Post by QPR Report on Jan 28, 2009 7:58:15 GMT
Now that would be a big deal if it actually happens
Independent/Jon Culley - Hull to bill Millwall for damage to stand
Millwall's disappointment at being eliminated from the FA Cup could be eclipsed by more serious consequences for the club after violent scenes inside Hull's KC Stadium on Saturday overshadowed the action on the pitch, dealing the club a serious setback in its long-running battle to rid itself of its hooligan past.
Humberside Police, who expect significant additions to the 12 arrests made at the scene, are to investigate how as many as 500 Millwall fans already known to be "high risk" potential trouble-makers were able to attend the fourth-round match after targeting the fixture for organised violence.
Having infiltrated the area of empty seats designed to keep Millwall supporters in the North Stand at a safe distance from home fans in the East Stand, Millwall fans ripped out seats and began hurling them at Hull supporters, along with coins and plastic bottles. Hull fans threw objects back and police in riot gear formed a barrier while the sight of mounted police on the touchline to prevent a pitch invasion recalled the away club's dark days in the 1980s. Five of those arrested were charged with public order offences.
Hull City officials say that 50 seats were destroyed, with damage to toilet and refreshment areas. They plan to bill Millwall for the repairs. Paul Duffen, the home club's chairman, said: "This kind of mindless hooliganism is an ugly throwback to a bygone era which most clubs have eradicated from their culture." The Football Association is likely to launch an inquiry.
Millwall have had a membership scheme in operation for the last seven seasons following serious crowd trouble at the home play-off match against Birmingham City in 2002, when 47 police officers were injured trying to quell rioting.
Chief Inspector Darren Downs, Humberside police's match commander, said that around 280 officers were assigned to crowd control duties – almost double the usual number – after intelligence reports established that Millwall fans had targeted the Hull fixture for violence.
"What was unusual was the outbreak of trouble inside the ground," chief inspector Downs said. "Since the introduction of closed-circuit television it has become rare. Once the video evidence has been studied, however, those involved can expect to find us knocking on their doors."
Millwall's executive deputy chairman, Heather Rabbatts, said: "We will continue to take responsibility for doing everything in our power to rid ourselves of a criminal element which clearly sees big games involving our club as an opportunity to indulge in anti-social behaviour..."
www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/hull-to-bill-millwall-for-damage-to-stand-1515786.html
HULL OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Hull City AFC utterly condemns the violence and criminal damage caused by Millwall supporters at the Kingston Communications Stadium during yesterday's FA Cup Fourth Round tie.
A full statement will be issued on conclusion of police and stadium investigations, but it is already clear that a significant contingent of the travelling Millwall supporters arrived at the match with the single intention of causing maximum disruption.
Over 50 seats were destroyed together with toilet facilities and concession shutters, all in the North Stand occupied by visiting supporters.
Tigers chairman Paul Duffen commented: "There is no place for this kind of mindless hooliganism in football. It is an ugly throwback to a bygone era which most clubs have long since eradicated from their culture.
"Hull City Football Club will be seeking full financial compensation from Millwall for all the damage and will be making the strongest representations to the football authorities regarding this incident."
www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~1532125,00.html
MILLWALL OFFICIAL STATEMENT - Chairman's Comment
Lions chairman John Berylson has reiterated his club's determination to discover how a criminal element clearly bent on causing trouble were able to obtain tickets for Saturday's FA Cup tie at Hull.
He said: "What has been lost in all the reporting of Saturday's events, is the fact that on a week by week basis we have no trouble at Millwall games. The vast majority of our regular fans are decent law-abiding citizens who only want to support their team.
In this instance, a hooligan element has managed to attach itself to us for a big game, with the sole intention of causing mayhem.
We will be taking responsibility, with the police, for trying to find out how this happened and will be talking with supporters' representatives to look at ways of ensuring this doesn't occur again in the future.
However, it is imperative that everyone in football wakes up to the fact that there is still a problem out there. Millwall, because of past history, is a very easy target, but demonizing our club will not make the problem go away.
I was a little disappointed with some of the things my counterpart at Hull City apparently said after the game, laying all the blame for what happened in his stadium at our door.
It is clear that there is a rogue element which attaches itself to his club from time to time as well, and they too were active on Saturday.
The same goes for most clubs in the league. There were also problems at Cardiff and Luton over the weekend, and the sooner everyone recognizes the fact that the hooligan problem associated with football still hasn't gone away, the quicker we can start to find ways of tackling it.
Nothing will be served by individuals at different clubs pointing the finger of blame at each other because we all share the problem to a greater or lesser extent.
The only hope we have of dealing with it is by uniting to work with other agencies and authorities to target, identify and bring to justice criminals who are damaging the national game."
