Misplaced Pages

Millwall and West Ham United rivalry

The last derby at Upton Park. (4 February 2012)
Location	London (East and South)
Teams	Millwall West Ham United
First meeting	Thames Ironworks 1–2 Millwall Athletic (FA Cup, 9 December 1899)
Latest meeting	West Ham United 2–1 Millwall (Championship, 4 February 2012)
Stadiums	The Den (Millwall) London Stadium (West Ham)
Statistics
Meetings total	99
Most wins	Millwall (38)
Top scorer	Alf Twigg (10)
All-time series	Millwall: 38 West Ham United: 34 Drawn: 27
Largest victory	West Ham United 1–7 Millwall Athletic (2 April 1903)
MillwallWest Ham

The rivalry between Millwall and West Ham United is one of the longest-standing and most bitter in English football. The two teams, then known as Millwall Athletic and Thames Ironworks, both originated in the East End of London, and were located less than three miles apart. They first played each other in the 1899–1900 FA Cup. The match was historically known as the Dockers derby, as both sets of supporters were predominantly dockers at shipyards on the River Thames. Consequently, each set of fans worked for rival firms who were competing for the same business; this intensified the tension between the teams. In 1904, West Ham moved to the Boleyn Ground which was then part of Essex until a London boundary change in 1965. In 1910, Millwall moved across the River Thames to New Cross in South East London and the teams were no longer East London neighbours. Both sides have relocated since, but remain just under four miles apart. Millwall moved to The Den in Bermondsey in 1993 and West Ham to the London Stadium in Stratford in 2016.

Millwall and West Ham have played each other 99 times competitively: Millwall have won 38, West Ham 34 and 27 have ended in a draw. Before the First World War the teams met 60 times in just 16 years, mostly in the Southern and Western Football Leagues. They have played a total of 39 times in league and cup competitions since 1916. The teams have usually competed in different divisions, spending only 12 seasons in the same tier of the Football League. Even so, the derbies have retained their passion and both sets of supporters still consider the other club their main rival. They last played against each other in the 2011–12 Championship. As of the 2023–24 season, West Ham play in the Premier League and Millwall play in the Championship, the tier below.

The rivalry between the teams is deeply embedded in British football hooliganism lore and culture, and has been depicted in books and films that focus specifically on the animosity between the clubs' two hooligan firms, the Inter City Firm and the Millwall Bushwackers. Violence has occurred sporadically between the fans, resulting in the death of a Millwall supporter in 1976, and the murder of a West Ham fan in 1986. Most recently in the 2009 Upton Park riot, widespread disorder between supporters in and around West Ham's Upton Park ground led to numerous injuries and a Millwall fan being stabbed before the match began. In the last two games between the sides in the 2011–12 season, the Metropolitan Police implemented London-wide operations to ensure the games were trouble-free.

History of the rivalry

Founding of the clubs: 1885–98

Millwall Rovers Football Club was formed in 1885 by tinsmiths at JT Morton's canned food factory on the Isle of Dogs in the East End of London. Ten years later, Thames Ironworks Football Club was formed by Dave Taylor, a foreman at Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, London's last major shipbuilding firm. Arnold Hills, the company owner, decided to form a football team to improve the morale of his workforce. The two clubs were situated under three miles (4.8 km) apart. With each set of players and supporters working for opposing firms, competing for the same contracts, rivalries developed. The earliest meetings between the clubs were reserve games: the first ended in a 6–0 home win for Millwall Athletic Reserves on 14 December 1895 over a newly formed Thames Ironworks side. On 23 September 1897, the two sides played a first-team friendly match at Millwall's Athletic Grounds, Millwall Athletic won 2–0 in front of a crowd of 1,200 spectators.

Sixty meetings in sixteen years: 1899–1915

On 9 December 1899 the two teams met for their first competitive fixture – a Fifth Round qualifying match in the FA Cup. Millwall Athletic won 2–1 at Thames Ironworks' Memorial Grounds; their goal scorers were Hugh Goldie and Bert Banks. Millwall reached the 1899–1900 semi-final and lost 3–0 to Southampton, but gained the nickname The Lions from a newspaper headline heralding them as "The Lions of the South" for their cup exploits. The teams' second competitive meeting was a Southern League match that spanned two centuries. A fixture at the Memorial Grounds on 23 December 1899 was abandoned after 69 minutes owing to smog, with Millwall leading 2–0. Instead of replaying the game, the remaining 21 minutes were completed after the return fixture four months later, on 28 April 1900. After Ironworks won 1–0, the players took a short rest and played the rest of the abandoned game. With no further score, Millwall won the game 2–0.

Thames Ironworks was disbanded in June 1900 owing to disputes over the running of the club. The following month it was relaunched as West Ham United. The club's nickname is The Hammers, owing to their Ironworks origins. In the 1901–02 and 1902–03 seasons, Millwall and West Ham competed in the Southern League, London League, Western League and Southern Professional Charity Cup. The two sides met seven times in each of these seasons, the highest number of meetings in a season between the clubs. During this period Millwall were unbeaten in 12 consecutive games against West Ham, with nine wins and three draws over two years. This included a 7–1 win in a Southern Professional Charity Cup semi-final on 2 April 1903, the largest winning margin between the teams. Ben Hulse scored four of the goals at the Memorial Grounds. The run was finally broken on 1 September 1904, in a 3–0 victory at West Ham's first ever game at Upton Park, with two goals from Billy Bridgeman and one by Jack Flynn. Upton Park was in Essex until 1965, and technically West Ham was not a London team again until an act of Parliament changed the boundary lines of London in 1965 and the Borough of Newham was formed.

