Millwall fans' classy gesture to Sunderland supporters after sickening Bradley Lowery incident

Millwall fans unveiled a fantastic banner remembering Sunderland fan, Bradley Lowery, at The Den on Saturday.

Sunderland mad Lowery was six years old when he passed away on July 7, 2017, following a battle with neuroblastoma cancer.

The football-mad youngster, of Blackhall, inspired legions of fundraisers with his never-ending positivity and kindness towards other children, even while fighting his illness, and struck up a friendship with Jermain Defoe.

Communities across the North East and beyond united to donate and help Bradley get pioneering treatment in America. When he died, the money then became the funding base for a charity established in his name.

Unfortunately, though, after a Championship fixture between Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough earlier this season, an Owls fan taunted Wearsiders by mocking the death of Lowery.

32-year-old Dale Houghton, from Rotherham, was seen laughing as he held up an image of the six-year-old at a match against Sunderland, which Sheffield Wednesday had lost.

Houghton was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence last month with his actions prompting disgust from the football world but also renewed support for the Lowery family.

And as Sunderland took on Millwall at The Den on Saturday, Lions fans unveiled a banner in memory of Lowery. The banner pictured Lowery in his favourite Sunderland strip and was accompanied by the words, “One Bradley Lowery. Cancer has no colours.”

Millwall fans produced the same banner at the Stadium of Light during last season's clash in the Championship too.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge during the case called the actions of Houghton "utterly appalling" and "disgraceful" and said the defendant "inflicted trauma on an already bereaved family".

District Judge Marcus Waite told Houghton: "You showed callous disrespect to a brave young man who was rightly held in the highest esteem by football fans everywhere."

Connie Coombs, who defended Hoghton at the trial, said her client accepted his actions were "outrageous", "deplorable", "atrocious" and a "heinous act".

Ms Coombs said it was "a moment of utter stupidity in the context of back-and-forth between himself and the Sunderland fans". She said alcohol contributed to the offence, which was "out of character".