Soccer Hooligans

Famous hooligan films

2009-09-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Firm (1988)

This is the story of rival "Firms" of football (soccer) supporters, and how one man has a wish to team them up for the European Championships of 1988. However, when this is discussed, the opposing leaders are not happy, as they believe this is a challenge to their authority. This Film shows how football violence has progressed from pureviolence to a form of organized crime, to the extent that all the leaders know each others home phone / mobile phone numbers.

I.D. (1995)

John, an ambitious young copper, is sent undercover into the hardcore football gangs to track down the 'generals' - the shadowy figures who orchestrate the violence. Gradually, the hard drinking, hard fighting macho world - where Saturday's match and Saturday's rumble are all that matters - proves irresistible and John slowly finds himself turning into one of the thugs he has been sent to destroy.

The Football Factory (2004)

The Football Factory is more than just a study of the English obsession with football violence, its about men looking for armies to join, wars to fight and places to belong. A forgotten culture of Anglo Saxon males fed up with being told they're not good enough and using thier fists as a drug they describe as being more potent than sex and drugs put together. Shot in documentery style with the energy and vibrancy of handheld, The Football Factory is frightingly real yet full of painful humour as the four characters extreme thoughts and actions unfold before us.

Green Street Hooligans(2005)

In the film, an American college student falls in with a violent West Ham football firm (the Green Street Elite) run by his brother-in-law's brother and is morallytransformed by their commitment to each other. hroughout the film, the Green Street Elite fight other firms such as Tottenham Hotspur's Yid Army, Birmingham City's Zulus, Manchester United's Red Army and Millwall's Bushwackers.

Cass (2008)

The incredible true story of how an orphaned Jamaican baby, adopted by an elderly white couple and brought up in an all white area of London, became one of the most feared and respected men in Britain. CASS grew up in a time before political correctness and was forced to endure racist bullying on a daily basis, until one day when the years of pent up anger came out in a violent burst. CASS found through violence the respect he never had and became addicted to the buzz of fighting. His way of life finally caught up with him when an attempted assassination on his life, saw him shot three times at point blank range. His inner strength somehow managed to keep him alive but he was left with a dilemma; whether to seek vengeance as the street had taught him, or renounce his violent past. This is the extraordinary story of his life.

Rise of the Footsoldier (2007)

Rise of the Footsoldier follows the inexorable rise of Carlton Leach from one of the most feared generals of the football terraces to becoming a member of a notorious gang of criminals who rampaged their way through London and Essex in the late eighties and early nineties. It is three decades of his life following him from football hooliganism, through to his burgeoning career as a bouncer, his involvement in the criminal aspects of the early 'rave' scene and subsequently to his rise to power as one of the most feared and respected criminals in the country.

Green Street Hooligans 2 (2009)

Following the deadly climax of "Green Street Hooligans," several members of the West Ham firm and numerous members of Millwall end up in jail. The GSE quickly discover the brutality of life on the inside, as they are constant targets of the superior numbers and better-financed Millwall crew.

Hooligans reunited - great article

2009-09-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's a dying art.

Thank God a lot of people will say.

Loads of growling thirty/forty pluses jostling about getting all sweaty. Paunches and girth crowded together in a sea of writhing hormones and adrenalin.

No, I don't mean the suburban wife swopping scene, I mean football hooliganism.

It is difficult, and probably fruitless, to dissect the modern version of football 'violence'. Nevertheless that is what we are doing here.
A few stories and incidents recently have fuelled the mass media notion of a 'return' of football violence. Two weeks running that famous firm from Coventry City, (the...er...what were they called ?) have "run amok" at home and away.

The appalling Donal MacIntyre series resulted in the ludicrous conviction of Andy Frain and Jason Marriner for 'planning football violence' when it appeared from the programme that they couldn't plan an evenings viewing in front of the TV, let alone ritual gang warfare.

Then there has been plenty of trouble lower down the league. Burnley versus Blackburn, Stoke City fans here and there, QPR versus Luton and Arsenal and then even Fulham got a mob up of about 100 chaps to visit Loftus Road. Yes, really.

Add to this the continuing success of authors like Martin Knight, Martin King, Jon King and a proliferation of web sites on the subject by hooli-nerds and one has a sort-of-revival 'phenomenon'. It is just, well, different now.

It seems amazing to most people who were into the old time hooligan tea party (I can't call it a 'scene' or 'culture' it just makes me sick) that it still persists today.

Not in the fact that people can get worked up enough about football to have a punch up but the fact that people still want to 'get a coach together' or 'mob up at 10.30 at Kings Cross'.

To most people a variety of things put paid to the glamour and dynamism of football violence back in the 1980s. Lots of bollocks was talked by Face readers and contributors about Ecstasy usage being the sole reason for 'ending the terrace war'.

But then they never went to football pre-Pavarotti anyway. (I now class all fans as BP and AP, before and after Pavarotti, by the way.) No, the main killer was killing.

No one who understood the feeling of football gangs could mistake the sheer wrongness of the Heysel disaster in 1985.

When innocent Italian people died as a result of a Liverpool/Italy vendetta, but mainly from corrupt politicians and greedy stadium managers, hooligans everywhere saw this as a disaster.

Probably more so than the rest of the public. Hysel was the ultimate liberty taken.

Couple it with CCTV cameras, hideous and often wrongful sentencing (especially for Kevin Whitton at Chelsea), admittedly a little bit of the E/Acid House vibe and a concerted attempt by the corporate media to reverse a life time of sensationalism by refusing to mention hooliganism at all, and one can map the decline in such activity post-Heysel.

One of course cannot forget the service undertaken by Mrs Thatcher and her free-market monetarist cohorts like Alfred Sherman, Keith Joseph and Alan Walters. They moved the criminal goalposts radically in the 1980s.

Only money mattered and matters. Why fight over such 'higher' notions such as group loyalty, geography, comradeship and sport. If you are going to get in trouble with the law at least make money out of it.

Hence the serious end of the business, the thug end as opposed to the hooligan end, moved into more lucrative work. Drugs, armed robbery, protection, enforcement and so on.

But then, that's capitalism. Violent and greed-based.

Also, many hooligans unavoidably grew a little older and met other hooligans from other clubs. You could hardly fail, after all everyone was at it.

To a lot of people, certainly myself, there came a point where it was obvious that one was going about antagonising other people who were basically a bit like oneself. In fact quite a lot like oneself.

My antipathy for the police has never waned, but I ended up – shock horror -actually liking people from other clubs. But of course I would, they were me, give or take.

My latest view of trouble at football was also interesting.

When my team rustled up a mighty firm – not only in size but also in weight, age and clothing quality – it was undoubtedly an exciting experience. Another team had, quite amazingly, turned up the previous season and caused trouble at our ground.

Word had spread, my team's old timer mob had gone to the return match last season and caused a rather large stir around their stadium in revenge. It was anticipated that our foes would then try and do the same thing again this season.

A feud had developed. The various web sites on the subject proliferated with abuse and threats made by the two teams over the forthcoming match. Everyone knew the score. Everyone was there.

Everyone was also over the age of thirty, in fact I would say 35. Plenty of chaps came out for the days jolly-up leaving behind their new lives to participate in the ritual stand-off.

And their new lives are ? Well, several children, arthritis pills, a pension plan, a Daewoo estate and much nicer clothing than a poxy Tacchini tracksuit ever was.

It was actually far nearer to the 'ideal' of what firms were meant to be in the old days than they ever were then. Big hard well dressed men, as opposed to scraggy self-conscious boys in nylons and deer stalkers. Resplendent in the crowd were some major over-achievers.

Top DJs, authors, journalists, a broker, a former pop star, two major...er...'businessmen', a city tech-analyst and no doubt many more who were never meant to 'make' anything of themselves.

I wandered around on my own, saying hello to a few old faces on the way. The main refrain of the day seemed to be "you've put on a few pounds" and "I don't/can't touch the gear anymore."

It was quite a pleasant meeting, a kind of impromptu outdoors social club punctuated by incessant mobile usage. "They're up XXX Bridge Rd..." , "No, they are with us," "where are they?" "I'm not coming up there, I'll be knackered," and "I'll pick them up from your Nans when I get back about six."

There was also a realisation amongst plenty of people that they may well not want to actually fight at all. Whilst the tingle of anticipation, the rushes of adrenalin, the – dare I say it – sensory arousal was still there I personally had no intention of getting smacked. Something I had steadfastly retained from the eighties.

