A Millwall supporter has threatened West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek with violence ahead of the first meeting between the London rivals in 14 years. The incident has heightened security concerns for Saturday's match at The Den, where Millwall sit 11th in the Championship and host the league leaders.
The fan's threat was directed at the 31-year-old Czech international, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and has not featured for West Ham this season. In a public encounter, the individual told Soucek, "If I see you at the Den next Saturday I'm going to cut your f*ing face off, you **".
Historical tensions
The threat revives memories of the last competitive fixture between the clubs in 2009, a League Cup tie marred by serious disorder. That match required a major police operation involving 200 riot officers, 20 mounted officers and a helicopter. A 44-year-old Millwall fan was stabbed in the chest during the violence, and hundreds of West Ham supporters gathered outside Upton Park afterwards, where police faced bottles and bricks.
One supporter present at the time described the scene, saying, "It was like a war zone outside the stadium. There was fighting all round." A local business owner reported that "all hell broke loose".
Current context
Millwall head into the derby on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Middlesbrough, with goals from Taïryk Arconte and Lyndon Dykes. Their recent form shows one win, one draw and three defeats from the last five games. The club's current injuries list includes several key players, adding to the challenge of facing the top-of-the-table side.
With the fixture marking a long-awaited renewal of one of English football's most volatile rivalries, all attention will be on The Den this Saturday. The match kicks off on 19 September, with Millwall looking to improve on their record of 10 points from seven Championship games.
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