West Ham legend Julian Dicks has recalled being hit with a brick at Millwall's former ground.
"I went up for a corner at the Old Den and got hit with half a house brick!" Dicks said. The former left-back, who made over 300 appearances for the Hammers, described the atmosphere at the old stadium as horrible and very, very volatile. He remembered being spat on, verbally abused, and threatened with violence by home supporters during his playing days. Dicks said fans would threaten to harm players' families, underlining the extreme hostility of the fixture.
Escalating hostility
Dicks also recounted a specific incident where 30 police officers ran onto the pitch with batons and shields to protect West Ham players from a barrage of missiles, which included coins and marbles. In preparation for Saturday's match, the Metropolitan Police have made special arrangements, with up to 400 officers deployed and live facial recognition technology used across a wide area from Bermondsey to Blackheath.
The environment at the New Den was different but still charged. Dicks recalled an older woman, around 75, shouting abuse at him, and another time when a Millwall fan in a van recognised him while his daughter was in a pram. The fan expressed hatred but added he wished Dicks played for Millwall.
Recent context and form
This historic clash carries extra weight given past events like the 2009 Upton Park riot, which saw 54 West Ham fans banned for life. It also follows a recent 2-2 draw between the sides last week, where Millwall goals from Caleb Taylor and Camiel Neghli were cancelled out by late West Ham strikes. That result left Millwall 11th in the Championship standings with 11 points from eight games. Alex Neil's side have conceded 13 goals in their last five league outings, a defensive record they will need to tighten.
Looking ahead, Millwall travel to face 23rd-placed Preston North End next weekend.
Read the full report at Daily Mail Sport