I was always just back up and I'm not ashamed to say so. I much preferred sideshow hooliganism. Throwing cans... looking 'cool', that sort of thing.

At one stage of the social club re-union a minor scuffle was in danger of breaking out. Some of their rather raggedy firm had actually turned up. Fortunately for everyone concerned the Police got in between the two groups before anything other than insults could be thrown.

However, neither set of micro-firms seemed truly intent on getting at each other. Rather than sprinting like their lives depended on it to jump each other in a major off it was more of a stately jog-ette, allowing the forces of law and order to direct the hooligan traffic.

Ritualised, quite silly and, unless anything had gone wrong, almost completely safe.

After wards everyone admitted that very little really happened. Phrases like "I'm not sure what I was doing there," ,"I had to ask myself..." and "don't tell the wife she'll kill me" abounded.

It was generally accepted that we had a great firm out. We were old, we looked good, there were hundreds of us and we could still growl. The fact that no one under the age of retirement for a footballer was actually there was discussed.

The fact that youngsters don't go to games anymore because global capital's takeover of football has priced them out was discussed. The craziness of bothering was discussed. Would we still be doing it aged 65 was discussed ?

The feelings of adrenalin highs were discussed.

And you know what, despite it all, I'll be there again someday, just remember, if you see me, I'm in growl-only mode these days.

It's so much easier. Grrr.

Hooligan story: Making a new start

2009-09-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

Darren Wells is a known hooligan who used to be involved with the extreme far-right group Combat 18. He was associated with the notorious Chelsea Headhunters in the 1980s and was among the hundreds of England fans deported from Belgium during Euro 2000.

He was present at the Oldham riot last year - with other Combat 18 activists and football hooligans. Wells had been working as an informer for the anti-fascist magazine, Searchlight, for the past two years. At the end of last year, he went to start a new life abroad - where Hooligans interviewed him.

An upbringing in the comparative safety of Hertfordshire is hardly the background you would expect from a football hooligan.But Wells was first taken to Chelsea Football Club as a youngster, by an uncle who was supposed to be babysitting him at home.As he grew up, fighting at football matches became a part of life, and something he witnessed week in, week out.

"You'd come out the ground and there'd be fighting, literally outside the ground" Darren Wells

Although he was too young to be involved in any violence, the atmosphere created by the trouble gave him a thrill, a feeling he would carry throughout his 'career' as a hooligan.
In fact, it only took a few years for Wells to move from being a teenager on the outside to getting involved in the world of football violence.
"When I moved up into London I was about 17," he said, "You get the sense of the danger of it all, even though I wasn't really part of it.
"In those days you'd come out the ground and there'd be fighting, literally outside the ground, so you didn't even have to be part of the mob, you could just be part of the crowd exiting the ground and it would just be going off."

In the 'firm'

Gradually, and primarily because of his constant presence on the fringes of trouble, Wells' face became known amongst the local Chelsea hooligans.

"I could immerse myself in it and take out my frustrations" Darren Wells
He went on to become part of the notorious Chelsea Headhunters - one of the 'firms' which constantly battled their way through the 1970s and the 1980s with the likes of the ICF (West Ham) and the Salford Reds (Manchester United).
For Wells, fighting was a way to vent his frustration with his home life.

He said: "With me it was just escapism because I was living in a bad situation with my step-dad. I couldn't really stand up to him. So when I went to Chelsea it was just like I was escaping from it.
"I could immerse myself in it and take out my frustrations. If there was a fight outside the ground, just get rid of some anger in that."
But it is not that way for everyone: "Some people are in it just for the notoriety of it, some people just love the fighting. It means different things to different people really."

Combat 18

He became involved in far-right activities in 1994 through Chelsea hooliganism - beginning an association with the extreme neo-nazi group Combat 18.
Throughout the 1990s, Combat 18 was associated with acts of terrorism and violence, including arson attacks. It was originally set up to act as "security" for British National Party meetings.
Wells became a senior figure in the group, but became increasingly disillusioned after 1999 when a friend was killed in an internal feud. " I knew I would either end up dead or be in prison for the rest of my life. I also began to realise the stupidity of what I was involved in".
Two years ago, Wells began working secretly for the anti-fascist magazine Searchlight as an informer.
While working with them, he travelled with far-right hooligans to Euro 2000 - where he was deported.
He was also present at the Oldham riot last year - with other Combat 18 activists and football hooligans. They had travelled from around the country in an attempt to provoke violent retaliation from the town's Asian community.

Wells had hoped his information would help keep the two sides apart.

Fresh start

At the end of last year, he went abroad to start a new life. Wells said: "I still believe some of the things I used to believe in, but I now realise that you can't go around hurting innocent people."
Looking back, he claims that the biggest thrill in hooliganism is achieved not during the fight, but before.
"It was the build up, just the crescendo just before it all went off, you know, just that feeling of butterflies in your stomach," he said.
Despite this mentality, Darren has witnessed some horrific incidences of football violence, including stabbings, glassings and people being thrown from bridges.

"How do you just stop being a hooligan - I don't think you can" Darren Wells

But again, he maintains that even the sense of fear gave him a buzz.
And it is precisely this joy of being terrified that makes it so difficult to opt out of the spiral of violence.
This is also why Darren pours scorn on the notion of the reformed hooligan, and believes you are a hooligan for life.
"How do you just stop being a hooligan," he said, "I don't think you can. I don't think hooliganism is something that people just fly in and out of.
"'Strange as it sounds - I think it is really in your blood, I think it's just like people who can't stop smoking, people who can't stop the drinking or doing drugs."

Archive of hooligan fights in England 01/02

2009-09-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

4 August 2001
Millwall v Tottenham Hotspur
At 11.00am more than 100 Millwall hooligans travelled to an arranged meeting with the Tottenham "Yid Army" on Jamaica Road in Bermondsey. After vicious fighting, police reinforcements split the two groups. Police and ordinary fans again came under heavy and sustained attack from Millwall supporters near the New Den.

Hooligans from both clubs left the match ten minutes before the final whistle to continue their battle. At half past eight Tottenham hooligans returned to Bermondsey and attacked the Caulkers Pub. About 30 police officers and three police horses were injured during the day. One man was also taken to hospital with knife wounds.

19 August 2001
Birmingham City v Millwall
West Midlands Police mounted a huge operation after intelligence suggested Millwall hooligans were travelling in large numbers to take on the Birmingham City "Zulus". Under massive escort the Millwall group was escorted from New Street Station to the ground.

On the way back Birmingham City fans attempted to attack Millwall at the station. There were running battles with riot police, who also had to deal with the arrival of the Wolves hooligan group returning from their away match with Coventry.

21 August 2001
Millwall v Cardiff City
A potentially explosive mid-week fixture in the first round of the Worthington Cup. In the event only a few hundred Cardiff fans made the journey to London. Very few hooligans from Cardiff’s "Soul Crew" went to the Den.

However, after the game, young Millwall fans ran riot in the streets around the ground. Cars and shops were smashed and bricks and bottles were thrown at police long into the night.

25 August 2001
Millwall v Burnley
Just four days after the Cardiff game there was a repeat performance. Around 250 Millwall fans repeatedly attacked Burnley fans as they were escorted by police back to South Bermondsey Station. The hooligans fought with police for a further hour once the Burnley fans were gone.

20 October 2001
Millwall v Nottingham Forest
There was a major police operation to keep rival fans apart. Serious disorder broke out after the match as Millwall hooligans tried to attack Forest supporters on their way to the station.

31 October 2001
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Millwall
A large group of up to 250 Millwall hooligans burst through the police lines at Wolverhampton station. They attacked the Feathers Pub, near Molineux, where members of the Wolves "Subway Army" were drinking. Two Wolves hooligans were slashed in the face with Stanley knives. The groups were split up before the rest of the Wolves hooligans could arrive on the scene.

13 December 2001
Millwall v Portsmouth
Millwall supporters attacked a group of Portsmouth fans in the Windmill Pub near Waterloo Station. Eye-witnesses told how Portsmouth appeared to summon Millwall by mobile telephone. When Millwall arrived they attacked the pub with bottles, bricks and dustbin lids.

Portsmouth responded by throwing back everything they could lay their hands on. Every window of the pub was smashed while most of the furniture in the pub was either broken or ended up outside. Of the 100 people involved, all got away. After the match a Portsmouth supporter was brutally attacked outside the New Den.

