章 107: I'm going to kill you!
Green Street and Barking Road were left in shambles, with nearby hospitals caring for the injured throughout the night. The East London derby had reignited hostility after many years, creating a significant impact, albeit mostly negative. Redknapp, in his post-match interview, weakly condemned Millwall's "thuggish behavior," blaming their fans for the chaos surrounding Upton Park.
Of course, that was the pot calling the kettle black. Neither side was composed of gentlemen, and it was pointless to compare who was worse.
Aldrich had returned to Millwall, facing an FA hearing due to his actions in the match where he slapped an opposing fan. The situation was clear-cut; Aldrich was sent off with a red card, and he had chosen to appeal the decision.
Before the appeal, Aldrich sat down for an interview with the BBC, aiming to shape public opinion in his favor.
Calm and composed, Aldrich spoke from his office under the interview lights.
"The whole process was captured clearly on camera. The opposing fans invaded the pitch, breaching stadium regulations first. Then, they insulted my players. It was apparent that the individual who approached me had malicious intent. When he charged at me, I couldn't predict what he would do. Many might think he would only hurl a few insults or show me a middle finger, but I didn't see it that way. He could have harmed me. He was right in front of me, about to raise his hand, and I perceived that as an attack, so I acted first to stop him."
"Stop him? You really think slapping him counts as stopping him?" the female BBC reporter questioned, astonished.
There were many ways to intervene, but it was hard to justify a slap to someone's face.
Aldrich responded firmly, "Yes. I believe that if this had happened in a different context, it would have been self-defense, just like when a robber comes at you on the street. Shouldn't you be allowed to kick them down before they stab you?"
The reporter understood Aldrich was trying to twist the logic to defend himself, but she didn't call him out on it. Instead, she probed further, "I hear Millwall is appealing your red card and has submitted a complaint to the FA about West Ham's inadequate pitch management. Is that correct?"
Aldrich grew serious. "Yes. The referee Walton showed me the red card, explaining that it wasn't due to the sporting aspect but the pressure from the stadium, specifically from the home fans. A lot of fans wanted to invade the pitch. I don't blame Walton; he's a good man. However, West Ham's fans are a cancer in the Premier League. If they continue to use such tactics to pressure the visiting teams, what are referees supposed to do? This severely undermines the principle of fair competition, and that stems from West Ham's management failures."
"Three and a half months from now, West Ham will visit the Den. As the head coach and owner, can you guarantee Millwall fans won't replicate West Ham's behavior?" The reporter's question hit home.
The atmosphere surrounding the East London derby was intense; it was not merely a one-sided provocation; both sets of fans struggled to control their emotions.
Aldrich smiled slightly and said, "My team will defeat the enemy on the field. If we're playing football, then we'll do it with football. Of course, if there are any irrational fans among us who disrupt the match, Millwall won't shield them or the fan clubs. We'll blacklist that individual, banning them from the Den for at least three years. Nobody wants to see disruptions caused by fans, but if that happens at the Den, I'd rather have the stands empty than tolerate such behavior."
The reporter was taken aback, surprised by Aldrich's firm stance on management. Raising an eyebrow, she said, "Let's talk about Millwall's upcoming schedule. In two weeks, you have another derby against Chelsea, and just before Christmas, you face the league leaders Newcastle United."
Aldrich said with a light chuckle, "Chelsea? I'm quite let down by Fleet Street. Yes, they added a world-class player named Gullit, the European Footballer of the Year, but he hasn't caused a significant change at Chelsea. Last season they finished 11th, and now they're sitting in 13th place. Yet the London media continues to praise Gullit every week, like country folks gaping at city slickers, which I find quite nauseating. Gullit was one of the top players in the world once, but that doesn't mean he's still the best at 33. When Chelsea visits Millwall, I expect we'll beat them with ease, just like any other team. Of course, I think Fleet Street will still manage to say a few nice things about Gullit afterward, considering it's been too long since England has seen a player of his caliber. But they've got it wrong; Gullit was the Footballer of the Year five years ago, and now he's nearing retirement."