On 17 September 1906, in a Western League game, Millwall player Alf Dean was hurled against a metal advertising board by West Ham's Len Jarvis. Others were stretchered off following heavy tackles. The East Ham Echo reported: "From the very first kick of the ball it was seen likely to be some trouble, but the storm burst when Dean and Jarvis came into collision (Millwall had two players sent off during the match). This aroused considerable excitement among the spectators. The crowds on the bank having caught the fever, free fights were plentiful." In 1910 Millwall decided to drop Athletic from their name and move out of East London. With limited expansion space on the Isle of Dogs, the club wanted to boost support and attendances. It moved four miles to The Den, in New Cross, South London. The last East London derby between the teams was at Millwall's North Greenwich ground on 24 September 1910; West Ham won 2–0 with goals from Danny Shea and Fred Blackburn. Four months later, Millwall travelled to Upton Park as a team from South East London for the first time. The game ended in a 2–2 draw. On 9 March 1912, 28,400 supporters saw West Ham's first visit to The Den. The Lions won the game 5–1, with their Welsh international striker Wally Davis scoring a hat-trick.

Two World Wars and joining the Football League: 1915–45

A number of friendlies and non-competitive derbies took place during the First and Second World Wars. In total, 33 matches were played between the teams in Wartime Leagues. They both fielded severely depleted sides of juniors, reserves and non-professionals, playing 14 games in the London Combination between 1915 and 1919. West Ham won nine, Millwall three and two were drawn. After the First World War, the Football League was reintroduced in England by The Football Association and West Ham joined the Second Division for the 1919–20 season. Millwall joined the inaugural Third Division in the 1920–21 season, in the Football League expansion of 44 clubs to 66. In 1926 a general strike was observed by workers around the Royal Docks, the majority of whom were West Ham supporters. An unsubstantiated story states that Millwall-supporting shipyard workers of the Isle of Dogs refused to lend their support, provoking outrage. At this time, Millwall had already moved away from the Isle of Dogs and had been playing in New Cross for 16 years.

Between 1919 and 1929 the clubs played each other 11 times in the London Professional Footballers' Association Charity Fund and the London Challenge Cup, with West Ham winning five games, Millwall winning three, and three drawn. On 15 February 1930, West Ham won the Fifth Round FA Cup game 4–1 at Upton Park; Vic Watson scored two goals, and Viv Gibbins and Tommy Yews one each. Harold Wadsworth replied for the Lions. The teams met for the first time in the Football League in the 1932–33 season, after West Ham were relegated from the First Division. On 17 September 1932, West Ham beat Millwall 3–0 at Upton Park in the Second Division, two goals being scored by Vic Watson and one by Jackie Morton.

On 27 December 1938, 42,200 spectators at Upton Park saw a Second Division game between the sides end 0–0. As of 2024, this remains the record attendance for the fixture. Between 1939 and 1946 the two clubs played non-competitive fixtures in the League South (A) Division, South Regional League, London League, Football League South and the Football League War Cup. They played 19 games against each other during the Second World War: Millwall won 3, West Ham 12 and 4 were drawn. The Den was severely damaged by a German bomb in 1943, and for a brief time Millwall were invited by their neighbours Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace and West Ham to play their games at The Valley, Selhurst Park and Upton Park. To offset the shortage of professional players during the Second World War, a guest player system was introduced. Players such as Sailor Brown, Louis Cardwell and Jimmy Jinks played for both clubs during this period. West Ham lost 2–1 to Chelsea at White Hart Lane in the 1944–45 War Time Cup semi-final, with two Millwall guest-players in their team – both of whom went on to play for Millwall in the South Final, which they lost to Chelsea 2–0.

Different leagues and hooliganism: 1946–87

"The volatility of the fixture reflected a warped social history. The rivalry had soured, mutated. It defied rational analysis of the fault lines between dockers and shipbuilders, founding fathers of each club. The heresy of scab labour, early in the last century, was given a murderous dimension in a subsequent generation by gangland wars involving the Krays and the Richardsons. The game was a tribal ritual, an end in itself."

After the Second World War Millwall's form was poor and the club dropped into the Third and Fourth Division of the Football League. West Ham have never played below the Second Division in their history and often played a league or two above Millwall. The two sides did not play each other competitively between 13 October 1959 and 7 October 1978, making the 1960s the only decade the teams have not met. Despite the infrequency of their meetings, both sets of supporters still consider the other club their major rival. During these years, the Hammers enjoyed considerable success, winning the FA Cup in 1964, 1975 and 1980. They also won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965. Over four decades the sides were only in the same tier of the Football League for three seasons, in 1946–47, 1947–48 and 1978–79. They played two cup games against each other in the Southern Professional Floodlit Cup in 1959 and the Full Members Cup in 1987.

