LONDON (AP) — The England soccer team’s attempt to shed its rowdy reputation has been marred by an anti-racism pamphlet aimed at children more than anything else.
Millwall were blindsided by an educational pamphlet featuring the south-east London club’s badge. Ku Klux Klan robe. Westminster City Council has since apologized.
A British lawmaker told The Associated Press that the misuse of Millwall’s brand was an “insult” and said the team’s main fan group was “outraged” by the depiction.
The second division club said it was considering legal action because the image created a “false and harmful image of the club”.
The incident came at a time when Millwall had a huge chance of securing promotion for the first time in their history. premier league. The team finished last in the top league in the 1989-90 season.
image of millwall
The rippled reputation for fan behavior dates back to the 1970s and 80s, when some of England’s worst hooliganism occurred. A die-hard Millwall fan proudly shouted: “No one likes us, we don’t care”.
But the club has been working to change that perception. of anti-discrimination group Founded in 1994, the organization was the “first organization of its kind in British football clubs”. Millwall also boasts partnerships with anti-discrimination groups Kick it Out and Show Racism the Red Card.
Despite these efforts, Millwall’s image is tarnished.
Millwall fans turned on each other and the police during the 2013 FA Cup semi-final against Wigan at Wembley Stadium.
a few days later The players were booed Fans entering The Den for taking a knee before kick-off during a game in December 2020 received a printed statement that read: “Tonight, the eyes of the world are on this football club, your club, and they want us to fail.” That night, Fans respected anti-racist actions By both teams.
The English Football Association has recommended that a disciplinary committee consider partially closing the stadium after Millwall supporters made offensive chants about disorder during a League Cup match at Crystal Palace in September 2025. The committee described the chants as “abhorrent” and chose to fine Millwall £45,000 ($60,000). recent judgments.
This is the third violation in the past three years, with previous chants focusing on religion and sexual orientation.
What did the pamphlet say?
An educational booklet distributed to primary schools in London states: Paul CanovilleA black player who suffered racial abuse while playing for Chelsea in the early to mid-1980s.
One page depicts a member of the Ku Klux Klan wearing a white robe with the Millwall logo on the chest. It is next to Canoville’s quote about being racially abused at Millwall.
The Paul Canoville Foundation said it had not been consulted about the content. The illustration “depicts a real-life incident that Paul experienced while playing for Chelsea vs. Millwall Reserves in the 1980s, in which he was subjected to severe racial abuse by a number of individuals wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white hoods.”
Westminster City Council said the booklet had been removed from circulation.
“We acknowledge that the use of this image was an insensitive way to illustrate the historical issue of racism in football. We have apologized to Millwall Football Club for the inappropriate use of their logo and any offense caused,” it said in a statement.
Neil Coyle, the Labor MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, told The Associated Press on Friday that the decision to use the Millwall brand was “frankly an insult to south-east London” because of the club’s community work.
Millwall Supporters Club also spoke out on Friday, saying they were “outraged” and said: “This deeply harmful misrepresentation does not reflect our club or our fan base, who work tirelessly to eradicate all forms of discrimination from our game.”
The Kensington and Chelsea Council logo is also featured on the front of the brochure. A City Council spokesperson told The Associated Press: “We understand that the booklet will be withdrawn and we support that decision.”
With promotion to the Premier League in sight
American owned Millwall are battling Ipswich for the second full promotion spot. coventry won the title. The top two finishers in the championship will be automatically promoted. The following four players will enter the playoffs for the final promotion spot.
Both clubs are level on points, but Ipswich have the advantage on goal difference, and Ipswich have three games remaining compared to Millwall’s two.
Millwall face Leicester, who have already been relegated, on Friday night. Ipswich face West Brom on Saturday.
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