Millwall to be investigated by FA over alleged racist chanting against Tottenham striker Son Heung-min

Millwall manager Neil Harris called for 'harsh' punishments for any guilty fans

Jack Pitt-Brooke
White Hart Lane
Sunday 12 March 2017 18:54 GMT
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Neil Harris wants any Millwall fans found to have been racially abusing Son Heung-min to be dealt with 'harshly'
Neil Harris wants any Millwall fans found to have been racially abusing Son Heung-min to be dealt with 'harshly'

Millwall manager Neil Harris condemned racist chanting as “wrong in society and wrong in football”, after Tottenham striker Son Heung-min was targeted by Millwall fans at White Hart Lane, insisting that he wants perpetrators to be dealt with “harshly” by the authorities.

Whenever South Korean international Son touched the ball in the first half there were loud chants of “DVDs, DVDs” from the 3,600-strong away end at White Hart Lane. The away fans also sang a song about Son selling “three [DVDs] for a fiver”.

Both Harris and Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said afterwards that they did not hear any of the racist chanting, but Harris was clear that he would like to see heavy punishments for those guilty of it.

“Honestly I did not hear anything,” Harris said in his post-match press conference. “Me personally, but also the club, we will not condone that, if there is [proof]. We came here in the right spirit, to enjoy an FA Cup quarter-final. So if that's proven to have been to the detriment to either team, and to the competition, then that is wrong.”

The FA have been closely following developments and will investigate this week. They will speak to referee Martin Atkinson, to both clubs and to the Metropolitan Police before deciding whether to bring charges. Harris said that when the FA look into the matter, he would support strict measures against proven offenders.

“I am sure it will be left to the authorities,” Harris said. “We just want people to enjoy the game. That’s the main thing. For us as a club we want to focus on achievement of getting here. We want people to be dealt with harshly, of course.”

This was a brilliant FA Cup run from Millwall, reaching the quarter-finals, beating three Premier League teams along the way. Harris said that it was a “shame” to be talking about the behaviour of some Millwall fans rather than their football achievements after this game.

“Yes of course [it is a shame] for both of us,” Harris said. “Mauricio wants to be talking about his team's quality. The focus comes away from what we've achieved in the competition. It's wrong in society, and it's wrong in football.”

Pochettino also said that he had not heard any of the racist chanting from the sidelines. ““No, I didn't hear, it's difficult for me,” Pochettino said. “It's difficult for me to understand you in the press conference.”

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