West Ham fan's first date turned into a riot — now the rivals meet again after 14 years

A West Ham fan who chose the 2009 Carling Cup clash with Millwall as the venue for his first date is looking back on the night with a mixture of horror and dark humour, as the two clubs prepare to meet for the first time in 14 years at The Den this Saturday.

Rick Galer, now 36, was 19 when he took his then-girlfriend to Upton Park for what turned out to be one of the most violent nights in recent London derby history. Eighty people were arrested on suspicion of violence before and after the match, and a Millwall supporter was stabbed in the chest before kick-off.

“I told her parents it wouldn’t be that bad,” Galer told The Athletic. “But we got to Upton Park station and straight away I knew it was a mistake. There were loads of police and all sorts were being chucked from The Queens pub. I took all the back roads around Priory Road to avoid the trouble.”

The chaos unfolded despite — or perhaps because of — a dramatic match. Millwall’s Neil Harris had given the visitors the lead before Junior Stanislas netted a late equaliser that sparked a pitch invasion among home supporters, temporarily halting play. Stanislas then struck again in extra time, and Zavon Harris added a third to send West Ham through to the next round.

For Galer, the on-pitch drama was the least of his concerns. His girlfriend’s mother had been watching at home and heard a pundit describe the scenes as terrifying. Her father, a taxi driver, drove to collect the pair near Forest Gate station — a 38-minute walk from the ground — and greeted Galer with stony silence.

“When we saw him, I said, ‘I’m really sorry, I didn’t know it was going to be that bad,’” Galer recalled. “He just gave me this look and didn’t say a word during the journey back. I wasn’t on his Christmas card list that year.”

The Football Association charged both clubs for failing to control their supporters. West Ham were fined £115,000, while Millwall were cleared. The Hammers also banned at least 54 of their own fans in the aftermath.

With the clubs set to renew hostilities at The Den on Saturday for the first time since those scenes, Galer’s story serves as a reminder of just how combustible this fixture can be — and why it remains one of English football’s most charged rivalries.