Queens Park Rangers players will take the knee at Millwall where fans booed gesture

Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Warburton says his side will take the knee before Tuesday's league game at Millwall.

QPR had stopped the gesture, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, earlier this season after director of football Les Ferdinand said its impact had "been diluted".

However, Warburton says the club will "show solidarity" with the cause after some Millwall fans booed players taking a knee at The Den on Saturday.

"It is the right thing to do," he said.

The Lions hosted 2,000 home fans for their Championship match against Derby County at the weekend after the second national lockdown was lifted, but the return of spectators was overshadowed by the pre-match incident.

Millwall have said they were "dismayed and saddened" by the actions of a section of their support.

Derby County caretaker manager Wayne Rooney said on Monday that a ban for Millwall supporters "would help in terms of making fans think twice before behaving like that".

"It is clear to everyone what happened and there is no room for it in football," Rooney added. "So if that [a ban] is what needs to happen to stop it then hopefully the right decision is made on that."

The Football Association have confirmed they are investigating the booing at Millwall, and a similar incident at Colchester United's League Two game against Grimsby Town.

The Millwall Supporters' Club said the booing was not motivated by racism, but instead in opposition to the political views held by the Black Lives Matter organisation.

Players, officials and staff at Premier League and English Football League games have been taking a knee before games since the 2019-20 season restarted in June in order to show their support for the movement for racial equality.

However, QPR did not take the knee before their game at Coventry in September - with former England striker Ferdinand saying the message of the gesture had been lost, and that actions were needed to bring about change in football.

Rangers have given individuals at the club a choice over whether to participate in the pre-match gesture since then, but Warburton says all his players have agreed to take the knee when they travel to The Den to face the Lions.

"In light of certain events, we will stand solidly behind the cause and our players will take the knee," Warburton said.

"We will show solidarity because we will not tolerate any form of discrimination. But we are a club that take positive action and do not get involved in token gestures. Les' words were succinct and very clear.

"Moving forward, people will do what they think is the right thing."

Meanwhile, Football's Black Coalition (FBC) has called on club owners to take an active stance against racism.

The body, launched by black coaches along with former and current players, said the "disgraceful and disheartening" scenes at The Den show how far the game has to go in dealing with racial discrimination.

"Closed stadiums were both a shelter and a sanctuary for players on the pitch from the continuous hostility to black players and racial justice," a statement from the FBC said.

"Re-opening sparsely attended stadiums should be seen as a green light to identify these so-called fans and educate them if possible - but if they're not willing to listen, to kick them out of the game for good.

"It's now time for owners to step up. They need to get officials together and deliver an inclusive plan to take an active stance against racism."