adminThe long-awaited return of the Dockers’ Derby produced a tense backdrop around The Den as police mounted a major security operation to keep Millwall and West Ham supporters apart.
The two London rivals met competitively for the first time in 14 years on Saturday, with the fixture carrying a huge amount of history and emotion. The Metropolitan Police had prepared for the occasion with around 400 officers deployed across the area, supported by mounted units and specialist resources.
The heavy police presence was visible around The Den before and during the match, with officers tasked with preventing rival supporters from coming into contact with each other.
Authorities had also introduced a Section 35 dispersal order covering parts of south London, giving officers additional powers to remove people involved in disorder. Enhanced stop-and-search powers were also put in place as part of the operation.
The precautions were understandable given the history surrounding the fixture.
Millwall and West Ham have one of English football’s most fiercely contested rivalries, with tensions between the two sets of supporters dating back generations. Previous meetings have been associated with serious disorder, most notably the 2009 League Cup clash at Upton Park, when there were pitch invasions and a Millwall supporter was stabbed.
For this year’s fixture, authorities went to considerable lengths to prevent a repeat of those scenes.
Supporters were given specific travel instructions, with West Ham fans directed towards South Bermondsey and controlled routes to the stadium. Restrictions were also planned around the station after the match in an effort to keep the rival groups separated.
Despite the extraordinary security arrangements, the football itself eventually took centre stage.
Millwall produced an impressive first-half performance and went into the break with a 2-0 lead through Caleb Taylor and Camiel Neghli. West Ham responded after the interval, with Mohamadou Kanté reducing the deficit before Konstantinos Mavropanos headed in the equaliser.
The match ended 2-2, although West Ham finished with 10 men after Kanté was sent off for pulling back Kyrell Lisbie while he was through on goal.
There was also controversy during the second half after Millwall goalkeeper Filip Marschall appeared to allege that West Ham forward Taty Castellanos had spat at him. Millwall manager Alex Neil confirmed after the match that an allegation had been made, while West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo said he had not seen the incident and declined to comment.
Despite the intense atmosphere surrounding the return of the rivalry, reports after the match indicated that there were no immediate reports of major disorder around the stadium.
The security operation nevertheless demonstrated how seriously authorities had taken the fixture.
After 14 years without a competitive meeting, the Dockers’ Derby was always going to attract enormous attention. The challenge for both sets of supporters was to preserve the passion and identity of the rivalry without allowing it to descend into violence or disorder.
Ultimately, the match itself provided plenty of drama, with four goals, a comeback, a red card and a controversial incident ensuring the return of one of English football’s most historic rivalries was anything but quiet.
For now, the Dockers’ Derby has returned — and the 2-2 draw has added another memorable chapter to its long history.
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