Football hooliganism reached its height in the 1970s and 80s. West Ham's Inter City Firm and the Millwall Bushwackers firm were at the forefront of the trouble, not just against each other, but against the police and firms associated with other football teams. In 1972, the two clubs played each other in a testimonial match for Millwall defender Harry Cripps, who began his career at West Ham. The game was marred by intense fighting between the two club's hooligan firms, both inside and outside the ground. Four years later, a Millwall supporter, Ian Pratt, died at New Cross railway station after falling out of a train during a fight with some West Ham fans. After the incident West Ham hooligans constructed the chant, "West Ham boys, we've got brains, we throw Millwall under trains." Millwall fans waited patiently for two years for revenge, until West Ham were relegated to the Second Division. Prior to their next meeting with the Hammers on 7 October 1978, leaflets were distributed at Millwall's home matches bearing the words: "A West Ham fan must die to avenge him." The police responded with an unprecedented show of force for the game at Upton Park, which West Ham won 3–0. Some 500 police officers controlled the crowd, carrying out extensive searches and strict segregation. Six officers were injured and 70 people were arrested after fans clashed in the street. Numerous weapons were also seized.

The Lions' 2–1 home league victory over the Hammers on 14 May 1979 ended a run of ten games without a win against their rivals, which stretched over 46 years, back to 1933. Pop Robson had given West Ham a half-time lead, but second half goals from Dave Mehmet and Nicky Chatterton gave Millwall the win. On 4 October 1986, over seven years since the clubs last played each other, 19 year-old West Ham fan Terry Burns was stabbed to death by a group of Millwall supporters on Villiers Street, next to Embankment tube station. A 2–1 victory in the Full Members Cup on 10 November 1987 gave Millwall their first win at Upton Park in 73 years. Alan Dickens gave the Hammers the lead in the second half, but two goals in three minutes from Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino assured Millwall of their first away win in the derby since 1914. As of their last game in 2012, it stands as the Lions last away win in the fixture.

First top-flight meeting and the Mothers' Day Massacre: 1988–2008

In 1988, Millwall won the Second Division championship and gained promotion, joining West Ham in the First Division for the first time in the club's history. Paul Ince scored the only goal at The Den on 3 December 1988, as West Ham won the game 1–0. They also won 3–0 at home on 22 April 1989, with goals from Julian Dicks, George Parris and Alan Dickens. This is the first and only time either side has completed a Football League double over the other. At the end of the season West Ham finished 19th and were relegated. Millwall finished 10th, the highest league finish in their history. The 1988–89 season is the only season both teams have been in the top division of English football. Millwall were relegated from the First Division in the 1989–90 season, the last time they appeared in the top tier. During the foundation of the Premier League in 1992, the two teams competed in the tier below in the newly formed First Division. The last game played between the teams at The Den was on 15 November 1992. It was the featured Sunday game on The London Match, an LWT sports show. Millwall won the game 2–1, with goals from Malcolm Allen and Phil Barber. Mark Robson replied for West Ham.

In the 1993–94 season, Millwall moved into the first purpose-built all-seater stadium, after the Taylor Report on the Hillsborough disaster. The Hammers were promoted, spending ten seasons in the Premier League and it was twelve years until they played at Millwall's new ground, The New Den. On Mothering Sunday, 21 March 2004, Millwall beat West Ham 4–1, with two goals from Tim Cahill, one from Nick Chadwick and a Christian Dailly own goal. Marlon Harewood scored the West Ham goal. This is the largest winning margin between the sides in the Football League. In an eventful game, Millwall missed one penalty and had another saved by West Ham goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, who was subsequently sent off. Violence also broke out between the opposing fans. Millwall fans and the media named the match "The Mothers' Day Massacre".

During an open-air showing in Canada Square, London Docklands of an England game against Paraguay at the 2006 World Cup, 100 West Ham and Millwall supporters fought each other, resulting in injuries to 16 people, one of whom required hospital treatment. The police shut down the screening with 10 minutes of the game remaining to be played.

Upton Park riot and West Ham move stadiums: 2009–present

In the 2009–10 season Millwall were drawn away to West Ham in the League Cup, which was the first meeting between the teams in the competition. The police cut the number of tickets given to travelling Millwall fans from 3,000 to 1,500, sparking anger among supporters; Millwall warned police of a higher probability of trouble. West Ham won the game 3–1 on 25 August 2009, their first win over Millwall in seven games played over in 18 years. Neil Harris had given Millwall the lead, but a goal from Junior Stanislas three minutes from the final whistle forced the game into extra-time. Stanislas added another and Zavon Hines a third for the win. Violence marred the match before, during and after kick-off, with multiple pitch invasions by Hammers supporters. Lions fan Alan Baker was stabbed outside the ground and suffered a punctured lung, but made a full recovery. He was one of 20 people injured. The police concluded that the violence, because of its large scale, was organised beforehand. The Football Association brought misconduct charges against both clubs. A disciplinary tribunal fined West Ham £115,000 for "failing to ensure that their fans did not enter the field of play and refrained from violent, threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour", but concluded that the allegations against Millwall of "violent, racist behaviour and throwing missiles or dangerous objects on to the pitch" had not been proved.

