MILLWALL fans stepped up their hate chants over the Liam Roberts incident with a series of sick songs over the injured Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Lions keeper Roberts is serving a six-match ban after smashing Mateta in the head with a flying kick in last weekend’s FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace.
The French striker was given oxygen before being taken to hospital and needed 25 stitches for a severe gash to his left ear, with Palace chairman Steve Parish describing the challenge as the ‘most reckless’ he had ever seen.
Roberts’ original suspension was for three games, but it was doubled after the FA demanded stronger action.
But Millwall fans were in no mood to back down during yesterday’s 2-1 win at Watford.
Every time a home player went down injured, they chanted: “Let him die.”
They also backed their keeper with: “One Liam Roberts, there’s only one Liam Roberts.”
There was also: “It isn’t enough, it isn’t enough – 25 stitches, it isn’t enough.”
The abuse piled on with: “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, Mateta’s in A and E.”
There was also a minute’s applause for Roberts from the Millwall fans in the eighth minute – the time he was sent off at Palace.
The hate mob finally piped down to join in the celebrations when Josh Coburn headed Millwall’s 81st-minute winner.
Lions boss Alex Neil said after the Watford match: “Now we can draw a line under the Liam stuff.
“You know, we’ve supported Liam. Liam’s made a bad decision. He’s mistimed the challenge.
“I think it’s then been trial by media at that point afterwards, which we are not in control of.
“We’ve spoken to Liam. He’s fine. He understands. He spoke to me, and it’s done. Draw a line under it.
“Liam will serve a suspension. That’s the way it is, and then we just move on to the next game.”
Neil insisted that the controversy over Roberts had not affected the team.
“We don’t really get sort of caught up in that sort of stuff. Social media is not something I get involved in whatsoever. I get feedback so I’m conscious of what’s happening.
“But the last thing I need is to scroll through and know what some 14-year-old who lives at the bottom of the road thinks of me. I’m past that stage. So yeah, I’m not fussed.”
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