Millwall vs West Ham LIVE: Police statement and huge dispersal area as fears of violence rise

· Mirror

Millwall and West Ham will go head-to-head in the Championship on Saturday lunchtime with police issuing statements ahead of the fixture

Welcome to Mirror Football’s LIVE coverage of the Championship clash between Millwall and West Ham, amid fears of violence in the capital.

The Lions will host the Hammers at the Den on Saturday afternoon, with kick-off scheduled for 12.30pm between the two London rivals.

This is the first time that Millwall and West Ham have faced each other since 2012, with the Hammers now competing in the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

With the fierce rivalry between the two clubs, the Metropolitan Police have already issued a statement giving advice to supporters heading to the stadium for the match.

Police have also issued a Section 35 dispersal order, which will be in place on Saturday because of the match between Millwall and West Ham, and will impact a large percentage of London.

Follow LIVE updates as Mirror Football keeps you updated on the latest Millwall vs West Ham…

Away fans should be banned

Former hooligan Cass Pennant wrote in 2022 that the two sets of fans should never meet, even as their fanbases have changed since a violent past.

He said: "Final word on these two teams and their supporters is simply that they should NEVER meet, and the only way you can solve that is to ban away fans. There is a fierce rivalry that is beyond the rivalry of most football derbies."

Early police presence

There will be 400 police officers deployed for the match today. They are in place ahead of tensions rising.

Away access

The Met have also offered some information to West Ham supporters as they hope to avoid disruption to the wider public.

> Away ticket holders can access the ground from South Bermondsey Station, via London Bridge. This will minimise disruption to the wider public and give @WestHam fans a clear, easy route to follow with a significant police presence. After the fixture, away fans will likely be guided to South Bermondsey which means the station may be closed to home fans for up to an hour. Please make appropriate arrangements and allow longer for your journey to be completed.

Dispersal order

There is a significant dispersal order in place for the game, which is now less than two hours away.

Good morning

Thanks for joining us. It's a match that many will have looked for when the fixtures were released, given their historical rivalry.

We'll keep you up to date with all the news leading up to, during, and after the match.

Read the original

Related