Independent/Jon Culley - Hull to bill Millwall for damage to stand
Millwall's disappointment at being eliminated from the FA Cup could be eclipsed by more serious consequences for the club after violent scenes inside Hull's KC Stadium on Saturday overshadowed the action on the pitch, dealing the club a serious setback in its long-running battle to rid itself of its hooligan past.
Humberside Police, who expect significant additions to the 12 arrests made at the scene, are to investigate how as many as 500 Millwall fans already known to be "high risk" potential trouble-makers were able to attend the fourth-round match after targeting the fixture for organised violence.
Having infiltrated the area of empty seats designed to keep Millwall supporters in the North Stand at a safe distance from home fans in the East Stand, Millwall fans ripped out seats and began hurling them at Hull supporters, along with coins and plastic bottles. Hull fans threw objects back and police in riot gear formed a barrier while the sight of mounted police on the touchline to prevent a pitch invasion recalled the away club's dark days in the 1980s. Five of those arrested were charged with public order offences.
Hull City officials say that 50 seats were destroyed, with damage to toilet and refreshment areas. They plan to bill Millwall for the repairs. Paul Duffen, the home club's chairman, said: "This kind of mindless hooliganism is an ugly throwback to a bygone era which most clubs have eradicated from their culture." The Football Association is likely to launch an inquiry.
Millwall have had a membership scheme in operation for the last seven seasons following serious crowd trouble at the home play-off match against Birmingham City in 2002, when 47 police officers were injured trying to quell rioting.
Chief Inspector Darren Downs, Humberside police's match commander, said that around 280 officers were assigned to crowd control duties – almost double the usual number – after intelligence reports established that Millwall fans had targeted the Hull fixture for violence.
"What was unusual was the outbreak of trouble inside the ground," chief inspector Downs said. "Since the introduction of closed-circuit television it has become rare. Once the video evidence has been studied, however, those involved can expect to find us knocking on their doors."
Millwall's executive deputy chairman, Heather Rabbatts, said: "We will continue to take responsibility for doing everything in our power to rid ourselves of a criminal element which clearly sees big games involving our club as an opportunity to indulge in anti-social behaviour..."
www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/hull-to-bill-millwall-for-damage-to-stand-1515786.html
HULL OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Hull City AFC utterly condemns the violence and criminal damage caused by Millwall supporters at the Kingston Communications Stadium during yesterday's FA Cup Fourth Round tie.
A full statement will be issued on conclusion of police and stadium investigations, but it is already clear that a significant contingent of the travelling Millwall supporters arrived at the match with the single intention of causing maximum disruption.
Over 50 seats were destroyed together with toilet facilities and concession shutters, all in the North Stand occupied by visiting supporters.
Tigers chairman Paul Duffen commented: "There is no place for this kind of mindless hooliganism in football. It is an ugly throwback to a bygone era which most clubs have long since eradicated from their culture.
"Hull City Football Club will be seeking full financial compensation from Millwall for all the damage and will be making the strongest representations to the football authorities regarding this incident."
www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~1532125,00.html
MILLWALL OFFICIAL STATEMENT - Chairman's Comment
Lions chairman John Berylson has reiterated his club's determination to discover how a criminal element clearly bent on causing trouble were able to obtain tickets for Saturday's FA Cup tie at Hull.
He said: "What has been lost in all the reporting of Saturday's events, is the fact that on a week by week basis we have no trouble at Millwall games. The vast majority of our regular fans are decent law-abiding citizens who only want to support their team.
In this instance, a hooligan element has managed to attach itself to us for a big game, with the sole intention of causing mayhem.
We will be taking responsibility, with the police, for trying to find out how this happened and will be talking with supporters' representatives to look at ways of ensuring this doesn't occur again in the future.
However, it is imperative that everyone in football wakes up to the fact that there is still a problem out there. Millwall, because of past history, is a very easy target, but demonizing our club will not make the problem go away.
I was a little disappointed with some of the things my counterpart at Hull City apparently said after the game, laying all the blame for what happened in his stadium at our door.
It is clear that there is a rogue element which attaches itself to his club from time to time as well, and they too were active on Saturday.
The same goes for most clubs in the league. There were also problems at Cardiff and Luton over the weekend, and the sooner everyone recognizes the fact that the hooligan problem associated with football still hasn't gone away, the quicker we can start to find ways of tackling it.
Nothing will be served by individuals at different clubs pointing the finger of blame at each other because we all share the problem to a greater or lesser extent.
The only hope we have of dealing with it is by uniting to work with other agencies and authorities to target, identify and bring to justice criminals who are damaging the national game."