Millwall said the image used in the children's educational booklet created "a false and damaging image of the club". Millwall are considering taking legal action after Westminster City Council used the Championship club's badge on an illustration of a Ku Klux Klan member.

The image appeared in a children's anti-racism booklet distributed in primary schools in the local area about the life of former footballer Paul Canoville, who was the first black player to play for Chelsea. It shows a cartoon figure wearing a white hood and robes, which is typically associated with the white supremacist group, with the outfit also bearing Millwall's crest.

The figure is imposed next to a photograph of Canoville, with a speech bubble coming from the ex-player that reads: "Racism never went away. I was badly abused in a reserve match at Millwall, but then I could show the racists my 1984 2nd Division Champions medal!"

On Thursday, Westminster City Council apologised to the club for the "improper use of their logo and for any offence caused". "We accept the use of this image was an insensitive way to illustrate the historic problem of racism within football," it said. "The booklet has been removed from circulation, and we are reviewing processes to ensure this doesn't happen again."

In a message on X via the official supporters' club, Millwall said the "serious misuse of a registered club badge" created a "false and damaging image of the club". Millwall said the council confirmed any remaining copies of the booklet they have will be destroyed and no more copies will be made and distributed.

"The club is still considering its legal position on the matter and are unable to comment further," it said. The Paul Canoville Foundation said it was aware of the image, which was widely shared on social media, but stressed it had no involvement in the material's content, saying it was "not produced by, commissioned by, or approved" by the foundation or Canoville.

"Our involvement in the associated programme was limited solely to Paul's personal appearance; meeting students and sharing his lived experience," the foundation's chief executive officer Raphael Frascogna said in a statement. "At no stage were we shown, consulted on, or asked to approve the content of the booklet, including any illustrations within it."

Frascogna added the illustration does depict a real incident Canoville experienced when playing for Chelsea reserves against Millwall reserves in the 1980s, "in which he was subjected to serious racial abuse by a number of individuals wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white hoods."

Former winger Canoville, now 64, played for Chelsea for five years from 1981 and scored 15 goals in 103 games, later retiring because of a knee injury aged 25 after a short spell at Reading. Millwall are third in the Championship this season, level on points with second-placed Ipswich, who are in the automatic promotion places.

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