Huge Police Presence Set for Millwall and West Ham Derby

High security for London derby

The London Metropolitan Police are deploying 400 officers for the upcoming Championship match between Millwall and West Ham on Saturday. This is the first time the two sides have met in 14 years.

Authorities are taking no chances with safety. A spokesperson for the Met Police said, "This plan is to ensure the safety of fans and the public, however officers will not hesitate to respond in the event of disorderly behaviour or other offences."

The security plan includes the mounted branch, police dog units, and live facial recognition technology. British Transport Police and both football clubs are supporting the Met officers.

In addition, police have issued a Section 35 dispersal order, giving them the authority to remove anyone causing disorder. This order covers the area from Tower Bridge to Blackheath. The City of London Police have also issued a similar dispersal order, which will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. GMT.

A fierce rivalry renewed

The Dockers Derby has a long and difficult history of fan violence. The rivalry is one of the most notorious in English football.

During their 2009 League Cup clash at Upton Park, serious crowd trouble broke out. That match saw three pitch invasions and 13 arrests. A Millwall fan was also stabbed during the chaos.

Following those events, West Ham were fined 115,000 pounds after being found guilty on charges of crowd disturbance.

Top of the table meets struggling Millwall

West Ham's relegation into the Championship has renewed this fixture. On the pitch, the two teams are in very different form.

Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham side currently sit top of the table. They have been in incredible scoring form, netting 16 goals in their last four matches.

Millwall have had a middling start to the new campaign. They currently sit 12th in the Championship table and have failed to win any of their last five matches.