Police prepare for derby trouble as Millwall vs West Ham and Wolves vs West Brom return

Police forces are expected to have their work cut out this weekend, with derby matches in the Championship and beyond. Saturday's early kick-off sees Millwall take on West Ham for the first time in over 14 years before Wolves and West Brom renew their rivalry at 12pm on Sunday.

Eyes were drawn to mid-September as soon as the fixture list was confirmed in June. Both West Ham and Wolves came down from the Premier League and these clashes were among the first that fans looked for.

The scheduling has given officers, the Metropolitan Police in particular, a huge task, as they work to prevent trouble and stop tensions from boiling over. Not to mention the rest of the weekend's London fixtures which include Brentford versus Chelsea on Friday night and Fulham against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.

But it's not just forces across England braced for trouble either. In Glasgow, Celtic and Rangers will clash at Parkhead just one week after doing so at Ibrox.

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February 2012 marked the last time that these two London clubs faced off. To sum up the rivalry, former West Ham captain Julian Dicks was hit by a brick while defending a corner away to Millwall in December 1998.

The Met are planning to deploy roughly 400 officers in an around The Den which is four times the usual number. Officers will be in riot gear, although won't have shields, and each of them will be trained to deal with public disorder.

Dog units, mounted police and live facial recognition cameras will also be used as part of the operation. Rival fans will be told to use specific Tube and rail stations travelling to and from the game.

The Met also issued a statement ahead of Saturday's match which read: "On Saturday, 19 September at 12:30hrs, @MillwallFC face @WestHam at the Den - the first time the two clubs have met since 2012. We want fans to enjoy the match safely and have worked with both clubs to help this happen.

"As with any fixture, the Sporting Events Act 1985 is in place, which means entering or attempting to enter a ground while intoxicated is strictly prohibited. A Section 35 dispersal order will also be in place, allowing officers to remove anyone causing disorder. It will cover this area (below)."

A League Cup tie between the teams in 2009 saw one man stabbed. Play also had to be stopped three times due to fans invading the pitch.

This week, injured West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was filmed being threatened by a Millwall fan. In a video clip shared on social media, Soucek was warned: "If I see you at the Den next Saturday I'm going to cut your f***ing face off, you c***."

Fans of these two Midlands clubs haven't needed to wait very long for this fixture to come back around. They last met in the FA Cup in January 2024, as Wolves won 2-0 at The Hawthorns.

But that wasn't the story. The players were forced to leave the pitch for 35 minutes after violent fights broke out, with missiles also thrown.

In a joint statement published on Thursday, both Wolves and West Brom reminded supporters that a total of 43 people were arrested, with 12 of them were charged and sentenced by the courts. One Football Banning Order was issued while five supporters received permanent club bans.

It is the first time that these two arch enemies have met at Molineux - in front of supporters - since February 2012, with the Baggies winning 5-1 and pushing Wolves further towards relegation.

The two clubs also asked that home and away supporters only use tickets purchased through official channels and urged them to sit in the correct areas at Molineux. The statement added: "Both clubs have worked closely with the Safety Advisory Group, local authorities and police to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for the fixture.

"Supporters can expect enhanced stewarding, policing, robust ticketing controls and additional safety measures designed to protect everyone attending the match while allowing both sets of fans to enjoy the occasion."

Those who joke that there's an Old Firm derby every week will be feeling smug right now. The pair of Glasgow heavyweights met for another bout last Sunday, with Rangers winning 3-0 at Ibrox in the Scottish League Cup.

Now it's Celtic's turn to host their bitter rivals, as the teams resume their Scottish Premiership campaign. After ugly scenes during an Old Firm last season, no away fans will be permitted in games involving Celtic and Rangers this term.

But there were still arrests at the weekend. A Police Scotland officer was assaulted during the match at Ibrox and a 28-year-old man was cuffed in connection with the incident.

Police made a total of four arrests during the one-sided quarter-final, including a 55-year-old man for sectarian abuse. Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan thanked the 'majority of fans' for their behaviour, although he noted: "A small number of offences were detected during the course of the event.

"These included one instance of police assault and a separate incident involving sectarian abuse. Behaviour such as this is never acceptable and will not be tolerated."