Millwall players took the knee in support of fight against racial injustice ahead of game against Derby on Saturday; section of fans booed the act; Squad met in changing room before game against QPR at The Den on Tuesday
Wednesday 9 December 2020 17:12, UK
Millwall players had a discussion in the changing room before Tuesday night's game against QPR where they agreed as a group that no one would take the knee prior to kick-off.
A source inside the changing room has told Sky Sports News that - while the squad had been told of the club's plans for a different show of solidarity - they are adamant there was no coercion from the club's bosses, and that it was left to the players to make their own choice about whether to take a knee or not.
It has become part of matchday protocol for each team to inform the referee in the build-up to a game, whether they plan to take a knee.
It suggests a clear change of heart from earlier in the day, when Sky Sports News had been told most of the Millwall squad were planning to still take the knee.
Instead, after linking arms with the opposition and displaying an equality banner, the whole Millwall squad remained standing while Marlon Romeo raised his fist in a salute to black power.
The whole QPR squad and match officials took a knee - but unlike before Saturday's game against Derby - there was only applause from the home crowd rather than boos.
Millwall are now planning to continue with their own campaign against racism and inequality before games, and will ask each opposing team to join them in linking arms and displaying an anti-racism banner.
Millwall fans applauded as their players remained standing and QPR players took a knee ahead of their Championship fixture at The Den on Tuesday night.
In contrast to Saturday's game against Derby, there were no boos heard as QPR players and match officials took a knee. Millwall's Mahlon Romeo raised his fist but no players from the home side opted to take a knee.
Both sets of players also linked arms and held aloft a banner which said 'Inequality' with the 'In' crossed out, as a show of solidarity against racism and other social injustices.
Millwall also wore Kick It Out's logo on their matchday shirts in place of one of their main sponsors and Bhandari was pleased with the support shown by the Championship club.
"Probably like the rest of the world we were all holding our breath and hoping that the fans would respect what was going on, on the pitch," he said.
"I was pleased to see that there was applause and cheers. Ultimately what do we want to create with this? We want to create unity and cohesion.
"It may be a different message to what other clubs are using, it may be different to taking the knee, but ultimately they've got all the club behind it. They've got the fans and the players, and it was really important that the players were part of this.
"What we wanted to create was the ability for the players to protest in a way in which they felt comfortable and free from the risk of sanction."
Bhandari added: "QPR haven't been taking the knee but decided to last night. That's a free choice. What I would rather us focus on is, this created some cohesion and unity and that's actually what we're after."