26 January 2002
Millwall v Blackburn Rovers
A car clamper van targeted a line of Millwall supporters cars after being employed by a private local estate. When the fans returned to their vehicles the mood turned ugly and the police were called.

The clamper’s own vehicle was overturned and fans’ cars were released without fines being imposed. Police describe the clamper as either the "bravest or most stupid man alive".

9 February 2002
Nottingham Forest v Millwall
An unprecedented security operation was put in place to prevent Forest and Millwall hooligans from clashing in Nottingham. 270 police officers were deployed, 36 pubs were closed and the kick-off was moved to noon in a successful bid to stop any trouble.

About half of the Forest group were spotted drinking in Netherfield before kick-off. They boarded a train due to arrive in Nottingham at the same time as a train full of known Millwall hooligans. Police held the Millwall train back. After the game there was a stand-off between Forest and the police while Millwall were escorted to the train station.

9 March 2002
Portsmouth v Millwall
Kick-off was brought forward to noon in a bid to prevent trouble from breaking out. Before and after the match groups of fans tried to get at each other but were kept apart by a wall of police wearing riot helmets and wielding batons.

The two groups of hooligans taunted each other and threw missiles along Goldsmith Avenue and Frogmore Road. Goldsmith Avenue was closed to traffic and pubs were shut.

16 March 2002
Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday
Millwall hooligans attacked Sheffield Wednesday supporters as they left the ground. Police officers were hit with bricks and bottles and two needed hospital treatment.

5 April 2002
Millwall v Wolverhampton Wanderers
The Wolves hooligan group (the "Subway Army") arrived in Paddington and were spotted by two police officers. Their coach was escorted to the Den.

A huge policing operation (more than 300 officers) prevented the hooligan groups from clashing. Police were pelted with bricks, bottles and fireworks by Millwall fans attempting to get to the Wolves supporters.

2 May 2002
Millwall v Birmingham City
A total of 45 police officers were injured when trouble erupted after Millwall lost to Birmingham in the Divison One play-offs.

Police said a group of 900 Millwall fans spent an hour throwing missiles, including bricks, paving stones, a chisel, flares and fireworks at police. Two cars were also set alight.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said out of 36 mounted police officers, 24 were injured. Six officers required hospital treatment. Three police horses were also injured, two seriously.

A total of seven people were arrested.

Hooligan History article

2009-09-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Origin of the Name Hooligan is uncertain. Though one of the Earliest mentions of the term was in an 1898 London police report . An Irish Hood named Patrick Hooligan (possibly originally Houlihan) lived in Southwark (South-East London) and originally hired himself out as a bouncer. He was Ruffian by trade who gathered a gang around him and worked his crew as dime store hoods. Patrick and his boys mugged people, were racketeers of sorts ,committing acts of violence and vandalism but were notorious for their street-fighting ability. A writer named Clarence Rook in 1899 wrote a book called “the Hooligan Nights” which was a young Thugs story in his own words. Rook wrote “ There was but a few years ago , a man named Patrick Hooligan, who walked to and fro among his fellow men , robbing and occasionally bashing them. “ Patrick eventually killed a policeman during one of his street fights and was sentenced to life in prison.

The term may also have come from the slang “Hooley’s Gang” (in reference to Houlihan’s Gang) and was later shortened to Hooligan. Either way it’s origin was of actual Irish Bad Boys making their mark on history. It is funny even today how a man’s street reputation precedes himself.

Later the term Hooligan became prevalent in British writing. It became virtually a household word. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (1904) “It seems to be one of those senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from time to time and it was reported to the constable as such.” In Edward MacLysaght’s The Surnames of Ireland (1957) the name Hooligan is not listed even as a derivation of Houlihan. The Origin, according to Etymologists is unattested as it’s origin has not been proven. Still it is believed that Patrick Hooligan gave his name to street-fighting criminals and football supporters worldwide. Hooligan also appears in many languages.

In the 1950’s Communists in Europe used the term Hooligan to describe unfavorably anyone who opposed Communist Regimes such as the Hungarian Revolutionaries of 1956 and later the Polish Solidarity demonstrators. Using “Hooligan” to describe Anti-Communists? What could be better? Hooligan even today goes hand in hand with the RAC (or Rock Against Communism) movement… Awesome! Romanian dictionaries contain the word Huligan and it translates into the English words “Hoodlum” and “Teddy Boy” . A Russian slang term “ Huliganka” is often used and means “you little rogue”. My Rusky Neighbor called us that all the time, now I know what she meant.

Today , The Most popular use of the word Hooligan is used for European Football Fans who gather in groups to support ,often violently, their favorite team. Opposing teams have their own Hooligans and when several thousand Football fans are thrown together at a match, all hell breaks loose. Football Hooliganism is mostly a violent disorder involving the fans that occurs before ,during or after a Football Match. Much Football Crowd Disorder is spontaneous , but a lot is prearranged by gangs, or firms, or crews. These Firms attach themselves to Football Clubs and arrange to meet and fight other Firms from other clubs. Football Hooliganism peaked in the 1960’s , 70’s, & 80’s , but remains a big part (or tradition) of Football matches today. While closed circuit television , increased security and police presence have seemed to quell violence at the matches, It actually forced Firms to be more organized and carry out retribution in areas outside the Football Arenas. As Hooligan Violence has almost doubled in the present day, a lot of the melee goes unreported as Firms meet for gang warfare far away from the police and security. As the Violence becomes more vicious and exact, the victims are less likely to report crimes committed against them. Well I guess that means they are just gonna have to take justice into their own hands. Long Live Hooliganism!

As American Football (and other sports) don’t have a reputation for Hooligans fighting each other , Many American sports still have riots that occur as a result of a games outcome, whether a win or loss. American Hooliganism is less organized, where there is a lack of Firms or Crews for a particular sports team. Though American Hooligans who spark riots may be a minority of the whole sports fan population, they still utilize the mixture of tension, alcohol and mob mentality. Hats off to those Anarchists who are the catalysts to mob rule and facilitators of chaos and disorder.

Euro 2008 - Holland vs Russia - FIGHT

2009-09-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

What really happened in Basel 21.06.2008 during the game Holland vs. Russia.

Brutal fight of the hooligans in Europe, Switzerland

2009-09-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

This fight was in Europe, Switzerland in 2003. The hooligans on left side of the terrain are the supporters of Partizan from Serbia, and the hooligans on the right side of the terrain are supporters of Dinamo from Croatia.
The sport commentator continued to comment the fight, just like the hooligans fight is completly normal thing to do.

Hooligans Fight Juventus - Parma

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Hooligans Fight Juventus Parma - For more funny videos, click here

Hooligans fight in Denmark

2009-09-01T14:57:00.001-07:00

Hooligan fight - Watch more Funny Videos

25th August 2009 - Millwall vs West Ham Riot

2009-09-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

25th August 2009 - 1 dead in soccer fans' clash in Kolkata

2009-09-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

N. IRELAND vs POLAND video on 31st March 2009

2009-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Russian Hooligans - Zenit St. Petersburg

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Hooligans Zenit vs. Spartak

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Hools & Thugs: Germany's hooligans part 2

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HOOLS & THUGS: GERMANY'S HOOLIGANS 2 OF 3

Hools & Thugs: Germany's hooligans part 1

2009-09-01T09:55:00.001-07:00

HOOLS & THUGS: GERMANY'S HOOLIGANS 1 OF 3

List of hooligan firms

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This is a list of notable hooligan firms or football firms, which are groups that have been verified as participating in football hooliganism or other sports-related hooliganism. In countries such as England and Poland, firms are clearly defined, but in South America the situation is less clear cut. For groups in South America, see Barra Brava and Torcida.

