Troy Deeney vows to walk off the pitch with his team-mates if Millwall fans racially abuse players

Troy Deeney has revealed that the entire Watford team will walk off the pitch if they hear racist abuse.

Millwall fans returned to The Den on Saturday for the first time since February, but a sizeable proportion booed as players took the knee to protest racial inequality against Derby County. The visitors won 1-0.

Millwall released a statement after the match condemning the booing, with staff at the club said to be distraught at fans' behaviour.

Deeney's Watford side go to Millwall later this month and while the 32-year-old has said he will not leave the field if taking the knee is booed, the line is drawn at racist abuse.

'When they boo, I'll still be there,' he said on talkSPORT. 'But if it gets to that line of racial things being said to me or my players, we've already had a conversation about what happens. We walk, simple.

'We're not here to be racially abused, we're here to play football and entertain.

'There's a lot of things you can call me. You can call me a big head and say I've got teeth like a shark but if you racially abuse me, I'm not going to stand there and take it.

'If I turn around and get physical with that person, I get in trouble and the club gets in trouble, so the only thing I can do in that moment is report it and leave.

'That's all I can do, so that's what we will do.'

Deeney believes Saturday's unsavoury events underline the need for more anti-racism campaigning in football. He was one of the driving forces behind a Premier League anti-racism initiative rolled out in April. However, he said that it was difficult to label the booing as racist.

'I'm not massively shocked. I don't want to put this on all the Millwall fans or the club. There's a certain amount of people who found a reason to boo, which I don't really want to get into because I think we're giving them too much energy.

'It shows that those advocating for equality must keep going. This is the reason why.

'In the Premier League meeting, we said it has to be done when fans are back, because it's easy to take the knee when no one's there.

'It's easy to put the badge on when there's no one there. When fans are there, it sparks conversation, rightly or wrongly.

'The Premier League issued a statement saying it has nothing to do with politics.

'People are saying it's all about the Black Lives Matter movement, but it's nothing to do with that.

'I want to make it clear, it's not all Millwall fans. They've got black players playing for them.

'If the right-back [Mahlon] Romeo scored, would they want that goal chalked off?

'It's so frustrating to read some of the stuff that's coming in here. It's mind-boggling and stupid the way that people think. I don't like calling people names, but it's stupid the way they go on like this.

'Is booing racist? No, it isn't. It is part of football. So can you punish them for booing? I don't think you can.

'It is a difficult place for the FA to be in, but we have to understand this is all about finding equality for injustices.

'I'm getting bored of repeating myself for the same people who don't want to hear it. It is a case of understanding that conversations need to be had.

'We don't have to agree on everything – it is part and parcel of it – but we can't sit and keep saying 'what's the next step'. The next step is to keep pushing, to keep having these conversations, to understand both sides of the fence.'

The FA are looking into incidents at Millwall and Colchester United, where booing of players taking the knee also took place. Despite both clubs issuing statements speaking out against the actions of some fans, there is uncertainty over whether the incidents meet the threshold for a proven act of racism.

Millwall will meet representatives from Kick It Out, the equality and inclusion organisation, in the coming days.

In a statement, the club said: 'Millwall Football Club was dismayed and saddened by events which marred Saturday's game against Derby County at the Den.

'The club has worked tirelessly in recent months to prepare for the return of supporters and what should have been a positive and exciting occasion was completely overshadowed, much to the immense disappointment and upset of those who have contributed to those efforts.'

The Lions' right-back Mahlon Romeo was dismayed at the actions of his own club's supporters, telling the South London Press:

'Today's game, to me now, has become irrelevant. The fans have been let back in – which the whole team was looking forward to. But in society there is a problem – and that problem is racism.

'The fans who have been let in today have personally disrespected not just me but the football club and what the football club and the community stand for.

'What they've done is booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which was put in place to highlight, combat and stop any discriminatory behavior and racism. That's it – that's all that gesture is.

'And the fans have chosen to boo that, which for the life of me I can't understand. It has offended me and everyone who works for this club – the players and the staff.

'I'm speaking on behalf of myself here – not any of the other players – I want to make that very clear. This is the first time I feel disrespected. Because you have booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which – and it needs repeating – was put in place to highlight, combat and tackle any discriminatory behavior and racism in general.

'I'm almost lost for words. I don't know how they thought that would make me feel. I don't know what they thought taking a knee stood for. But I think I've explained it simply enough. I feel really low – probably the lowest I've felt in my time at this club.'

Millwall host Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night. The west Londoners made the decision to stop taking the knee in September after the club's director of football Les Ferdinand said the act had become 'little more than good PR' and had lost its impact.

In light of Saturday's events, they have reversed their decision to take the knee and will do so at The Den.