A GUARDIAN reporter caught up in last night's football violence has described how he felt “completely helpless” as he was crammed into a train packed with drunken yobs.

Jonathan Moyes was travelling to the Carling Cup game between West Ham and Millwall.

He said: “I first heard the Millwall fans when I made my way to the District Line at West Ham station.

“They were the loudest football fans I have ever heard and I instantly felt intimidated.

“There were hundreds of them and they were mostly young men dressed in casual clothing.

“None of them were wearing Millwall football scarves or shirts but I could tell by their angry chanting which team they supported.

“A few West Ham fans making their way to the game seemed nervous.”

“Commuters looked on in fright as the horde of fans made their way up the escalator to the platform.

“When the train arrived the fans stormed on to the train. It felt claustrophobic inside the carriage.

“A shaven headed muscular man  kept telling the Millwall fans around him to be quiet so as not to alert the police.

"He was organising the other fans and I assumed he was the leader.

“Two fans, who were drunk, asked me to move out of the way so they could urinate. I didn't want to argue because the man talking to me was 6ft and heavily built.

“He and his mates resembled modern day cave men.

“As the train pulled into Upton Park station the fans became concerned it wasn't going to stop.

“One of them yanked the emergency alarm stopping the train completely.

“I was scared and felt completely helpless.

“When the doors did open they all piled off but were told to wait in line but guessing I wasn't one of them I made my way through the crowd and out of the station.

"As I walked to the ground the street ahead of me was cordoned off by riot police wearing protective clothing.

“Scores of Milwall fans pelted them with cans and bottles of beer as they tried to break the police cordon and attack West Ham fans standing nearby.

It was like something from the film The Football Factory, my heart was racing and I was panicking, fearing for my safety.

“I was grabbed by a policeman and shoved to the other side of the cordon because he clearly felt I was standing too close to the action.”

Thirteen people have now been arrested following trouble before, during and after the Hammers' game.

Fights broke out before the game when hundreds of fans confronted each other outside the Hammers' Upton Park stadium.

More than 200 riot police were met with a hail of missiles, leaving some with minor injuries.

During the game, fans invaded the pitch three times and three people were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after the game.

Justice Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has today described the violence as a “disgrace to football.”

Anybody with information should call police on 8217 5851.