Another first at Millwall

By Stephen 18
November 25 2004

A groundbreaking new scheme has been introduced at the Den to shop anti-social fans directly by text message. In a set up that is thought to be the first of its kind in the country, the police and Millwall Football Club have joined forces to set up a hotline to the security control room.

A groundbreaking new scheme has been introduced at the Den to shop anti-social fans directly by text message.

In a set up that is thought to be the first of its kind in the country, the police and Millwall Football Club have joined forces to set up a hotline to the security control room for supporters to report incidences instantly via their mobile phones.

Sunday’s clash against local rivals West Ham was the first time the initiative was used.

A club message on the back of the matchday programme urged concerned members of the crowd to text anonymously if they were sitting next to people using foul and abusive language and making racist comments.

Despite the project’s infancy, there were two people who text in with complaints on Sunday afternoon, and it will be in place for the rest of the season.

Dean Lee, from the Football Intelligence Unit, was one of the key thinkers behind the idea, and he believes it enables spectators who are too afraid to complain, to make their views known.

He said: “If you read internet sites there are always people complaining about other people’s language at matches, and unfortunately a lot of these people don’t want to come forward.

“We looked at other options like filling out questionnaires during a game and having mail boxes so people could post messages.

“But we thought the best way to keep it confidential would be to use a text number because people are always on the phone and it would not draw attention to themselves.

“If someone is swearing, gesticulating, throwing coins or seen something in the away end that is ruining someone else’s enjoyment, we can deal with it confidentially.”

Posted messages will be directed to the control room, where directions can be given to stewards and police on what action can be taken.

“You’re always going to get a number of hoax messages”, Dean added. “But we will look into any allegation before we do anything.

“I’d like to think we’re breaking new ground, because to the best of my knowledge there is not another club that is doing this.

“I was surprised to get as many as two messages because it was the first time it has appeared on the programme so would not have cemented into people’s minds.”

The possibility of texting pictures to the police via camera-phones is another option Dean is keen to explore.

He added: “This is until the end of the season and we will re-address it then. We have not gone towards picture phones because there are various legal issues, but that may be something we will look at in the future.

“Even if I only get one message and it solves one family’s problems it’s been a great success and achieves the goal.”

Millwall’s security head Ken Chapman said: “There has always been a message in every programme that has been used where supporters can contact us by letter of phone, and this just compliments that system.”