In a poor 2010–11 season, West Ham manager Avram Grant guided his team to only seven wins from 37 games. On 15 May 2011, the Hammers were finally relegated from the Premier League after a 3–2 defeat at Wigan Athletic. As Wigan equalised at 2–2, a light aircraft flew above Wigan's ground, the DW Stadium, trailing a banner which read "Avram Grant – Millwall Legend". Grant was sacked after the game. The plane had been hired by Millwall supporters from the fans' website House of Fun, celebrating Grant's failure to prevent West Ham's relegation. Their relegation meant they met the Lions in the 2011–12 Football League Championship. On 17 September 2011, their first league meeting for seven years ended in a 0–0 draw at The Den. The return fixture and most recent game between the two sides was on 4 February 2012. West Ham beat Millwall 2–1 at Upton Park, despite having their captain Kevin Nolan sent off after only nine minutes for serious foul play. West Ham's goal scorers were Carlton Cole and Winston Reid. Millwall's goal was by Liam Trotter.

Fixtures between Millwall and West Ham United are currently categorised by the Metropolitan Police as category C – games which carry a high risk of disorder amongst supporters. For the 2011–12 season, the Metropolitan Police implemented London-wide operations to ensure that the games passed by without any incident. In 2013 a member of West Ham's hooligan Inter City Firm was jailed for 12 months for organising violence between West Ham and Millwall fans during an FA Cup match between Dagenham & Redbridge and Millwall on 7 January 2012. He chose this game in the belief fewer police would be in attendance at a match in Dagenham, but who instead, turned out in force to prevent trouble. In November 2014 the two sides' development squads were drawn against each other in the U21 Premier League Cup. The Metropolitan Police took preventive measures against any trouble occurring, demanding the game at Rush Green kick-off at 12pm and be played behind closed doors.

Millwall and West Ham moved a mile closer and are now under four miles (6.23 km) apart, when the Hammers moved into the London Stadium in Stratford in the 2016–17 season, which ended 112 years at Upton Park. On 24 August 2017, a Nottingham Forest fan Paul O'Donnell died, following an attack by Millwall fan Andrew Lewis after O'Donnell had said "West Ham" to Lewis. A charge of manslaughter was eventually dropped against Lewis. In 2018, Hammers and Lions fans put their rivalry aside to help raise money for a West Ham fan suffering from cancer. Three-year-old Isla Caton needed money for expensive treatment of her neuroblastoma condition. A Millwall fan did a sponsored run in a West Ham kit from The Den to the London Stadium to help raise funds for the sick girl. Shortly after her death in 2022, West Ham and Millwall jointly released a statement of condolences in solidarity with the Caton family.

Results

As of 4 February 2012

By competition

This table only includes competitive first-team games, excluding all pre-season games, friendlies, abandoned matches, testimonials and games played during the First and Second World Wars.

Full list of results

Score lists home team first.

Statistics

Firsts

• First ever meeting: Millwall Athletic 2–0 Thames Ironworks (friendly), 23 September 1897
• First competitive meeting: Thames Ironworks 1–2 Millwall Athletic (FA Cup), 9 December 1899
• First league meeting: Thames Ironworks 0–2 Millwall Athletic (Southern League), 23 December 1899
• First football league meeting: West Ham United 3–0 Millwall (Second Division), 17 September 1932
• First away victory for Millwall: Thames Ironworks 1–2 Millwall Athletic (FA Cup), 9 December 1899
• First away victory for West Ham United: Millwall Athletic 0–1 Thames Ironworks (Southern League), 28 April 1900

Results

• Highest scoring game: 8 goals (twice)
  • West Ham United 1–7 Millwall Athletic, 2 April 1903
  • West Ham United 6–2 Millwall, 22 September 1912
• Largest winning margin (Millwall): 6 goals
  • West Ham United 1–7 Millwall Athletic, 2 April 1903
• Largest winning margin (West Ham United): 4 goals (four times)
  • West Ham United 4–0 Millwall Athletic, 9 September 1901
  • Millwall Athletic 1–5 West Ham United, 26 December 1901
  • West Ham United 6–2 Millwall, 22 September 1912
  • West Ham United 5–1 Millwall, 8 October 1928
• League doubles: 1 (1988–89 season. West Ham beat Millwall home and away.)