The reporter couldn't hide her excitement. Many media outlets wanted to interview Aldrich, but aside from official press conferences, he rarely accepted one-on-one interviews. This BBC feature was a big deal, and she wanted to make it engaging. Aldrich was generous with his criticisms of West Ham and disdain for Chelsea, even taking aim at Fleet Street, subtly accusing the British media of pandering to such a decorated star.
She was ready to stoke the flames, playfully asking, "Last season, Millwall faced Newcastle twice in cup matches and lost both. You and Kevin Keegan seem to have had some disagreements."
Aldrich and the reporter shared a mutual understanding; her lead-in gave him exactly what she wanted.
"Kevin Keegan belittled Millwall. Last season, he even predicted we would be relegated this season. As you can see, Millwall's form is good. If the top three were to get relegated, we might genuinely find ourselves back in League One come season's end."
"Ha ha, Mr. Aldrich, you're quite humorous! However, you expressed your hopes for Newcastle to win the league title last season. It appears your sentiments were effective; Newcastle is atop the league and has created significant distance from the trailing teams, with even Liverpool seemingly out of the title race this season."
When discussing Newcastle, the topic naturally turned to championship ambitions.
Aldrich's mischievous grin added to the jest. "There are still more than twenty matches left; we haven't even hit the halfway mark! To say Liverpool is out of the title race is too hasty. Just think—if Newcastle loses three or four matches, the pursuing teams will catch up quickly. Regardless, I look forward to Keegan bringing Newcastle to the Den for an earnest match on the Premier League stage. Of course, this match has nothing to do with the title; it's just a regular league game."
...
Aldrich's interview aired the next day and garnered widespread attention. As Millwall's two biggest rivals, West Ham and Chelsea were understandably displeased. Kevin Keegan retaliated in an interview, describing Aldrich's comments as overly arrogant, asserting that Millwall was unworthy of comparison to Newcastle.
Aldrich enjoyed a dinner date with Melanie, then strolled along the Thames, both feeling relaxed despite their busy work schedules.
The FA revoked Aldrich's red card but dismissed Millwall's complaints against West Ham.
This was a silent quid pro quo; both parties took a step back to avoid further trouble.
The East London derby had always been troublesome for the FA, as it exceeded the realm of sports, directly affecting security in London. The FA was reluctant to let governmental authorities interfere in their operations. The East London derby was not a unique occurrence; Manchester City derbies also frequently resulted in public order issues.
Millwall remained unbeaten in the league, but their performances fluctuated. One week they would achieve a stunning victory over a strong team, and the next, they might settle for a mundane draw.
Aside from Aldrich's decision to field the strongest squad in cup matches regardless of the opponent, the volatile nature of their league matches, coupled with varying tactical demands and conditions, contributed to Millwall's current results, which Aldrich felt satisfied with.
After a resounding victory over West Ham, they faced a challenging match against Aston Villa, ending in a 1:1 draw, a result made even more frustrating by the rainy conditions affecting their usual fluid play. Aston Villa had also been quite impressive this season, holding a firm position in the upper half of the table, even sitting above Arsenal, albeit by a narrow margin.
At the end of November, Millwall faced their arch-rivals Chelsea at home. The Millwall fans couldn't care less about Chelsea. In the past, it was all about who had the bigger fists, but now their team's performance has soared far above Chelsea's. Naturally, they strutted about with their heads held high, hardly sparing a glance at West London.
Arthur Hall, Millwall's chairman, was eagerly hospitable, even calling Chelsea owner Bates three days before the match.
"Hey, come to the Den; I've prepared good drinks. We can enjoy the performance of the World Footballer of the Year from a luxury box; it's a pleasure!"
Bates, with his white hair and beard, snapped back, "I have plans this weekend; I can't make it to the game."
"You're not hiding at home crying, are you? Come on, enjoy the match. Millwall is even considering borrowing Chelsea's strategy of bringing in big stars."
"Damn you! Know your limits; what's there to be so smug about? You'll only come running home to cry when Millwall opens a supermarket!"
"Hey, at least Chelsea can't even match Millwall right now, even if they crawled on all fours like a dog! Want to come over and flatter me a bit? I might consider selling a few players to you."
"Really?"
"You're naive! You come over to kiss my ass, and I'll just fart in your face!"
"Ah~~~! Arthur Hall, I'll kill you!"
"Well, then come to the Den and watch the game."
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