Denmark

* AGF – White Pride
* Brøndby IF – Blue Front, Southside United
* FC Copenhagen – Copenhagen Casuals, Copenhagen Casuals Youth Division, Squad 92
* Lyngby – Blue Army
* TIF – Purple Firm

England

* Aldershot – A Company,
* Arsenal – Gooners, The Herd
* Aston Villa – Villa Youth, Steamers, Villa Hardcore, C-Crew
* Birmingham City – Zulus
* Blackpool – The Muckers
* Bolton Wanderers - Cuckoo Boys
* Bradford City – The Ointment
* Brentford – Hounslow Mentals, TW8 Casuals
* Bristol City – City Service Firm
* Burnley – Suicide Squad
* Carlisle United – Border City Firm
* Charlton Athletic – B Mob
* Chelsea – Headhunters
* Coventry City – The Legion
* Crystal Palace - Dirty 30
* Derby County – Derby Lunatic Fringe
* Everton – County Road Cutters
* Fulham – Thames Valley Travellers
* Grimsby Town – Cleethorpes Beach Patrol, Grimsby Hit Squad
* Huddersfield Town – Huddersfield Young Casuals
* Hull City – Hull City Psychos
* Leeds United – Leeds United Service Crew
* Leicester City – Baby Squad
* Liverpool – The Urchins
* Luton Town – The MIGs
* Manchester City – Guvnors
* Manchester United – The Red Army
* Middlesbrough – The Frontline
* Millwall – Bushwackers
* Newcastle United F.C. – Newcastle Gremlins
* Nottingham Forest F.C. – Forest Executive Crew
* Norwich City – Norwich Hit Squad
* Oldham Athletic – Fine Young Casuals
* Oxford United – South Midlands Hit Squad
* Plymouth Argyle – The Central Element
* Portsmouth – 6.57 Crew
* Preston North End – Preston Para Squa
* Queens Park Rangers – Bushbabies
* Sheffield United – Blades Business Crew
* Sheffield Wednesday – Owls Crime Squad
* Southend United – CS Crew
* Stoke City – Naughty Forty
* Sunderland – Seaburn Casuals
* Swindon Town – The Aggro Boys; Swindon Active Service (SAS)
* Tottenham Hotspur – Yid Army
* West Bromwich Albion – Section Five
* West Ham United – Inter City Firm
* Wolverhampton Wanderers – Subway Army

Finland

* HIFK – IFKs Yngre Grabbar
* HJK – Sakilaiset

France

* Paris Saint-Germain – Commando Pirate, Casual Firm, Indépendants

Germany

* Eintracht Frankfurt – Adlerfront

Israel

* Beitar Jerusalem – La Familia

Northern Ireland

* Linfield – Section F

Norway

* Aalesunds FK / SPK Rollon – Blue Army Aalesund / Blue Army Rollon
* Fredrikstad FK – Brigade Rød Hvit (BRH)
* Ham-Kam – Briskebys Beste Borgere (BBB)
* I.K. Start – Christianssands Herreekvipasje (CHE)
* Lillestrøm SK – Sportsklubbens fineste (SKF)
* S.K. Brann – TjuaGutteneBergen (TGB)
* Viking FK – Stavanger Yngre (SYC)
* Vålerenga I.F. Fotball – Isko Boys, Enga Casuals, Enga Yngre (IB,EC,EY)

Poland

* Cracovia Kraków – Jude Gang
* Lech Poznań – Brygada Banici; Young Freaks '98
* Górnik Zabrze – Torcida
* Lechia Gdańsk – Młode Orły
* Legia Warszawa – Teddy Boys 95
* Pogoń Szczecin – Terror Corps
* Ruch Chorzów – Psycho Fans
* Śląsk Wrocław – Fighters
* Widzew Łódź – Destroyers
* Wisła Kraków – Sharks

Russia

* CSKA Moscow – Red-Blue Warriors, Yaroslavka
* Spartak Moscow – Gladiators Firm '96, Union
* Zenit Saint Petersburg – Music Hall
* Lokomotiv Moscow – Red-Green Vikings, Trains Team, Mad Dobermans Firm, Steam Engines

Scotland

* Aberdeen – Aberdeen Soccer Casuals
* Airdrie United – Section B
* Celtic – Celtic Soccer Crew
* Dundee & Dundee United – The Utility
* Falkirk – Falkirk Fear
* Heart of Midlothian – Casual Soccer Firm
* Hibernian – Capital City Service
* Montrose – Portland Bill Seaside Squad
* Morton – Morton Soccer Crew (MSC)
* Motherwell – Saturday Service
* Rangers – Inter City Firm
* St Johnstone – Fair City Firm
* St Mirren – Love Street Division (LSD)

Sweden

* AIK – Firman Boys, Young Boys, Baby Boys Black Army
* BS BolticGöta/Degerfors IF/Färjestads BK – Värmlandsalliansen
* Djurgårdens IF – Djurgårdens Fina Grabbar, Djurgårdens Yngre Grabbar, Djurgårdens Mindre Grabbar
* GAIS – Gärningsmännen, GAIS Yngre GAIS Babys
* IFK Göteborg – Wisemen, Gothenburg Youth Division Youth crew Gothenbur Gothenburg United
* Kalmar FF – Kalmarfamiljen
* Hammarby IF – Kompisgänget Bajen, Bajen Baby Squad Bajen Yngsta
* Helsingborgs IF – Frontline, Hbg Yngre
* Linköpings HC – Cluben Casuals
* Malmö FF – Sky Blue Crew

Wales

* Cardiff City – Soul Crew
* Swansea City – Jack Army

Hooliganism in England

2009-09-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism in England dates back to the 1880s, when what were termed as roughs caused trouble at football matches. Local derby matches would usually have the worst trouble, but in an era when travelling fans were not common, roughs would sometimes attack the referees and the away team's players. Between the two World Wars, football hooliganism diminished to a great extent, and it started to attract media attention in the early 1960s. A moral panic developed because of increased crime rates among juveniles, and because of the mods and rockers conflict. Football matches started to feature regular fights among fans, and the emergence of more organised hooliganism. Fans started to form themselves into groups, mostly drawn from local working class areas. They tended to all stand together, usually at the goal-end terrace of their home football ground, which they began to identify as their territory. The development of these ends helped bring about national gang rivalries, focused primarily around football clubs. With the growth of fans travelling to watch their local club play away matches, these gangs became known as hooligan firms, and during matches they focused their attentions on intimidating opposing fans. Some hooligans travelled to games on the Football Specials train services.

Starting in the late 1960s in the United Kingdom, the skinhead and suedehead styles were popular among football hooligans. Eventually, the police started cracking down on people wearing typical skinhead clothing styles, so some hooligans changed their image. In the early 1980s, many British hooligans started wearing expensive European designer clothing, to avoid attracting the attention of authorities. This led to the development of the casual subculture. Clothing lines popular with British casuals have included: Pringle, Fred Perry, Le Coq Sportif, Aquascutum, Burberry, Lacoste, Timberland, Henri Lloyd, Lonsdale, Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Fitch and Stone Island.

During the 1970s, organised hooligan firms started to emerge with clubs such Arsenal (Gooners, Herd) Birmingham City (Zulus), Derby County (Derby Lunatic Fringe), Chelsea (Headhunters), Everton FC (County Road Cutters), Leeds United (Leeds Service Crew), Burnley FC (The Suicide Squad), Liverpool FC (The Urchins), Manchester City (Guvnors, Young Guvnors, Mayne Line Service Crew) Manchester United (Red Army), Portsmouth (6.57 Crew), Sheffield United (Blades Business Crew) and West Ham United (Inter City Firm). Lower league clubs also had firms, such as Blackpool's Rammy Arms Crew and Millwall's (F-Troop). Two main events in 1973 led to introduction of crowd segregation and fencing at football grounds in England. Manchester United were relegated to the Second Division, and the Red Army caused mayhem at grounds up and down the country, and a Bolton Wanderers fan stabbed a young Blackpool fan to death behind the Kop at Bloomfield Road during a Second Division match.

In March 1985, hooligans who had attached themselves to Millwall were involved in large-scale rioting at Luton when Millwall played Luton Town in the quarter final of the FA Cup. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's immediate response was to set up a "War Cabinet" to combat football hooliganism. On 29 May 1985, 39 Juventus fans were crushed to death during the European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium in Brussels; an event that became known as the Heysel Stadium disaster. Just before kick-off, Liverpool fans broke through a line of police officers and ran toward the Juventus supporters in a section of the ground containing both English and Italian fans. When a fence separating them from the Juventus fans was broken through, the English supporters attacked the Italian fans, the majority of whom were families rather than ultras who were situated in the other end of the ground. Many Italians tried to escape the fighting, and a wall collapsed on them. As a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster, English clubs were banned from all European competitions until 1990, with Liverpool banned for an additional year.

