Millwall set to face FA charge over racist chants

LONDON: Millwall are set to face a Football Association charge after their supporters directed racist chanting at Tottenham forward Son Heung-Min.

The 3,689 travelling Millwall fans repeatedly yelled ‘DVD’ and ‘three for a fiver’ at the South Korean when he was in possession of the ball.

The chants are considered racist when aimed at Asian footballers.

Millwall manager Neil Harris claimed he did not hear any of the abuse but said: “As a club we don’t condone that. We came here in the right spirit, to enjoy an FA Cup quarter-final, so if that’s proven to have been to the detriment to the competition, I’m sure it will be left to the authorities. We just want people to enjoy the game.

“The focus comes away from what we’ve achieved in the competition. It’s wrong in society, and it’s wrong in football.”

Heung-Min responded on the pitch with a hat-trick in the 6-0 FA Cup thrashing to silence the chanting which could be heard throughout the first half.

Teammate Kyle Walker appeared to respond to the abuse by gesticulating angrily at the away end from the bench following Heung-Min’s first goal.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “I didn’t hear. It’s difficult for me.”

Millwall are still under investigation from the FA after previous-round opponents Leicester City complained of ‘abuse, provocation and intimidation’ of their staff, supporters and players.

A similar incident occurred at The Den in 2005 when Millwall supporters directed ‘DVD’ chants at Wolves forward Seol KiHyeon. The South Korean struck the winner but teammate Paul Ince branded Millwall’s supporters racist afterwards.

“It was ironic that Seol should get the winner because he took stick all game,” a furious Ince said. “The crowd were an absolute disgrace and some of the things that were said I couldn’t repeat.

“I thought we’d got away from all those things and for it to happen to someone like Seol is a disgrace.

“We've worked so hard to eradicate that from football, especially Millwall, who more than anyone are trying to get it right. To see what happened on Saturday is going back to the bad times and I wouldn’t like to see it again.”

Millwall were also charged by the FA in 2004 over racism from their supporters when they made monkey chants at Liverpool’s Djimi Taore.