Luton Town Vs Millwall 1985: The Kenilworth Road Riot (PICTURES)

The 1985 Kenilworth Road Riot

Luton Town and Millwall's FA Cup meeting this weekend will be a decidedly different affair from the clubs' quarter-final tie in 1985, when football faded into insignificance on the night of the Kenilworth Road Riot.

Chelsea and West Ham hooligans joined Millwall's firm on trains from St. Pancras and, along with Luton's contingent, wreaked havoc before, during and after on Wednesday 13 March. A knife was thrown at Luton goalkeeper Les Sealey and golf balls and seats were hurled at policemen unprepared for the onslaught.

Luton Town-Millwall 1985
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(01 of13)
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The police finally get the situation under control after Millwall fans, disappointed at seeing their team knocked out of the FA Cup, rioted, using plastic seats as missiles (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(02 of13)
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Police with dogs on the pitch at Kenilworth Road, Luton when Luton Town's FA Cup 6th round tie against Millwall was halted after 14 minutes when fans spilled on to the pitch. The players reappeared after a 15 minute stoppage. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(03 of13)
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Luton v Millwall. The aftermath of the pitched battle at Luton's Kenilworth Road ground after fans went on the rampage, ripping up seats in the ground and using them as missiles. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(04 of13)
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Luton v Millwall. Police with batons out tackle fans invading the pitch at Kenilworth Road football ground, where Luton beat Millwall 1-0 in the FA Cup Quarter-Final. Police and fans were injured, and there were over 30 arrests following several pitch invasions and a rampage which followed the final whistle. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(05 of13)
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Luton v Millwall. Luton stewards help an injured policeman at the town's Kenilworth Road Ground where violence flared several times during the FA Cup 6th round tie against Millwall. At one point the game was halted for 25 minutes and both teams adjourned to the dressing rooms, before Luton went on to win 1-0. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(06 of13)
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One of the pitched battles at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground - fans versus police. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(07 of13)
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Millwall Manager George Graham (l) and his assistant Theo Foley in a dejected mood after the match was halted when fans spilled on to the pitch. Millwall fans had invaded the pitch half an hour before the kick off, returning to the terraces after a personal pleas from George Graham. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road - Aftermath - Department of the Environment, London(08 of13)
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Luton Town executive John Smith (left) and Millwall chief executive Tony Shaw leave the Department of the Environment in London. They met with Sports Minister Neil MacFarlane to discuss the violent clashes at Kenilworth Road during an FA Cup tie between Luton and Millwall. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road - Aftermath(09 of13)
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Sgt Colin Cook (left), who almost died at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground, with PC Phil Evans, who saved his life. More than 30 police officers were injured in the violent clashes that occurred during the FA Cup tie between Luton and Millwall. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(10 of13)
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Residents of Ivy Road, which leads from Luton Town's ground, Dennis Midwinter, 33, and his wife Christine show some of the results of the violence suffered in the street last night caused by fans leaving after the FA Cup match against Millwall. Dennis holds the iron hinge which hit him on the head as they stand beside their shattered car windscreen. The match was halted when fans spilled on to the pitch. Millwall fans had invaded the pitch half an hour before the kick off, returning to the terraces after a personal pleas from Millwall Manager George Graham. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road - Aftermath - Ivy Road(11 of13)
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Alice Howarth, 69, and a glazier inspect one of her windows, which was damaged when violence broke out on Ivy Road as fans left the Luton Town and Millwall match. The FA Cup tie was halted when Millwall fans invaded the pitch. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Luton Town v Millwall - Kenilworth Road(12 of13)
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The task of clearing up begins at the home of Luton Town following the violence of last night's FA Cup match with Millwall. The match was halted when fans spilled on to the pitch. Millwall fans had invaded the pitch half an hour before the kick off, returning to the terraces after a personal pleas from Millwall Manager George Graham. (credit:PA)
Transport - Football Hooliganism - London - 1985(13 of13)
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A train carriage of the 22:30 Luton/St Pancras Football Special train that was wrecked by Millwall fans on their journey back to London from Luton. (credit:PA)

Luton club chairman David Evans - "Mrs Thatcher's plaything" according to then Luton manager David Pleat - reacted to the riot by introducing identity cards and banning away fans from the ground. Thatcher's government attempted to enforce the scheme across the country but were unsuccessful.

The Bradford fire and Heysel disasters would go on to claim a combined total of 95 victims two months later in one of the English football's darkest years.