidity must be on show against Sam Allardyce’s club.
Although Millwall fans seem to be anxious, there seems to be an air of excitement towards Saturday’s game. Every team that comes to The Den always faces the 12th man – the supporters. A capacity of 20,000 fans can often feel like 50,000; and rest assured, West Ham aren’t going to get a light reception.
The game on the pitch will definitely be both – war and football. While Millwall might approach this game like a war, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will want to make it more about football – which gives the Hammers an edge. The Millwall players will know what is required from them and if they fail to deliver, the fans will let them know that for the rest of the season.
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Millwall’s tactics are likely to change for this clash. The home side is likely to play primarily on the counter.A�The whole defensive setup will be the key and Kenny Jackett would want his team to press hard and not let West HamA�play their usual passing game.A�Set pieces will also play a big part with Bouazza beingA�key to free kicks andA�corners along with James Henry. The pace and ability of Feeney and Simpson will be key to Millwall. A strong bench willA�also be needed. If Millwall end up winning, the wingers are likely to have played a major role.
All is set, though, for Millwall to welcome their most bitter rivals. Remember the ‘Avram Grant – Millwall Legend’ banner that flew over the DW stadium on the day West Ham were relegated to the championship under Avram Grant?
The game started its build-up back then. The game is finally here. On Saturday, we kick-start another chapter of the rivalry that burns London.
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Written by George Richards with inputs from Akarsh Sharma
Follow the author on twitter @GeorgieboyMFC
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