On 11 May 1985 a 14-year-old boy died when a wall collapsed at St Andrews stadium when fans rioted at a match between Birmingham City and Leeds United. The fighting that day was described by Justice Popplewell, during the Popplewell Committee investigation into football in 1985 as more like "the Battle of Agincourt than a football match". Because of the other events in 1986 and the growing rise in football hooliganism during the early 1980s, an interim report from the committee stated that "football may not be able to continue in its present form much longer" unless hooliganism was reduced, perhaps by excluding "away" fans.

Margaret Thatcher, UK Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, made a high-profile public call for the country's football hooligans to be given "stiff" prison sentences to act as a deterrent to others in a bid to clamp down on hooliganism. Her minister for sport, Colin Moynihan, attempted to bring in an ID card scheme for football supporters.

The government acted after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, when 96 fans died, bringing in the Football Spectators Act 1989 in the wake of the Taylor Report. However, the Hillsborough Justice Campaign states: "the British Judicial system has consistently found that violence or hooliganism played no part whatsoever in the disaster". On 15 February, 1995, England played Ireland. English fans started to throw items down into the stand below and rip up seats; after battles broke out between police and English fans, 50 people were injured. Rumours of IRA retribution at Dublin Airport never materialised and no fixture has been arranged between the two neighbouring countries since.

English and German fans have a rivalry dating back to the late 1980s. Other occasional clashes have occurred with a few other teams since the mid 1980s. France 98 was marred by violence as English fans clashed with the North African locals of Marseille, which led to up to 100 fans being arrested.

In the 2000s, English football hooligans often wear either clothing styles that are stereotypically associated with the "[casual]" subculture, such as items made by Shark and Burberry. Prada and Burberry withdrew certain garments over fears that their brands were becoming linked with hooliganism. English hooligans have begun using Internet forums, mobile phones and text messages to set up fight meetings or provoke rival gangs into brawls. Sometimes fight participants post live commentaries on the Internet.

Football violence in British stadiums declined after the introduction of the Football Spectators Act, and in the 2000s much of the trouble occurred away from stadiums or away at major international tournaments. At Euro 2000, the England team was threatened with expulsion from the tournament, due to the poor behaviour of the fans. Following good behaviour in the Korea-Japan 2002 and Portugal 2004, the English reputation has improved. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, there were limited incidences of violence, with over 200 preventative arrests in Stuttgart (with only three people being charged with criminal offences) 400 others taken into preventative custody. During that day, Police believe that on average each rioter consumed or threw 17 litres of beer.

Despite hooliganism declining domestically, death threats by English hooligans have become more common in the 2000s. Rio Ferdinand was the target of death threats from Leeds United fans, as was Peter Ridsdale. Swedish referee Anders Frisk quit his position after receiving death threats from Chelsea F.C. fans. Reading players Ibrahima Sonko and Stephen Hunt also received death threats from Chelsea fans in 2006. A steward died after serious clashes between firms from Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers after a Carling Cup game in September 2004. It has been documented that most English hooligans are in their late teens or early twenties, although it is not uncommon for older hooligans to take part, usually as leaders. They usually come from working class backgrounds, mainly employed in manual or lower clerical occupations, or (to a lesser extent) are working in the grey market or are unemployed.

Hooliganism on Wales

2009-09-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

Cardiff City F.C.'s hooligan firm are known as the Soul Crew and have been involved in full scale riots since the 1970s. In January 2002, Leeds United A.F.C. and Cardiff City fans, players, and Cardiff chairman Sam Hammam were hit by missiles during a match, and hundreds of Cardiff fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle to celebrate knocking the then leaders of the Premier League out of the FA Cup. In May 2002, Cardiff City were fined £40,000 by the Football Association of Wales for the events that day. Hammam was criticised by the head of the English Police Spotting teams for his comment preceding the game, which were deemed to be encouraging hooligans. Hammam had said, "It's better for us to play them at Ninian because the intimidatory factor will be so big... It's a bit like the old Den at Millwall except ten times more." Hammam at first blamed what he called a "racist English media" for exaggerating the trouble at the Leeds game. However, he then launched "a war on hooliganism." In October 2004 a BBC report stated that Cardiff had more fans banned than any other Football League club, with 160 banning orders against its fans; more than double any other Welsh club. Cardiff City and Swansea City F.C. have a longstanding rivalry that has erupted into violence a number of times since the early 1980s. Cardiff have also had rivalries with many other teams; a selective few are Bristol City F.C., Newport County A.F.C., and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Cardiff are considered to be one of the few teams keeping hooliganism going, with a youth firm C-Squad. In 2007 the C-Squad caused trouble with Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur F.C. with one man lighting a flare in the Grange End of Ninian Park.

Hooliganism in Scotland

2009-09-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Celtic and Rangers are the two biggest teams in Scotland, and the Old Firm rivalry is one of the most heated football rivalries in the world. The Old Firm rivalry is largely motivated by religious sectarianism, and is related to the conflict between Loyalists and Republicans in Northern Ireland. Although, both clubs do not have an "official" hooligan firm attached to them - the rivalry has produced one of the highest amount of murders in world football, with fans regularly fighting with knifes and even guns.

While the Scotland national team's travelling supporters, the Tartan Army, are generally not violent, hooliganism does occur in other areas of Scottish football. Pre-arranged fights between firms on match days sometimes take place away from the football grounds. Most Scottish football fans are against this behaviour, and authorities have taken several measures to reduce football hooliganism. In May 2008, a number of the 200,000 Rangers fans who went to Manchester were involved in a serious civil disturbance in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester, following the technical failure of a big screen showing of the UEFA Cup final between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg.

Hooliganism in Northern Ireland

2009-09-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Northern Irish football has suffered from hooliganism, though it has tapered somewhat in recent years due to falling attendances. While riots have occurred in the past such as that between Belfast Celtic and Linfield in 1948 , Irish league football as a whole has remained relatively trouble-free, save for minor skirmishes between local rival clubs and derby matches. However, there has historically been a heated rivalry between Linfield and Glentoran (both Protestant clubs) that has escalated somewhat in recent years, such as the 2005 riot , and the 2008 Boxing Day riot. Additionally, in the 1970s, the political Troubles in Northern Ireland spilled onto the terraces of the football stadiums, and is seen as a major factor in Derry City leaving the Irish Football League to join the Football League of Ireland.

Despite this trouble at league level, there has historically been very little trouble involving Northern Ireland fans at international level, both home and away.

Hooliganism in Turkey

2009-09-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

According to the Turkish Daily News, hooligan groups are well organised, have their own "leaders", and often consist of organised street fighters. These groups have a "racon" (code of conduct), which states that the intention must be to injure rather than kill and that a stab must be made below the waist. Other hooligans have fired firearms into the air to celebrate their team's victory, which has been known to accidentally kill innocent people watching the celebrations on their balconies.

Trouble has arisen during matches between Istanbul rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. However, the Turkish Football Federation has tightened security to try and contain the hooliganism. During the 2005 Turkish cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, 8,000 police, stewards and officials were employed to prevent violence. In 2006, the Turkish Football Federation introduced new measures to combat the threat of hooliganism and have made new regulations that allow the Professional Football Disciplinary Board to fine clubs up to YTL 250,000 for their fans behavior. Repeat offenders could be fined up to YTL 500,000.
Despite reports from the Turkish Football Federation, the Turkish police believe that football hooliganism is not a major threat and are "isolated incidents".

Before Galatasaray's semi-final UEFA Cup match with Leeds United A.F.C. in 2000, two Leeds fans, Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, were stabbed to death in Istanbul following street fights between Turkish and British hooligans. UEFA allowed the game to proceed and Galatasaray won 2-0. Leeds complained because home fans jeered while a message of condolence was read for the victims. Galatasaray's players refused to wear black arm bands. The Leeds chairman at the time, Peter Ridsdale, accused Galatasaray of "showing a lack of respect". He also revealed that his teams' players had received death threats before the match.

Ali Umit Demi was arrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for the stabbing, but the sentence was reduced to 5 years on the basis of heavy provocation, while five others were given lesser sentences of under four months. The families of those accused of attacking with knives are reported to have defended their actions and approved of their children punishing the "rude British people". Galatasaray fans were banned from traveling to the return match to try and avoid further clashes between fans, although there were reports of attacks by Leeds fans on Turkish television crews and the police. However the Assistant Chief Constable in charge of policing the game believed that the number of arrests was "no worse than a normal high category game". Hakan Şükür was hit with projectiles from Leeds United supporters and the Galatasaray team bus was stoned after driving through an underpass. The game saw Emre Belözoğlu and Harry Kewell sent off and Galatasaray sealed their way to the final with a 2-2 score.

