Millwall respond to Fry slur

Last updated : 23 June 2008 By The Merry Lion
Barry Fry's comments regarding Millwall, Leicester City and Leeds United have caused a bit of stir with all three clubs after their fixtures away to Peterborough United were moved at the insistence of Cambridgeshire Police.

Speaking on the day the fixture changes were announced, Fry hinted that the reason behind the move was because of the reputation of each team's fans. "We want to protect the city of Peterborough," he told The Posh's official website. "Leeds, Leicester and Millwall fans have a reputation, and we want to give them less time in the pubs before kick-off".

However, Peter Garston, Millwall's fan on the board has now responded to the comments.

"Once again the majority of Millwall fans have been scape-goated for the actions of the minority of football fans generally," he told Peterborough Today. "We are copping the brunt heavily for a problem that is football-wide, not just League One or Millwall.

"The right and fair way around the issues would be better policing and more efficient stewarding employing a common sense approach to handling football fans."

"Mr Fry's comments are in themselves somewhat inflammatory," A Millwall spokesman added. "We will of course support Peterborough United and the police with any reasonable measures to ensure this fixture passes off without incident.

"However, the fact that Peterborough have just been promoted to our division and haven't faced us in a decade suggests that Mr Fry has reacted to Millwall's past reputation, rather than taking account of the recent history of good behaviour from the majority of our travelling fans."

This isn't the first time Fry has had a run-in with Millwall Football Club. Twelve years ago, while manager of Birmingham City, he told journalists that he feared for his life before a fixture at The Den.