Will West Ham Play Millwall Again

THE constabulary have failed, football's authorities have failed and about of all common sense has failed.

Just 1 extraordinary three-year-old daughter is succeeding where the adults oasis't past bringing a kind of peace to the most vicious rivalry in English football.

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Dauntless Isla Caton needs £400,000 to become treatment for Neuroblastoma - and has had donations from Due west Ham and Millwall fans Credit: Supplied

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The three-year-old needs treatment to care for a rare form of cancer that only affects 100 children a year in the U.k. Credit: Arfa Griffiths - The Sun

Agog Westward Ham and Millwall fans take declared a surprise truce to help Isla Caton's fight against cancer.

The hatred between these 2 hardcore East London clubs has gone beyond football tribalism.

The expiry of a Millwall fan in 1976 and a full scale riot last fourth dimension the two teams met at Upton Park in 2009 is confirmation of a deep-seated animosity.

Toddler Isla comes from a family of diehard West Ham flavour ticket holders, passionate Hammers who bought into the blood feud like all the rest.

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Tony Munday, right, has inspired fellow Millwall fans to raise thousands for Isla Credit: Supplied

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Tony with a group of supporters outside a West Ham pub in Plaistow, East London Credit: Supplied

But her battle confronting cancer reached beyond the River Thames where Millwall supporters immediately put bated their mutual dislike of W Ham to rally behind her crusade in a serial of spontaneous and generous acts of charity that offer hope for Isla and for football game every bit a whole.

Westward Ham fan and family unit friend Neil Taylor, 58, made the outset move bridging the fierce divide to approach Millwall fans via social media.

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KNOW THE SIGNS What is neuroblastoma? Symptoms and signs of the cancer Bradley Lowery battled that affects babies and young children

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Taylor said: "Millwall and W Ham fans are cut from the same material actually, there's simply a lot of hatred there. I use social media for my Boleyn Days website. Information technology'southward proper quondam school stuff.

"Millwall do a lot for Help For Heroes and other charities, as practise West Ham. I got to know a couple of people through that and I thought it would be really something if nosotros could get Isla's plight mentioned in one of their programmes. That would be a real touch.

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Isla, whose form of cancer is not treatable in the Uk, smiles with her mum Nicola Credit: Arfa Griffiths - The Dominicus

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Tony raised money by running from The Den to the London Stadium Credit: Supplied

"When it did go in for the Barnsley lucifer the response was terrific. Nosotros put it online and got about 800 responses. And not ane of them was negative.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm no Middle Due east peace envoy but information technology is astonishing what'south come from this little girl'south battle."

Isla has neuroblastoma - a particularly tough cancer to treat. She has already had a 22cm tumour removed from her tummy in a 10 1/two hr op, 24 rounds of radiotherapy and seventy general anaesthetics. She is into her second stint of chemo.

When all that is done she needs to get to America for hi-tech antibiotic therapy which is designed to preclude the disease returning and is not yet available in the UK.

The bill could finish upwardly at around £700,000. West Ham fans have been "unbelievable", says Isla's mum Nicola, but more astonishing is that and then accept Millwall's, for whom she adds: "I don't accept the words to say how grateful I am."

WHAT IS NEUROBLASTOMA?

Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that well-nigh ordinarily afflicts babies and immature children.

The affliction develops from special nervus cells, known as neuroblasts, which get left behind from the kid's development in the womb.

It mostly begins in the sufferer'southward adrenal glands located above the kidneys merely tin can occur in the nerve tissue that runs along the spinal cord in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis.

The vicious affliction can and so spread to other organs similar the bone, bone marrow, lymph nodes and pare.

Neuroblastoma afflicts around 100 children a twelvemonth in the Uk but the cause of the affliction is still not known.

Symptoms can include:

• a swollen painful tummy, sometimes in association with constipation and difficulty passing urine
• breathlessness and difficulty swallowing
• a lump in the neck
• blueish lumps in the pare and bruising, particularly effectually the eyes
• weakness in the legs and an unsteady walk, with numbness in the lower trunk, constipation and difficulty passing urine
• fatigue, loss of free energy, stake skin, loss of ambition and weight loss
• bone hurting, a limp and full general irritability
• jerky eye and muscle movements

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Efforts of fans have seen more than £300,000 raised - but more is needed Credit: Supplied

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Isla has had a 22cm tumour removed, 24 rounds of radiotherapy and seventy full general anasthetics Credit: Supplied

She said: "As Due west Ham fans, you simply grow upwards hating Millwall. You don't even ask why, it's just how it is. I'yard certain it's the aforementioned for them too.

"But at present we're talking nearly grown men putting all that to one side for us. Millwall fans don't like the states but they have done all this for us.

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"I think true Due west Ham and Millwall fans have come together over this and I think a lot of them will stay in touch forever afterwards.

"West Ham fans have been brilliant too. Equally presently as Isla'southward story got out they have been phenomenal. I was brought up in a working grade house where we didn't enquire for anything. We don't like asking at present but we have to for our daughter's sake."

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Millwall fan Jamie Pearce has raised funds by running the Brighton marathon in a Due west Ham kit Credit: Twitter/Jamie Pearce

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Jamie, from Bromley, raised £1,500 for the run Credit: Twitter/Jamie Pearce

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Isla, with skipper Mark Noble, was a mascot for West Ham'south match with Bournemouth in January Credit: Getty Images - Getty

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Millwall and W Ham fans have a long and encarmine history of violence Credit: News Grouping Newspapers Ltd

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A meeting betwixt the teams in 2009 was marred by pitch invasions, violence and arrests - with one fan stabbed Credit: PA:Empics Sport

When West Ham last played Millwall it made international news for the calibration of the trouble. An emergency call went out for extra law to race to stalk widespread disorder that dark in and around East London and there were three pitch invasions during the game.