Violence also occurred between Arsenal fans and Galatasaray fans before the Final in Copenhagen[102] in which a Galatasary fan, an Arsenal fan and a Dane were said to have been stabbed. Galatasaray later won the match after a penalty shoot-out.

Hooliganism in Turkey is also a problem in Ankara, İzmir, Eskişehir, Bursa and Adana. During the 2003-2004 season, a Second League Category A, match between Karşıyaka and Göztepe on 8 February 2004, involved rival Karşıyaka and Göztepe supporters clashing and the match was subsequently stopped for 33 minutes. This was due to Karşıyaka leading 5-2 after coming back from a 2-0 deficit. After the match, eGöztepe fans clashed with the police, seven police officers were wounded and fifteen Göztepe fans were arrested.

Bursaspor fans clashed with policemen at a match against Samsunspor match in the Turkcell Super League in Adapazarı at the end of the 2003-04 season. The match was played in Adapazarı due to events at a previous match between Bursapor and Çaykur Rizespor. Bursaspor were playing to avoid relegation. Bursaspor won 1–0 the but were still relegated to Category A after rivals' won. After the match, Bursaspor fans ripped out and threw seats at the Sakarya Atatürk Stadium. They also fought with craftsmen of Gölcük during their journey to Adapazarı.

Hooliganism in Spain

2009-09-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism in Spain is sometimes linked to racism, and some black players have been victims of ethnic slurs. Samuel Eto'o, an FC Barcelona player from Cameroon, has denounced the problem. The strong rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has led to hooliganism, During the next appearance of former Barcelona player Luís Figo (who transferred from Barça to Real Madrid) in Barcelona's Nou Camp Stadium the crowd threw bottles, mobile phones and other things (including a pig's head). Although nobody was injured the match was followed by a large discussion on fan violence in the Spanish Primera División (fan fights, attacks on team buses or attacks on players during the match or during training sessions).

Football hooliganism in Spain is also rooted in deep political divisions arising from the General Franco fascist regime days (some Real Madrid ultras are linked to franquista groups) and the independist movements in Catalonia (like FC Barcelona) and the Basque region.

In 1998, a supporter of Real Sociedad was killed by an Atlético Madrid fan who was linked to a neo-Nazi group, just before a match between these two teams. In 2003, a supporter of Deportivo La Coruña was killed in riots by Deportivo hooligans, when he tried to protect a supporter of the opposing team, SD Compostela. Since then, authorities have made attempts to bring hooliganism more under control. In 2007, there were acts of hooliganism before a match between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, with several cars being destroyed and policemen injured by flares and bottles which were thrown at them. Many black foreign players have been racially abused, such as at a recent friendly match between Spain and England, in which black England players such as Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole endured monkey chants from Spain supporters. There also have been local disputes between rival teams, for example between Cádiz Club de Fútbol and Xerez CD. In 2008, after a hooligan incident versus Espanyol, FC Barcelona very publicly took a stand on violence, saying it hoped to stamp out violence for good.

Hooliganism in Sweden

2009-09-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hooliganism began in Sweden in 1970 when fans of IFK Göteborg invaded the pitch, destroyed the goalposts and fought the police at the end of a match that relegated Göteborg from the Allsvenskan, although fans of AIK and Djurgårdens IF have been reported fighting after games since the beginning of the 20th century in Stockholm. Hooliganism in Sweden became a growing problem in the 1980s, but pitch invasions and violence at football grounds decreased in the late 1990s; when hooligan firms started pre-arranging their fights away from the grounds and the regular supporters. Five clubs that have large organised hooligans firms are AIK (Firman Boys), IFK Göteborg (Wisemen) Djurgårdens IF (DFG) Hammarby IF (KGB) Helsingborgs IF (Frontline). But several other football and ice hockey clubs have active hooligan followings. In July 2002, a member of Wisemen was killed after a pre-arranged fight against Firman Boys. In November 2002, 12 members of the Wisemen stood trial for inflicting life-threatening injuries on a Hammarby fan in 2001.

Hooliganism in Serbia

2009-09-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Football hooligans associated with the former Yugoslav states rioted over the inter-ethnic resentments that were re-ignited by the breakup of the Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. The most prominent groups of hooligans are associated with Belgrade and Serbia's two main clubs, Red Star Belgrade and FK Partizan. They are known as the Delije (Heroes) and Grobari (Grave-Diggers), respectively. These two terms also refer to the supporters of the two clubs. FK Rad is a less-successful Belgrade club, whose associated hooligans, known locally as "United Force", have notoriously been involved in many violent incidents. This group is also known as supporters of Nazi ideas.

On 2 December 2007, a plainclothes police officer was seriously injured when he was attacked during a Serbian Superliga match between Red Star Belgrade and Hajduk Kula. On 14 April 2008 a football fan was killed near Novi Sad after clashes between FK Partizan's Grobari and fans of FK Vojvodina. That same week, after a Red Star Belgrade-Partizan cup match, three people were injured and a bus destroyed by hooligans.

On 19 September 2008 a Serbian football hooligan was sentenced to ten years in jail for an attack against a police officer at a Red Star Belgrade-Hajduk Kula game.

Hooliganism in Netherlands

2009-09-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism in the Netherlands began after rioting between supporters of Feyenoord and English club Tottenham Hotspur at the 1974 UEFA Cup Final.[citation needed] Since then, several Dutch clubs have been associated with hooliganism, such as AFC Ajax, Feyenoord, FC Utrecht and ADO Den Haag. The most violent rivalry is between Ajax and Feyenoord. On 16 June, 1990, English fans were arrested for brawling in Amsterdam before a friendly match. The bloodiest football hooligan encounter has been the Battle of Beverwijk on 23 March 1997, in which several people were seriously injured and Carlo Picornie was killed. On 26 April, 1999, 80 football fans were arrested when Feyenoord supporters rioted after a cup match with NAC Breda. The 2002-03 season was marked by continued fighting between fans of Ajax and FC Utrecht, and between fans of Ajax and Feyenoord. In 2006, a riot broke out between Feyenoord fans and French police in Nancy.

Hooliganism in Italy

2009-09-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hooliganism in Italy started in the 1970s[citation needed], and increased in the 1980s and in subsequent decades. In Italian football, the ultras have well-organized groups that fight with knives and baseball bats, often driven by parochial and political tensions. Italian fans have done pitch invasions and the thrown objects onto the field, including stones and traffic signs. Italian hooligans usually hold flags and sing football chants that encourage violence and riots, and some songs are racist against black players and include ethnic slurs. In 1999, four Salernitana Calcio 1919 supporters died on a train in a fire caused by fireworks and in 2001, during a match between Internazionale and Atalanta B.C. a scooter was thrown in the San Siro Stadium.[citation needed] On 2 February 2007, in Catania a police officer was killed during a match between Calcio Catania and U.S. Città di Palermo and 120 people were wounded.

In February 2001, AS Roma fans fought with police and with Liverpool fans, and five English supporters were stabbed. In December 2001, police tear gassed brawlers at a Champions League match between AS Roma and Liverpool, in which four Liverpool fans were stabbed. In March 2006 three fans of English club Middlesbrough were stabbed before the club's UEFA Cup clash against AS Roma in Rome in an attack blamed on Roman ultras.

After a weekend of violence in January 2007, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) threatened to halt all league football. An official of amateur club Sammartinese died when he was caught up in a fight between players and fans in Luzzi and in Florence, a Livorno fan needed 20 stitches in his head after being attacked by Fiorentina fans. About 100 Atalanta fans tried to attack coaches carrying Catania fans and fought with police and at a Serie D game, a linesman was hit by a metal drum thrown from the stands. In February 2007 the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) suspended all football matches after a policeman was killed at the Serie A match between Catania and Palermo. The policeman, Officer Filippo Raciti, died when he was struck in the face by a small explosive as the police were trying to deal with the fighting outside the ground. On 4 April 2007 AS Roma and Manchester United fans fought during UEFA Champions League match. A Manchester United fan was stabbed and eleven fans taken to hospital. Two Roma fans also received hospital treatment. The head of Rome police, Achille Serra, claimed that the police action was justified and that there would be no inquiry.