Trends

• Most consecutive wins (Millwall): 6, 2 April 1903 – 29 February 1904
• Most consecutive wins (West Ham United): 4, 8 October 1928 – 17 September 1932
• Longest undefeated run (Millwall): 12 (nine wins, three draws), 26 April 1902 – 1 September 1904
• Longest undefeated run (West Ham United): 10 (four wins, six draws), 21 October 1933 – 14 May 1979
• Longest undefeated run in the Football League (Millwall): 7 (three wins, four draws), 15 November 1992 – 17 September 2011
• Longest undefeated run in the Football League (West Ham United): 9 (three wins, six draws), 21 October 1933 – 7 October 1978
• Home form in the Football League: In 12 attempts Millwall have never won at Upton Park in the Football League. They have attained six draws and six defeats over a period of 80 years, from 1932 to 2012. West Ham have won twice at the old Den, in 1939 and 1988. They have never won at the new Den, in three attempts.
• Most consecutive draws: 3 (twice), 21 October 1933 – 27 December 1938; 25 January 1947 – 1 September 1947
• Most consecutive games without a draw: 8 (twice), 9 December 1899 – 26 December 1901; 26 October 1907 – 20 September 1909
• Most games played against each other in a season: 7 (twice), 9 September 1901 – 26 April 1902; 8 November 1902 – 25 April 1903
• Longest period without playing each other: 18 years, 11 months, 24 days. 13 October 1959 – 7 October 1978 (the 1960s is the only decade the teams have not met since they were formed.)
• Record highest attendance: 42,200. 27 December 1947, Upton Park. West Ham United 0 Millwall 0
• Record lowest attendance: 200. 24 November 1902, North Greenwich. Millwall Athletic 2 West Ham United 1
• Record goal scorer: Alf Twigg (10), Millwall. Scored his first on 16 April 1906 and his tenth on 26 April 1909.

Honours

Minor titles

Crossing the divide

Managers and coaches

Billy Bonds is the only manager to have managed both clubs. He was in charge of West Ham from February 1990 to August 1994, managing the club for 227 games as the team yo-yoed between the First and Second divisions. He guided them to two promotions and one relegation. He resigned in August 1994. He was appointed as Millwall manager in May 1997 by chairman Theo Paphitis — an unpopular decision with many Lions fans due to his West Ham allegiance. Bonds, from south London, had several family members who were Millwall fans; a fact which meant some supporters felt he should be given a chance. After a good start, the team narrowly avoided relegation, finishing 18th in the Second Division. Bonds was sacked in May 1998, having been in charge of the side for only 53 games.

Ted Fenton managed West Ham from 1950 to 1961 and was responsible for the establishment of youth development at the club, the Academy of Football. He won the 1957–58 Second Division championship, assuring top-flight football for the Hammers for the first time since 1932. His brother Benny Fenton started his career as a player at West Ham in 1937, before moving to Millwall in 1939. After he retired as a footballer, he moved into management, managing Millwall from 1966 to 1974. On 17 January 1967 he was manager of the Lions team that established an English Football League record of 59 games unbeaten at home. The record was eventually taken by Liverpool in 1981, who went 85 games unbeaten at Anfield in all competitions.

Pat Holland, an FA Cup winner in 1975 with West Ham, served as Millwall assistant manager to Willie Donachie in 2006. After Donachie was fired in 2007, he continued on as chief scout until 2009. In June 2011 former Millwall player Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager of West Ham. In June 2013 Millwall appointed former Hammers captain Steve Lomas as their new manager. Lomas joined ex-West Ham defender Tim Breacker, who was Millwall's first-team coach. As a former West Ham player, Lomas' appointment was unpopular with many Millwall fans. Lomas was sacked on 26 December 2013, after winning only five of his 22 games in charge. In May 2014, former Millwall and West Ham player, Teddy Sheringham was appointed as an attacking coach with West Ham for the 2014–15 season. Sheringham left in May 2015 to become manager of Stevenage.

Players

Players who have played for both teams. Sailor Brown, Peter Buchanan, Johnny Burke, Louis Cardwell, Jimmy Jinks and Harold Pearson also played for both sides as wartime guest players.

• Gary Alexander
• Clive Allen
• Paul Allen
• Charles Ambler
• Moses Ashikodi
• Joe Blythe
• Gary Bowes
• Kenny Brown
• Jack Burkett
• Dennis Burnett
• Stephen Bywater
• Tony Cottee
• Harry Cripps
• Roger Cross
• Brian Dear
• Charlie Dove
• Benny Fenton
• David Forde
• Ryan Fredericks
• Paul Goddard
• Dale Gordon
• Fred Griffiths
• John Hamilton
• Terry Hurlock
• Don Hutchison
• Andy Impey
• Tommy Inns
• Matt Jarvis
• Glen Johnson
• Jack Landells
• Lawrie Leslie
• Dave Mangnall
• Dave Martin (son of Alvin Martin, West Ham's fifth longest serving player)
• Joe Martin (son of Alvin Martin)
• Tommy Moore
• Frank Neary
• George Neil
• Lucas Neill
• Harry Obeney
• Anton Otulakowski
• John Payne
• Graham Paddon
• Wilf Phillips
• Jack Powell
• Peter Reader
• Neil Ruddock
• Teddy Sheringham
• Fred Shreeve
• Jim Standen
• Willie Stewart

In popular culture

In film

The rivalry between the teams, specifically the clubs' two hooligan firms has been depicted on the big screen several times. In 1989, Alan Clarke directed The Firm, starring real-life Millwall supporter Gary Oldman. He plays Bex, leader of the football firm the Inter City Crew, a fictional representation of West Ham's Inter City Firm and their violent exploits. In it, Millwall's Bushwackers firm are depicted as The Buccaneers. Green Street was released in 2004, with real-life Hammers supporter Elijah Wood playing an American student who gets involved with West Ham's firm. The film builds up to the big clash with Millwall's firm at the climax, after the two teams draw each other in the Cup, foreshadowing the reality of the League Cup game which led to the 2009 Upton Park riot. It was a moderate financial success, grossing just over $3 million worldwide.

