 Millwall fans will be heavily outnumbered by their United rivals |
Football chiefs have defended the decision to give Millwall thousands fewer tickets than Manchester United for the FA Cup final in Cardiff. Millwall have protested about their allocation for the final.
It is the first time tickets have been split unevenly for a Millennium Stadium final, with Millwall getting about 24,000 to United's 38,000.
But the Football Association says it was at the request of South Wales Police to ensure "security and safety".
The ticket share-out for the game on 22 May will see 28,000 going directly to United and 21,400 to the London club.
 |  This decision undermines the very spirit of the FA Cup  |
But a further 12,000 tickets will go to FA counties and clubs. If these are sold on, they will have to go to organisations such as registered supporters' groups, and the FA estimates that about 10,000 of these will go to United. FA officials say this will ensure there is no "neutral" area, and fans buying these tickets will be allocated either the United or Millwall part of the ground.
 It will be Ryan Giggs' first FA Cup final in his Cardiff birthplace |
There have been fears about hooliganism at the game. An element of Millwall supporters have had a bad reputation, although the club have been tackling the problems. An FA spokesman, speaking at the stadium, said: "The FA have recognised the brilliant work that Millwall have achieved through their membership scheme and that the difference in the number of tickets does not reflect on Millwall".
He said in fact it was because of the police request that the 'neutral' areas of the ground be allocated to specific clubs.
Segregation
"The logistical problems in segregating the Millennium Stadium then led to the difference in numbers of tickets available to each club.
"The paramount fact in making the decision on segregation was to ensure the safety and security of the FA Cup final."
The remaining tickets for the 72,000 sell-out game will go to a variety of sources, including hospitality boxes and VIPs.
Officials say the decision is partly a result of United's huge following.
The Manchester club are one of the most widely supported in the world, and sell 67,000 tickets for every home game, while Millwall's crowd has averaged just over 10,000 this season.
FA officials say it is a "realistic approach to policing the stadium". Security for the game will be "as rigorous as it always is", but they say no special measures are being taken, although both clubs will also supply their own stewards.
 The Vale hotel could be another lucky break for United |
Millwall say they are "very disappointed" that the FA has given United a "significantly higher allocation". In a statement, the London club said: "Whilst acknowledging that Manchester United are a massive club with a huge fan base, this decision undermines the very spirit of the FA Cup."
Millwall said they deserved to "receive equal backing as Alex Ferguson and his players will receive from United's supporters."
The FA confirmed that Millwall could appeal against the decision, although tickets will go out to the clubs as early as next week.
Meanwhile, if Millwall feel the rub of the green is against them, there is more bad news: they have also lost the chance to stay in the "lucky" pre-match hotel. For the first time this year the FA ruled that the finalists must toss a coin to decide who sleeps in the St David's Hotel in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel, a few miles outside the city.
The Vale has earned a reputation as the lucky venue because only one team that has stayed there has lost a big final at the stadium, when Bolton were beaten by Middlesborough in this season's Carling Cup.
But Manchester United will hope to revive the Vale's winning streak next month.
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