Hooliganism in Germany

2009-09-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

Some football hooliganism in Germany has been linked to neo-Nazism and far right groups In June 1998, after a FIFA World Cup match in France a French policeman was beaten to the point of brain damage by German fans. Following the incident in Lens, German police contacted many of the known 2,000+ German hooligans to warn them they would be arrested if they travelled upcoming matches in France. A German fan was arrested in 1998 and charged with attempted murder and in 1999, four more Germans were convicted in the attack In 2001, Markus Warnecke, the German fan who was accused of leading the attack, was found guilty and jailed for five years and banned from France for ten years, and from all sports facilities for five years.

In March 2005, German football fans fought with police and rival fans at a friendly match between Germany and Slovenia in Celje, Slovenia, fighting police and rival fans, damaging cars and shops, shouting racist slogans. The German Football Association (DFB) apologised for the behaviour. As a result, 52 people were arrested; 40 Germans and 12 Slovenians. Following a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in Bratislava, Slovakia, German hooligans fought with the local police, and six people were injured and two were taken into custody. The DFB again apologised for fans who chanted racist slogans.

In June 2006, Germany beat Poland in a World Cup Finals match in Dortmund, which led to violent clashes. The police detained over 300 people in Dortmund and German fans threw chairs, bottles and fireworks at the police. Of the 300 arrested, 120 were known hooligans. In October 2006, a task force was established to deal with violence and racism in German football stadiums. The worst incident took place at a Third division (North) match between the Hertha BSC Berlin B-team and Dynamo Dresden, in which 23 policemen were injured.In February 2007 in Saxony, all German lower league matches, from the fifth division downward were cancelled after about 800 fans attacked 300 police officers (injuring 39 of them) after a match between Lokomotive Leipzig and Erzgebirge Aue II.

Hooliganism in France

2009-09-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism in France is rooted in social conflicts and a rise in racism. In the 1990s, fans of Paris St. Germain (PSG) fought with supporters from Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, Scotland. In 2000, the bitter rivalry between PSG and Marseille turned violent. On 24 May 2001, fifty people were injured when fighting broke out at a match between PSG and Turkish club Galatasaray at the Parc des Princes stadium. PSG were initially given a record $571,000 fine, but it was reduced on appeal to $114,000 In May 2001, six PSG fans from the Supporters Club, were arrested and charged with assault, carrying weapons, throwing items on the pitch and racism. The six were banned from all football stadiums for the duration of their trial.
On 24 November 2006 a PSG fan was shot and killed by police and another seriously injured during fighting between PSG fans and the police. The violence occurred after PSG lost 4-2 to Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Parc des Prince in a UEFA Cup match. PSG fans chased a French fan of Hapoel Tel Aviv, shouting racist and anti-semitic slogans. A black plainclothes police officer who tried to protect the Hapoel fan was attacked, and in the chaos, one fan was shot dead and another seriously injured. The French Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy held a meeting with the president of the French Football League, Frederic Thiriez to discuss racism and violence in football. The director-general of the French police, Michel Gaudin, insisted that measures against football hooliganism had reduced racist incidents to six that season from nineteen in the previous season. Gaudin also stated that 300 known hooligans could be banned from matches The fan who was shot, was linked with the Boulogne Boys, a group of fans who modelled themselves on British hooligans in the 1980s. The group's name coming from the Kop of Boulogne (KOB), one of the two main Home fan stand at the Parc des Prince. The KOB themselves held a silent memorial march attended by 300 and accused the police office of murdering the fan. They cited bias in the French press who had only given a "one-sided" account of the incident. French President Jacques Chirac condemned violence that led up to the shooting, stating that he was horrified by the reports of racism and anti-Semitism. And French Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin called for new, tougher measures to deal with football hooligans. Prosecutors opened an inquiry into the incident, to determine whether the officer involved should face criminal charges.

Before a home match against Sochaux on 4 January 2006, two Arab youths were punched and kicked by white fans outside the entrance to the KOB. During the match racist insults were aimed at black players and a PSG player of Indian origin, Vikash Dhorasoo was told to "go sell peanuts in the metro". On 7 March 2006, three PSG supporters were convicted for unfurling a racist banner at a match in February 2005, that was being held as part of an anti-racism campaign. The fans were banned from the stadium for three years, and fined between US$90 and $1,200. Prior to the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, concerns were raised that the competition would attract far-right groups and racist thugs. In February 2007 Lille OSC fans were involved in disturbances with Manchester United fans at their UEFA Champions League match in Lille. Both clubs were fined by UEFA.

Hooliganism in Israel

2009-09-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

In Israel in the 2000s, tensions surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict spilled over into sporadic riots between Jewish and Arab Israeli football fans. In December 2000 it was reported that every club in Israel was on a final warning following escalating violence and intimidation at matches. Beitar Jerusalem were attracting attention because of their fan's behaviour, with regular "Death to Arabs" banners and chants. Earlier that season Beitar were fined when their fans shouted racist abuse at PAOK FC players during a UEFA Cup match. Beitar had already been under a suspended sentence following an incident two years previously when Rangers F.C. player Rod Wallace was also the subject of racist abuse.

In August 2005 at the start of the domestic season, 7,000 Beitar Jerusalem fans travelled to an opening day away match at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Beitar fans chanted anti Arab chants throughout the match, and later rioted in Tel Aviv. After a match in Sakhnin against Bnei Sakhnin a predominantly Arab supported club, Beitar fans rioted. Beitar have a hooligan firm, La Familia, whose members consider Israeli Arabs to be their enemy.

In November 2007 the Israel Football Association (IFA) ordered Beitar to play their game against the Arab club, Bnei Sakhnin behind closed doors after Beitar fans, led by La Familia, broke a minute's silence for former Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and sang chants in praise of his assassin, Yigal Amir.

After a pitch invasion led by La Familia on 13 April 2008, which forced the abandonment of the match, when Beitar were leading Maccabi Herzliya 1–0 and just four minutes from winning the Israeli Premier League, the IFA gave the points to their opponents, deducted two points and ordered that the clubs remaining home games were to be played behind closed doors. At almost every Beitar Jerusalem game illegal smoke bombs and fire works are shot out to the field and seats. Even some games fights break out between fans.

Hooliganism in Greece

2009-09-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

In April 2007 all sports stadiums were closed down in Greece for two weeks following the death of a fan in a pre-arranged fight between hooligans in Athens on 29 March. The fight involved 500 fans of rival Super League Greece clubs Panathinaikos, who are based in Athens and Olympiacos who are based in nearby Piraeus. The Greek government immediately suspended all team sports in Greece and severed the ties between teams and their supporter's organizations. After a Second Division match on 15 April 2007, between Kallithea and Messiniakos, about fifty fans attacked the Messiniakos coach, Eduardo Amorin and other members of the teams coaching staff. On the same day a Third Division match between Panetolikos and Ilioupoli was stopped for thirty minutes when players and fans clashed following a Panetolikos disallowed goal. Two players and a coach were sent to the hospital. On 18 April rival fans clashed with each other and riot police in Ioannina during and after a Greek Cup semi final match between local rivals PAS Giannina and Larissa. There was trouble during the game in which Larissa won 2-0. Fans set fire to rubbish bins and smashed shop windows, while police tried to disperse them by firing tear gas. At a Second Division match on 27 January, 2008 between Ethnikos Piraeus and Panserraikos, about 50 fans of Ethnikos invaded the pitch after the final whistle.

Hooliganism in Denmark

2009-09-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

Denmark was in the 80's and beginning of the 90's known for their non-violent Roligan fan culture. This culture slowly died out over the years following poor results from the Danish National Football Team. There has been an increasing amount of hooliganism in Denmark since the roligan fanculture has died out. Clubs like FC Copenhagen, Brøndby IF, AGF, Lyngby BK, AaB and OB have all been linked with hooliganism, especially the first four have had, and stil has problems with troublemakers. The derby matches between FCK and Brøndby have been a particular source of trouble, for example when FCK's fans bombed a stand on Brøndby Stadion with flares. Lyngby's Blue Army has also during matches shouted racist slurs at black players.

In 2008 a vote in the Danish parliament agreed to create a hooligan register, like the one they have in England. This was met by criticism from fans who were afraid that the Danish fan culture would disappear. In fall of 2008 FCK launched "FCK Away," which is a register of all FCK fans who go on away matches. This was also met by criticism and resulted in FCK fans not showing up on away, because they refused to register.

