Championship rivals brace for renewal of bitter feuds

English Championship leaders West Ham are set to face London rivals Millwall in the first Dockers Derby in 14 years on Saturday. The high-stakes match has been marred by a history of bitter feuds, with supporters of both clubs killing each other in 1976 and 1986. Police are on red alert as the two sides prepare for renewed animosity.

Wolves, currently in fourth place, will also face off against West Brom in the Black Country derby on Sunday, two years after their last meeting saw a violent stand battle. The game follows a 2024 FA Cup match that was marred by crowd trouble, resulting in 43 arrests and several bans.

The intensity of the derbies has not diminished over time, with incidents in recent years including a Millwall fan being stabbed outside West Ham's former home before a League Cup tie and a pitch invasion. In 2009, West Ham was fined £115,000 for failing to control its fans on the pitch, and several supporters were convicted of violent disorder.

Both clubs have worked with the Metropolitan Police to ensure the matches are safe, with strict security measures in place, including a Section 35 dispersal order that allows officers to remove disorderly individuals. For the Millwall vs. West Ham match, some Millwall fans will be housed in the same stand as West Ham supporters, and strict segregation will be enforced.