"They're like two brothers, but only one of them can be king. They have the same blood but would kill each other to take the throne. They are two like-for-like cultures and people and all that separates them is the Thames. It's like they're looking at a mirror image of themselves."

The rise of a football hooligan, Carlton Leach, is chronicled in 2007's Rise of the Footsoldier, from his beginnings on the terraces to becoming a member of a notorious gang of criminals. The bitter rivalry between the Hammers and the Lions is displayed, by the use of original footage, during the opening scenes of the film. In 2009, a direct-to-video sequel to Green Street was made, Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground. It follows on directly from the original's climax, with several members of West Ham's and Millwall's firms ending up in prison together and arranging a football match."r A remake of The Firm, also titled The Firm was released in 2009 by Nick Love, director of The Football Factory and himself a Millwall supporter. Set in the 1980s, the film highlights the music, fashion and culture surrounding football at the time. It was generally well received by critics. In October 2009, the Metropolitan Police released still photos from the film in relation to a search for hooligans from the Upton Park riot. The mistake led to an apology from Scotland Yard. The 2012 zombie comedy Cockneys vs Zombies referenced the rivalry, showing Millwall and West Ham zombies fighting amongst themselves in East London after a zombie apocalypse. In 2013 a third film in the Green Street franchise, Green Street 3: Never Back Down was released. It focuses on a rivalry between West Ham and Millwall fans within mixed martial arts.

In literature

As with film, the rivalry between the clubs' hooligan firms has been covered in books such as Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF by Cass Pennant, leader of the Inter City Firm. No One Likes Us, We Don't Care: True Stories from Millwall, Britain's Most Notorious Football Hooligans by Andrew Woods focuses on the fights between the two firms, from the perspective of Millwall's Bushwackers. Sunday Mirror columnist Mike Calvin spent the 2009–10 season covering Millwall's Play-off promotion, writing the book Family: Life, Death and Football. The beginning extensively features the rivalry and the stabbing of a Millwall supporter before the 2009 Upton Park riot game. Millwall vs West Ham: il derby della working class londinese (English, The London Working Class Derby) is a 2014 Italian book on the rivalry by Luca Manes. It chronicles the derby from its inception, declaring it to be one of the most feared matches in world football.

Gallery

• West Ham and Millwall players shake hands before kick-off at The Den on 17 September 2011.
• Programme from a Fifth round FA Cup game between the teams on 15 February 1930
• Millwall fans celebrate an equalising goal in the last game between the sides at Upton Park in 2012.

See also

• Major football rivalries
• London derbies
• Leeds United F.C.–Millwall F.C. rivalry
• East London derby
• South London derby

Footnotes

1. Millwall Rovers were renamed Millwall Athletic in 1889.
2. Five other contests in 1900, 1902, 1919, 1926 and 1929 were played, abandoned and not completed due to fog and bad light. In 1930 there was an alteration in the London FA Challenge Cup, the rule "Clubs must play their strongest elevens" was deleted. After that, the competition was considered to be for reserves and the six games between the clubs after that date are not classed as first-team games.
3. Reader played at youth level for West Ham United and did not make a first team appearance.

