Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed he was once racially abused by a 12-year-old fan at the Den, after he spoke out against Millwall fans booing players who took a knee in the fight against racism.
As 2,000 supporters were permitted to attend the Millwall versus Derby County game on Saturday, it also marked the first time fans have been present since footballers started to take the knee before games.
As their match against Derby was about to begin, video footage taken from the ground shows that there were a large number of aggressive boos from the stands as the players knelt down.
Millwall fans booed after players took the knee ahead of their Championship clash with Derby
Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed he was racially abused when he once played at the Den
On talkSport, Agbonlahor said he was not surprised the incident took place.
He said: ‘If there was one stadium where I would say this would have happened with fans going back in, it is exactly this stadium.
‘Because when I played there, I was on the bench for an FA Cup game, and I was racially abused by 12-year-olds to 70-year-olds whilst I’m warming up.
‘At the time I’m just looking at them like ‘why?. I was just laughing at them. You know that swearing at a player is normal – you get that at every away ground you go to. But to bring race into it shows what sort of fans some of their fans are.
‘I feel like seeing that, if I was at that club I would be asking my agent to speak to the club tonight as I want to leave tomorrow. I’d be cancelling my contract.
‘I’d say to my agent, ‘that’s me done. I’m not playing for the next month and January 1 sort it out with the club as I’m gone’.
‘Simple as that. Because that for me was shocking. If these fans that are booing don’t believe in why we are taking the knee, then just don’t say a thing.’
There has been widespread condemnation of the incident in the aftermath since it happened before Millwall’s 1-0 defeat to Derby.
Millwall released a club statement on Sunday in which they said: ‘Millwall Football Club was dismayed and saddened by events which marred Saturday’s game against Derby County at The Den.
Millwall have released a club statement saying they were ‘dismayed’ by the actions of their fans
‘The club has worked tirelessly in recent months to prepare for the return of supporters and what should have been a positive and exciting occasion was completely overshadowed, much to the immense disappointment and upset of those who have contributed to those efforts.’
Kick it out Chief executive Troy Townsend said he had been in discussions with the club and said they should have come out with a statement straight away.
He told Sky Sports: ‘I was in conversation with the club last night and I feel for the good people at the club who I’ve worked with for the last year and a bit like Steve Kavanagh (chief executive), the chairman (John Berylson) and people on the board.
‘I know this is not them and Steve was hurting. They’re trying to change around history of this football club and it’s never going to be easy because their fanbase has let them down continuously.’
He added: ‘I absolutely do feel that Millwall should have put something out yesterday to stand by those players who are hurt.
‘To stand by their staff, and they have many black members of staff who are equally as hurt and are equally as damaged by the fact that their fanbase could dare to question what the players are trying to achieve.’
The gesture of taking a knee has been carried out by players and staff across the country originally in support of Black Lives Matter, before the Premier League distanced itself from the movement.
Not all teams continue to take the knee before games, with Queens Park Rangers’ director of football Les Ferdinand saying the impact of the stance had been ‘diluted’.
Millwall boss Gary Rowett said he was ‘disappointed’ by the fans’ behaviour, while opposition manager Wayne Rooney said it was ‘surprising’.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett and Wayne Rooney both spoke out against the incident
In response, the FA said in a statement: ‘The FA supports all players and staff that wish to take a stand against discrimination in a respectful manner, which includes taking of the knee, and strongly condemns the behaviours of any spectators that actively voice their opposition to such activities.’
The scenes sparked shockwaves through the game, and have divided social media users.
Some players, pundits and fans have condemned the fans’ actions while others say the gesture is no longer appropriate.
On Twitter, Gary Lineker said: ‘Let’s be fair, it only appears to be a small minority of Millwall fans that didn’t boo the players taking the knee.’
Former England striker Dion Dublin said: ‘To me, they are racist. They don’t agree with taking the knee, which means they’re racist.’
Speaking after the game, Millwall manager Gary Rowett said: ‘I’m disappointed that we are talking about that when we should be talking about the fact we are all back and we want to enjoy the football match again.
‘The club do an enormous amount of work on anti-racism and the club do a lot of work in the community and there is some really positive stuff, so of course I am disappointed.’
On players taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Rowett added: ‘Is it a political message, is it an anti-discrimination message?
‘The players have come out and said they don’t support the political aspect, but they do support the anti-discrimination aspect of it and of course we all do.’
Derby interim boss Wayne Rooney, who secured his first win in charge of the Rams with a 1-0 success at The Den, said: ‘With everything that has been going on in recent months, it was very surprising.
‘I don’t want to say much about it, but all I can say is everyone at Derby County Football Club, we obviously took the knee, and no one condones that behaviour.’
Millwall footballer Mahlon Romeo said his team’s fans ‘have personally disrespected not just me but the football club’.
He told South London Press: ‘What they’ve done is booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which was put in place to highlight, combat and stop any discriminatory behavior and racism. That’s it – that’s all that gesture is.
‘And the fans have chosen to boo that, which for the life of me I can’t understand. It has offended me and everyone who works for this club – the players and the staff.’
Tweeting after the game, Derby County first team coach Liam Rosenior said: ‘Proud of the team. Proud of the players. Proud of the staff. Proud of the result. Proud of the club. Proud to be black.’
Derby forward Colin Kazim-Richards, who is black, described the booing as an ‘absolute disgrace’ in a tweet after the match where he expressed pride in taking a stand against racism.
‘Having to say this is a pain,’ Kazim-Richards said, ‘but I’ll say it every single damn time this is why I STAND and STAND PROUD and I have to say every single person involved with (Derby) did too.’
He added that it ‘made me proud to wear this shirt with the boys today!!!’
Former Nottingham Forest and Cardiff footballer Greg Halford also criticised the fans, saying: ‘What am I seeing at the Millwall game.
‘The players take the knee and the 2000 fans are booing. The efl have to be strong and take serious action against this.
‘Every time I’ve played there I’ve heard a form of racist abuse this has got to stop.’
Former England defender Micah Richards described the scenes as ‘disheartening’.
Speaking to the BBC, he added: ‘There are 2,000 so you can pinpoint the people going. There are no excuses. I am sick to death of talking about this situation.
‘It is so disheartening because it is like we have come so far but we have so far to go.
‘I don’t even like talking about the matter. It feels like it falls on deaf ears. It is time and time and time again.’
Players have been taking a knee since July and Gary Rowett and his squad confirmed they would continue the gesture in a statement earlier this week.