Both clubs reserve a special venom for a game rated as C-plus by the cops – the highest risk of hooliganism. And it rarely fails to ignite.

The clubs may never exist best friends but for now all thoughts are with Isla, who was W Ham's mascot at their home game against Bournemouth before this season, carried in the artillery of helm Mark Noble.

Former players - Carlton Cole, Matthew Etherington, Paul Konchesky and Jack Collison amid them - are turning out for her this Sunday in a benefit lucifer at Redbridge FC in Barkingside, Essex, to play a bunch of celebrities.

Tickets are available on the day or through her Facebook page.

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More 20 people were injured in the clashes, 80 people were arrested and West Ham banned 54 people for life Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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West Ham were also fined £115,000 for failing to command their supporters Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

New Den season ticket holder Jamie Pearce volition feature in it, as a "advantage" for defying airsickness, astringent muscular pain and the humiliation of wearing a West Ham shirt to run the Brighton Marathon and raise more than £1,500 for the crusade.

Jamie, 25, from Bromley, who works in HR, said: "When I was about 14 my school football team had a kit that was burgundy and blue – similar Due west Ham's. I refused to wear information technology and went in goal instead. That explains my feelings towards Due west Ham.

"But when I saw Isla's story I felt compelled to exercise something. Information technology'south more about somebody reaching out for help. If a family like theirs comes to Millwall looking for aid then all jokes aside we have to practise what nosotros tin.

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Isla has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the by 15 months Credit: Supplied

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Millwall fan Tony sits with Westward Ham fans at the London Stadium Credit: Supplied

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One-time West Ham striker Carlton Cole will be playing in a celebrity charity game this weekend Credit: Getty Images - Getty

"I gauge the main reason I decided to vesture the Due west Ham shirt was because I knew the impact it would have. Everybody who knows me knows how passionate I am about my order and so I knew it would generate interest.

"I was hoping to raise effectually £500 but currently we're sitting at more than £1,500 and it's helped to spread awareness.

"I've had a great reception and it actually shows rivalry doesn't exist where existent matters, specially children, are concerned.

"If West Ham do get relegated this flavor then it would be interesting to see what happens between the fans should they play each other next yr. I definitely feel something's changed.

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Isla'south family unit are hoping she will be treated at a hospital in New York, if they can heighten enough money Credit: Supplied

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Isla, three, lives in Hornchurch, Essex Credit: Arfa Griffiths - The Lord's day

"At that place might yet be a few idiots but I could walk into a West Ham pub and accept a drink with them I reckon. I'd have to explicate who I was first. Perchance I'm too optimistic only I recollect some of the stigma around this game has gone."

Pearce joked: "Mind you, I'm missing Millwall's concluding home game of the flavour against Villa to play in this poxy shirt again."

Pearce admits he was inspired by the spirit of Millwall supporting cabbie Tony Munday, who lives in Westward Ham'south heartland in deepest Essex, almost the Lakeside Shopping Centre.

Munday, 49, refused to be put off past bad weather when the Brentwood half marathon was cancelled and he chose to run from Millwall's South London ground to Due west Ham's London Stadium on the day of their Premier League dwelling house game against Southampton on March 31.

Brave Munday even diverted his route to finish off at the infamous Vic pub in Plaistow, a hardened Hammers boozer. He became the first Millwall fan ever to be bought a drink there.

He said: "I hate West Ham. I'm so anti-West Ham information technology's unbelievable. And I'thou a total wind-up. I'm a concrete wreck merely from time to time I exercise something like this and train for it. Isla gave me a reason. What ameliorate cause was in that location?

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West Ham and Millwall have been bitter rivals for decades Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Films similar The Firm, with Gary Oldman, have spread the notoriety of the rivalry Credit: BBC Films

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"When I offered to practise information technology in a West Ham shirt the reaction was incredible. I'd raised £1,000 in 24 hours. One friend offered a grand there and then just to see me in the shirt.

"People talk about rivalries upwardly and down the country only none is like ours. I accept friends who support Sunderland and accept been to the North Due east derby. People were walking forth the streets together in dissimilar colours. That would never happen at W Ham vs Millwall. In that location is a feeling that eyes are on you everywhere.

"Simply every bit I ran by the Vic loads of quondam school West Ham came out to cheer me on. I stopped for a drink and carried on to the London Stadium. I sat in there and watched the game – the only person in the home stop disappointed that they won 3-0 and then went back to the pub. I stayed at that place quite some time I can tell you.

"Let's just say that some of the clientele in the Vic are 'passionate' nearly West Ham. I won't proper noun names. But I've been told I'm welcome dorsum there any time and won't always have to buy a drink.

"I think some practiced is coming out of this as much for the fans as Isla. And so many West Ham and Millwall fans are now in touch and I have inappreciably seen a cross word between them."

• The Bradley Lowery Foundation is raising funds to become Isla Caton life-saving treatment for her neuroblastoma in the US. The handling is not bachelor in the U.k. and £400,000 is needed to assist. Click here for more than information and to donate. Tickets for the West Ham legends vs celebrities football match (Sunday May, half dozen, 2pm, Redbridge Stadium) are available on Isla'due south Facebook page.

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Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/6209125/west-ham-and-millwall-fans-end-years-of-bitter-hatred-and-bloodshed-to-unite-for-cancer-fighting-three-year-old-hammer-isla-caton-who-has-same-illness-as-bradley-lowery/

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