Millwall to investigate homophobic chanting aimed at Conor Gallagher in defeat to Crystal Palace  

Millwall promise to investigate homophobic chanting aimed at Conor Gallagher during their FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace and vow to BAN fans guilty of abuse after unsavoury scenes saw Michael Olise struck by a bottle

  • Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise was hit by a bottle thrown by Millwall fans
  • Conor Gallagher was targeted by homophobic chanting from Millwall fans 
  • Championship club have condemned the incidents and opened an investigation 
  • Some Millwall fans booed players taking the knee before kick-off
  • Palace manager Patrick Vieira said discrimination has no place in football 


Millwall have launched an investigation after unsavoury scenes marred the Lions’ 2-1 defeat at home against Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Players who took the knee before kick-off were loudly booed, while Palace winger Michael Olise was struck by a bottle thrown by the crowd in the second half.

His teammate Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, was reportedly targeted by homophobic chants.  

Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher was subject to homophobic chanting during the game

The Chelsea loanee was targeted by similar chanting during the game against Leeds

The Chelsea loanee was targeted by similar chanting during the game against Leeds

‘Millwall Football Club has a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of discrimination and will investigate any incident of alleged abuse accordingly,’ a spokesperson for the Championship club told Sky Sports after the game,

‘As is club policy, any individual found guilty of discriminatory abuse is issued with an immediate lifetime ban.’

There is no love lost between Millwall and Palace, who are separated by little over six miles. 

Michael Olise was struck by a bottle in the second half of Crystal Palace's win at Millwall

Michael Olise was struck by a bottle in the second half of Crystal Palace’s win at Millwall

Olise kicked the bottle off the pitch after being hit by the missile aimed at him

Olise kicked the bottle off the pitch after being hit by the missile aimed at him

The Palace winger was targeted by Millwall fans as he prepared to take a corner

The Palace winger was targeted by Millwall fans as he prepared to take a corner 

Flares were set off in the away end prior to kick off, while some home fans booed the Palace players who knelt. Millwall players, meanwhile, did not take the knee.

Olise drew Palace level straight after the restart, cancelling out Benik Afobe’s opener, before hitting the post and setting up Jean-Philippe Mateta’s winner with 58 minutes played.

The 20-year-old also found himself on the receiving end of a missile aimed at him by a Millwall fan as he prepared to take a corner in front of the home fans. 

He then appeared to exchange words with the Millwall fans in the section right next to him

He then appeared to exchange words with the Millwall fans in the section right next to him

Palace fans set off flares just before kick-off of their team's FA Cup third round tie

Palace fans set off flares just before kick-off of their team’s FA Cup third round tie 

‘I don’t think either of the clubs want to see any of those moments off the pitch but I am sure both will deal with those situations effectively,’ Lions manager Gary Rowett said after the game.

Palace boss Patrick Vieira also condemned both incidents.

‘We as a football club are against any kind of discrimination and of course this is not something we want to see on the field,’ he said. 

At the end of November, Leeds issued a statement condemning the fans who targeted Gallagher with homophobic chanting during the Whites’ 1-0 win over Palace at Elland Road.