After being informed of the allegations, referee Edward Duckworth held extended talks with coaches from both teams and suspended play while arranging for a message to be delivered to Millwall’s safety officer.
During the interruption, a stadium announcement at The Den stated that suspected racist chanting had been reported and that police were reviewing CCTV footage to identify those responsible.
“I am aware that an incident appears to have taken place,” Neil said. “It is not something I intend to become involved in, as the relevant authorities will handle it.
“However, I do not understand what is achieved by stopping the match.
“The referee wanted to talk to the safety officer, and play resumed once that conversation had taken place.
“That was part of what frustrated me. I wanted the match to resume and be completed.
“I appreciate that other matters were unfolding, but they could not be resolved on the pitch. They were always going to be investigated after the match.”
Once play resumed, Millwall conceded in the 90th minute and suffered a 1-0 defeat.
“To be honest, I probably would not feel the same way if we had scored,” Neil added.
Kick It Out, an organisation that has spent more than three decades campaigning against racism in football, expressed disappointment over reports that Eom had been subjected to racist abuse.
“Both teams have denounced the alleged incident, and it is encouraging that Millwall and the match officials followed the proper procedures, allowing efforts to identify anyone responsible to proceed,” the organisation said.
“Established procedures are designed to help match and security personnel react correctly when such incidents occur.
“They help protect players while ensuring that important information is recorded, so those responsible can be held accountable regardless of how long the process takes.”
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