Westminster Council Removes Controversial Booklet Featuring Millwall Emblem
Millwall Football Club has obtained a formal apology after its iconic blue lion badge was wrongly used in a children’s booklet designed to highlight the historic issue of racism in football. The emblem appeared on the robes of a figure styled like a Ku Klux Klan member, sparking widespread outrage.
Westminster City Council, responsible for distributing the booklet to schools across London, acknowledged the mistake and issued an apology to Millwall “for the improper use of their logo and for any offence caused.” The council confirmed it has withdrawn the booklet from circulation and is reviewing its procedures to prevent a recurrence.
“We recognize that using this image was an insensitive method to depict the longstanding problem of racism within football,” the council stated.
Millwall Denounces False Portrayal
Through the club’s official supporters’ platform on X, Millwall condemned the image for creating a “false and damaging” portrayal of the club. The club is currently evaluating its legal options and refrained from additional comments.
Context of the Controversial Image
The troubling illustration appeared alongside a photo of Paul Canoville, Chelsea’s first black player, who described enduring severe racial abuse in a reserve match at Millwall. A speech bubble quotes Canoville saying: “Racism never went away. I was badly abused in a reserve match at Millwall but then I could show the racists my 1984 2nd Division Champions medal!”
Paul Canoville Foundation Clarifies Position
The Paul Canoville Foundation confirmed the former player experienced “serious racial abuse by several individuals wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white hoods” during the 1980s reserves game against Millwall. While Canoville has spoken openly about his experiences with schoolchildren, the foundation emphasized it was not involved in creating or approving the contentious booklet.
“This material was neither produced, commissioned, nor approved by The Paul Canoville Foundation or our founder, Paul Canoville,” the foundation clarified in an official statement.
