Simon Jordan has defended Millwall after the club were charged by the Football Association over homophobic chanting during last month’s FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace.
The charge relates to chants aimed at Palace’s on-loan Chelsea full-back Ben Chilwell during the fifth-round tie, which Alex Neil’s side lost 3-1.
Millwall fans are alleged to have chanted “Chelsea rent boy” at Chilwell.
An FA statement read: “Millwall FC has been charged with misconduct in relation to crowd control following the FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace FC on Saturday 1 March.
“It’s alleged that during the 5th and 20th minutes the club failed to ensure its spectators and/or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and don’t use words or behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, indecent, or insulting way with either express or implied reference to sexual orientation. Millwall FC has until Wednesday 16 April to respond.”
Former Palace chairman Jordan believes it is wrong to blame Millwall for the behaviour of some of their fans.
Speaking on Talksport, Jordan said: “How were Millwall as a football club supposed to control their fans in an away ground? What are they supposed to do?
“The accusation is ‘failure to control your fans’ – explain to me, in very simple terms, how Millwall Football Club could have controlled their fans in this instance.
“Failure to control their fans. What are you going to do, amputate their tongues? Tell me what you do.
“If pockets of fans still behave poorly how can the club subsequently be accountable for that?”
Millwall, meanwhile, have issued a statement condemning the chants.
The statement read: “Millwall Football Club notes The Football Association’s decision to charge the club with breaches of rule E21 following the Emirates FA Cup fixture away to Crystal Palace on Saturday 1st March 2025.
“The chant in question is condemned by Millwall Football Club, and once again it strongly emphasises its zero-tolerance policy against discrimination of all kinds. The club remains committed to working tirelessly to eradicate homophobic chanting, and any other form of discriminatory abuse, from the sport.
“This work will continue under the club’s leading anti-discrimination campaign, All ‘Wall, which is promoted ahead of every fixture and overseen by its industry-leading Equality Steering Committee.”