References

1. ^ "UK Postcodes". Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
2. "The Stadium Guide – London Football Guide". The Stadium Guide. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
3. Lindsay, p.8
4. ^ Brown, Oliver (28 August 2009). "West Ham v Millwall: a history of how the rivalry started". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
5. ^ Lindsay, p. 9
6. "Memorial Grounds". West Ham United FC. 10 June 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
7. Liew, Jonathan (30 October 2014). "The 20 fiercest rivalries in English football". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
8. ^ Powles, p. 53
9. Lindsay, p. 372
10. Lindsay, p. 13
11. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 262
12. Powles, p. 79
13. "A Special Day". West Ham United FC. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
14. "West Ham United". Premier League. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
15. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 266
16. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 268
17. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 266–272
18. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 166
19. ^ "Millwall match preview". West Ham United FC. 3 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
20. "London Government Act 1963". UK Government. 1 April 1965. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
21. Glinert, Ed (2009). The London Football Companion: A Site-by-site Celebration of the Capital's Favourite Sport. Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-9516-8. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
22. Dunning, p. 68
23. ^ Lindsay, p. 17
24. Lindsay, pp. 16–17
25. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 284
26. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 286
27. Lindsay, p. 19
28. ^ Lindsay, pp. 316–317
29. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 294–300
30. ^ Green, Chris (27 August 2009). "A rivalry that dates back to the heyday of British shipbuilding". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
31. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 300–322
32. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 322
33. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 328
34. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 340
35. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 342–354
36. ^ Hogg, Tony; McDonald, Tony (1995). West Ham United Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports Publications. p. 223. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
37. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 235
38. Calvin, p. 6
39. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 378–379
40. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 382–420
41. ^ Spaaij, p. 136
42. "Hammers nail Fulham". The FA. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
43. Bevan, Chris (1 January 2010). "When the Hammers shocked Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
44. "England managers: How Roy Hodgson's predecessors fared". The Independent. London. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
45. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 256
46. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 258
47. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 420
48. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 382
49. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p.438
50. Dunning, Eric; Murphy, Patrick J.; Williams, John (1 November 2002). Football on Trial: Spectator Violence and Development in the Football World. Routledge. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-134-94294-7.
51. Hart, Nick (1 October 2010). "The First 125 Years". South London Press. p. 46.
52. ^ Spaaij, pp. 135–136
53. ^ Irvine, Chris (25 August 2009). "Violence erupts at West Ham v Millwall match". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
54. ^ Dunning, p. 178
55. "1978: Weapons Seized Before West Ham Against Millwall At Upton Park". Flashbak. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
56. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 330–420
57. Buford, Bill (1992). Among the Thugs. Arrow Publishing. pp. 222–224. ISBN 978-0099416340.
58. "Millwall – Historical Football Kits". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
59. "West Ham United – Historical Football Kits". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
60. ^ Lindsay, p. 29
61. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 440
62. Lindsay, p. 310
63. "BFI Film & TV Database – The London Match". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
64. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 448
65. ^ "Millwall FC History". Millwall FC. 1 September 2012. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
66. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 470
67. Scott, Matt (22 March 2004). "West Ham suffer day of shame". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
68. Sullivan, David (2013). Millwall 50 Greatest Matches. DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78091-297-4. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
69. "Frying Start". The Sunday People. London. 11 June 2006. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
70. Gibson, Owen (5 January 2010). "West Ham and Millwall mount defence over Carling Cup violence". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
71. "Millwall angered by Carling Cup ticket decision". The Wharf. London. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
72. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 482
73. ^ "FA to probe Upton Park violence". BBC Sport. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
74. ^ Calvin, p. 1
75. Calvin, p. 10
76. "Appeal re stabbing at football match". Metropolitan Police. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
77. "Violence erupts at London derby". BBC News. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
78. "Mass violence mars London derby". BBC News. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
79. "West Ham fined £115,000 over violence against Millwall". BBC Sport. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
80. McNulty, Phil (15 May 2011). "Wigan 3–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
81. "Millwall fans' banner prank perfectly timed to rub salt into West Ham's relegation wounds". 17 May 2011.
82. ^ "Millwall 0-0 West Ham". BBC Sport. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
83. ^ "West Ham 2–1 Millwall". BBC Sport. 4 February 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
84. Smith, Pete. "Southwark Specials Police West Ham Vs Millwall". Met Police. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
85. "Policing football". College of Policing. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
86. "London-wide policing for Millwall v West Ham clash". The Wharf. London. 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
87. "West Ham hooligan jailed for 12 months for organising clash with Millwall supporters". Daily Mirror. 19 August 2013.
88. "U21s handed Millwall tie". West Ham United F.C. 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
89. Greenhalgh, Hugo. "West Ham v Millwall U21 moved behind closed doors". When Saturday Comes. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
90. Bond, David (22 March 2013). "West Ham get Olympic Stadium after government ups funding". BBC Sport.
91. Tim Wyatt (17 October 2018). "Millwall fan accused of killing rival Nottingham Forest supporter has manslaughter charges dropped". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
92. "Millwall fan hits fundraising target after running Big Half in West Ham shirt".
93. "The hearts of everyone in the West Ham United family are broken this morning. Rest in peace brave, beautiful Isla, you were an inspiration to us all". Twitter. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
94. "Everyone at Millwall sends their love to the Caton family at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Isla". Twitter. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
95. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 262–482
96. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 501
97. Lindsay, p. 359
98. Lindsay, p. 354
99. "Boleyn Ground | West Ham United".
100. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 274
101. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 274–280
102. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 288
103. "Teddy Sheringham". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
104. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 320
105. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 268–270
106. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 320–328
107. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 448–482
108. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 328–482
109. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 330–340
110. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 356–358
111. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 262–266
112. Lindsay and Tarrant, pp. 278–282
113. ^ "Billy Bonds – Managerial statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
114. Mendes, Charles (17 June 2011). "Football's most unpopular managerial appointments: McLeish, Graham, Grant, Hodgson, Roeder and more". Talksport. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
115. ^ Paphitis, Theo (2010). Enter The Dragon. Orion. ISBN 978-1-4091-2413-9. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
116. Football League Second Division 1997–98. Retrieved 23 November 2013. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
117. Hellier and Leatherdale, p. 98
118. "Promotion party paves the way". West Ham United FC. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
119. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 217
120. "Matches — Liverpool FC". Liverpool FC. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
121. "Who's Who at The Den". Millwall F.C. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
122. "Sam's the man". West Ham United FC. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
123. "Lions confirm new boss". Millwall FC. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
124. Green, Paul (28 November 2012). "Millwall coach looking forward to derby reunion with former club Charlton". News Shopper. London. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
125. Scott, Matthew (26 December 2013). "Lomas sacked by Millwall". Goal. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
126. "Millwall: Steve Lomas sacked after Watford defeat on Boxing Day". BBC Sport. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
127. "Teddy Sheringham returns to West Ham as attacking coach". BBC Sport. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
128. "Teddy Sheringham: Stevenage name ex-England striker as boss". BBC Sport. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
129. "Peter Buchanan". Scottish FA. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
130. "First and last with Millwall striker Gary Alexander". Daily Mirror. 23 May 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
131. "Ebbsfleet bag former Millwall and West Ham striker". News Shopper. London. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
132. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 518
133. "Confirmation of released players". West Ham United FC. 23 May 2006. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
134. "Millwall sign Stephen Bywater and Neil Harris returns". BBC Sport. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
135. Hogg, Tony; McDonald, Tony (1995). West Ham United Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports Publications. p. 50. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
136. "On this day – 18 September". West Ham United FC. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
137. Glanville, Brian (16 August 2000). "Benny Fenton – Obituary". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
138. "West Ham sign Fredericks from Fulham". BBC Sport.
139. "Millwall match preview". West Ham United FC. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
140. "Dale Gordon at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
141. "Where Are They Now - Terry Hurlock". Where Are They Now. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
142. "Andy Impey at Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
143. "Player search". English National Player Archive. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
144. "Matt Jarvis". West Ham United FC. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
145. "Glen Johnson". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
146. Hogg, Tony; McDonald, Tony (1995). West Ham United Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports Publications. p. 106. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
147. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 529
148. "On this day – 17 March". West Ham United FC. 17 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
149. "West Ham transfer news: David Martin signs from London rivals Millwall". Talksport. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
150. Powles, John (2005). Iron In The Blood. Soccerdata. p. 69. ISBN 1-899468-22-6.
151. ^ Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 534
152. Hogg, Tony; McDonald, Tony (1995). West Ham United Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports Publications. p. 191. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
153. "Powell power downs Chelsea". West Ham United FC. 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
154. "Millwall FC Player Profiles". Millwall FC. 6 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
155. Ruddock, Neil; Smith, Dave (1999). Hell Razor. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-00-218909-5.
156. Lindsay and Tarrant, p. 537
157. Powles, p. 91
158. "Lawro's predictions". BBC Sport. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
159. Perry, Alex (31 May 2013). "Celebrity fans and their clubs". ESPN. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
160. Bradshaw, Peter (9 September 2005). "Green Street". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
161. "Green Street Hooligans (2005)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
162. "The End East and South London ... They're two like-for-like cultures and people. And all that separates them is the Thames". London Evening Standard. London. 26 September 2003. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
163. "Rise of the Foot Soldier". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
164. "Green Street Hooligans 2". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
165. Maher, Kevin (7 September 2009). "Nick Love on The Firm". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
166. ^ Graham, Jamie (17 August 2009). "The Firm : Film Review". Total Film. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
167. Catterall, Ali. "The Firm — Film4". Film4. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
168. Bradshaw, Peter (18 September 2009). "The Firm : Film Review". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
169. Rowley, Emma (31 October 2009). "Cast of Hooligan Film Among 'Wanted' Fans". Sky News. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
170. "Football 'wanted men' were actors". BBC News. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
171. French, Philip (2 September 2012). "Cockneys vs Zombies — review". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
172. Bentley, Max (14 January 2014). "Green Street 3: Never Back Down". ESPN. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
173. Pennant, Cass (2003). Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF. Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904034-85-8. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
174. Solomons, Jason (27 April 2008). "Trailer Trash". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
175. Woods, Andrew (2013). No-One Likes Us, We Don't Care: True Stories from Millwall, Britain's Most Notorious Football Hooligans. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84358-452-0. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
176. Calvin, pp. 1–11
177. "Millwall vs West Ham: il derby della working class londinese". Retrieved 14 December 2017.

