Championship club weigh up legal action over KKK image in children’s booklet | Football | Sport

Millwall are considering legal action against Westminster Council after their club badge appeared on a Ku Klux Klan costume in a children’s educational booklet. The council has issued a “full apology” to the Championship club over the shocking incident, with the booklet having already been distributed in schools.

Westminster Council has also confirmed its intention to withdraw and “destroy” any remaining copies of the booklet still in its possession. The alarming situation was brought to light by the Millwall Supporters’ Club, who shared a statement from Millwall on their official X account.

The statement read: “The club has received a full apology from Westminster Council following their serious misuse of a registered club badge, which was placed on an illustration of a white supremacist hate group member in a children’s education booklet distributed in schools, creating a false and damaging image of the club.

“The council have confirmed no more copies of the image with the club’s logo will be made or distributed by them and all remaining material in their possession will be destroyed.

“The club is still considering its legal position on the matter and are unable to comment further.”

A council spokesperson subsequently confirmed the apology had been issued, saying: “We accept the use of this image was an insensitive way to illustrate the problem of racism within football.

“We have apologised to Millwall Football Club for the improper use of their logo and for any offence caused. The booklet has been removed from circulation, and we are reviewing processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

A Millwall insider told The Telegraph that the London club were left “furious” over the incident, given the considerable effort they have invested in enhancing their reputation in recent years.

The source added: “We do so much work in EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] and to have the club depicted that way to young people is outrageous.”

On the pitch, the Lions have had a remarkable campaign as they push for a place in the Premier League for the very first time.

Last featuring in the top flight during the 1989/90 season, Millwall sit third in the table and are level on points with second-placed Ipswich Town, who have a game in hand.

They next head to relegated Leicester City on Friday evening before wrapping up their regular season at home to Oxford United the following Saturday.

Should they miss out on automatic promotion, Alex Neil’s side have already secured a play-off place. The last occasion the club featured in the play-offs was during the 2001/02 campaign under former manager Mark McGhee.