Bibliography

• Calvin, Michael (2010). Family Life, Death and Football. Integr8 Books. ISBN 978-0-9566981-0-0.
• Dunning, Eric; Murphy, Patrick; Williams, John (1988). The Roots of Football Hooliganism An Historical and Sociological Study. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-03677-1.
• Helliar, John (2000). West Ham United The Elite Era 1958–2009 – A Complete Record. Desert Island. ISBN 1-874287-31-7.
• Lindsay, Richard (1991). Millwall A Complete Record, 1885–1991. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 1-85983-833-2.
• Lindsay, Richard (2010). Millwall The Complete Record. DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85983-833-4.
• Powles, John (2005). Iron in the Blood. Soccerdata. ISBN 1-899468-22-6.
• Spaaij, Ramón (2006). Understanding Football Hooliganism: A Comparison of Six Western European Football Clubs. Vossiuspers UvA. ISBN 978-90-5629-445-8.

Further reading

• Blows, Kirk; Hogg, Tony (2000). The Essential History of West Ham United. Headline. ISBN 0-7472-7036-8.
• Murray, James (1988). Lions of the South. Leatherbound Island. ISBN 1-871220-00-9.

External links

• Millwall official website
• West Ham United official website

• London derbies
• Millwall F.C.
• West Ham United F.C.
• Football derbies in England