Hooliganism in Croatia

2009-09-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism in Croatia has seen riots over inter-ethnic resentments and the politics that were reignited by the breakup of the Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. Two of the most well known hooligan firms are Torcida (Hajduk Split) and Bad Blue Boys (Dinamo Zagreb). However, the groups are not just hooligan firms, in that they are more like the South American Torcida supporters groups and Ultras groups, with organised Tifos and so on. On 13 May 1990, and before the break up of Yugoslavia, Serbian club Red Star Belgrade was in Zagreb to play Dinamo Zagreb at the Maksimir Stadium. Red Star brought over 3,000 fans to the game with the late Željko Ražnatović (known as Arkan) a Serbian paramilitary leader being a prominent member. Before the match a number of small fights broke out. Police reinforcements soon arrived with armoured vehicles and water cannons. The fighting lasted for over an hour and hundreds of people were injured.

Ethnic tension between Croats and Serbs has also seen fights at a football match in Australia. On 13 March 2005, about 50 fans clashed. Two police officers were injured, and five fans arrested, with two being charged with assault. Sydney United (who have a large Croatian following, and were established by Croatian immigrants) and Bonnyrigg White Eagles (who have a large Serbian following and were established by Serbian immigrants) met in Sydney in the New South Wales Premier League. Shortly before kick off, the fighting started. Football NSW held an inquiry into the events. Both clubs denied that the fight was racially motivated or that there was any ethnic rivalry. On 13 June 2006, there were ethnic riots in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina after the 2006 FIFA World Cup match between Croatia and Brazil in Germany. One person was shot, six police officers injured and 26 people arrested. The fighting started after the match, when Croatian fans started attacking shop windows and vehicles in the Spanish Square in Mostar, and a group of mostly Bosniaks from the Eastern part of Mostar clashed with them. The fighting lasted for hours before riot police finally threw tear gas to break up the groups.

Hooliganism in Bulgaria

2009-09-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Levski Sofia vs CSKA Sofia is the biggest derby in Bulgaria. Levski fans occupy Sector B of the Levski stadium. CSKA fans occupy the opposite end which is known as Sector G. Before and after the games there are usually big fights and extra police forces are required for these derby games. During the game each set of fans uses choreographed movements and songs usually disrespecting their rivals. On the pitch fights between players and referees are not uncommon.

There are other derbies in Bulgaria including the Plovdiv derby between Botev and Lokomotiv. Botev fans are known as Kanarite and Lokomitiv as Lauta. Fights occur frequently even outside of game days. The Varna derby between Spartak and Cherno Moreis the biggest derby on the coast. The biggest hate of the coast itself is currently between Neftochimic and Chernomorets, both Burgas class teams.

Hooliganism in North America

2009-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mexico

Football hooliganism in Mexico appears to be low key, but there have been some incidents, such as small-scale fighting between fans of Monterrey and Morelia at a Primera División match in Monterrey in 2003. In June 1998, one man died and several people were injured when Mexican football fans rioted after the Mexico national football team lost to Germany in the World Cup, a result that eliminated Mexico from the tournament. After the match, hundreds of riot police were brought in to restore order because fans were looting and rioting. Fans then clashed with the police, and many fans were injured or arrested. Mexican fans in the United States rioted after the match in Huntington Park, California and 40 people were arrested.

United States

While football (called soccer in the United States) is traditionally viewed as a family-friendly event, violence does occur. On July 20, 2008, in a friendly match between Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew and English Premier League club West Ham United, in Columbus, Ohio, a fight broke out between rival fans. Police estimated more than 100 people were involved. That same weekend, a riot was narrowly avoided at a packed Giants Stadium as members of the New York Red Bulls supporters club, Empire Supporters Club (ESC), and members of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority security force clashed over what the ESC claimed was unfair and repeated mistreatment. This resulted in the ejection and permanent ban of several ESC members. Further clashes took place in the parking area around the stadium after the game causing the New Jersey State Police to be called to quell the situation.. Hooliganism is not generally a problem in the USA.

Hooliganism in South and Central America

2009-09-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

n 1964 more than 300 football fans died and another 500 were injured in Lima, Peru in a riot during an Olympic qualifying match between Argentina and Peru in 24 May. In Argentina, over 70 people died in 1968 when crowds attending a football match in Buenos Aires stampeded after youths threw burning paper on to the terraces. In 2002, the Argentine government announced emergency security measures because the football violence continued, with three people dead and hundreds injured in two weeks. The government announced stiffer penalties for offenders, including longer jail sentences for possession of firearms or fireworks at stadiums. In 2005, a footballer, Carlos Ezcurra, was shot and seriously wounded by a police officer, when rival fans were rioted during the Primera B match between local Mendoza rivals San Martin and Godoy Cruz. Argentina also deals with one of the most dangerous hooligans group, which is River Plate's side Los Borrachos del Tablon.

A 2002 investigation into football hooliganism in Argentina stated that football violence had become a national crisis, with about 40 people murdered at football matches in the preceding ten years. In the 2002 season, there had been five deaths and dozens of knife and shotgun casualties. At one point the season was suspended and there was widespread social disorder in the country.[13] Every major and minor football club in Argentina have Barra brava groups, some of whom are violent.

Fans in Brazil join in organized groups often considered criminal organizations that differ in many aspects from European hooligans. They act as the main supporters of each club and often sell products and even tickets. They have up to 50 thousand members and are often involved in criminal activities other than fights such as drug dealing and threats to players. These fans establish alliances with other "torcidas organizadas" as they are called such as the alliance between Força Jovem Vasco (Vasco da Gama), Galoucura (Atletico Mg) and Mancha Verde (Palmeiras). They often schedule fights against rival groups where many are injured and killed. Sometimes different groups of hooligans from the same team clash. In December 2000, fighting between rival supporters during the final of the 2000 Copa João Havelange between Vasco da Gama and São Caetano led to a fence collapsing and over 60 injuries at the Estádio São Januário in Rio de Janeiro. As well, fans of local rivals Ponte Preta and Guarani clashed and rioted at a match in Campinas in 2002.

Football hooliganism

2009-09-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

Football hooliganism is unruly and destructive behaviour — such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation — by association football club fans. Fights between supporters of rival teams may take place before or after football matches at pre-arranged locations away from stadiums, in order to avoid arrests by the police, or they can erupt spontaneously at the stadium or in the surrounding streets. Football hooliganism ranges from shouts and fistfights to riots in which firms clash with bats, bottles, rocks, knives or guns. In some cases, stadium brawls have caused fans to flee in panic; some being killed when fences or walls collapsed. In the most extreme cases, hooligans, police, and bystanders have been killed, and riot police have intervened with tear gas, armoured vehicles and water cannons.

A football firm (also known as a hooligan firm) is a gang formed to fight with supporters of other clubs. Some firms, especially in southern and eastern Europe, have been linked with far right politics or racism, other firms have been associated with leftist politics or anti-racism. The firms' political views are not representative of all supporters of the teams. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the casual subculture transformed the British football hooliganism scene. Instead of wearing working class skinhead-style clothes, which readily identified hooligans to the police, firm members began wearing designer clothes and expensive offhand sportswear.

Football hooliganism has been depicted in films such as: I.D., The Firm, Cass, The Football Factory, and Green Street. There are also many books about hooliganism, such as The Football Factory and Among the Thugs. Some critics argue that these media representations glamorise violence and the hooligan lifestyle.

Early history

Football and violence can be traced back to the Middle Ages in England. In 1314, Edward II banned football (which then was a violent free-for-all involving rival villages fly-hacking a pig's bladder across the local heath) because he believed the disorder surrounding matches might lead to social unrest or even treason. The first recorded instances of football hooliganism in the modern game took place in the 1880s in England, a period when gangs of supporters would intimidate neighbourhoods, as well as attack referees and opposing supporters and players. In 1885, after Preston North End beat Aston Villa 5-0 in a friendly match, the two teams were pelted with stones; attacked with sticks, punched, kicked and spat at. One Preston player was beaten so severely that he lost consciousness. Press reports of the time described the fans as "howling roughs". The following year, Preston fans fought Queen's Park fans in a railway station; the first recorded instance of football hooliganism away from a match. In 1905, several Preston fans were tried for hooliganism, including a "drunk and disorderly" 70 year old woman, following their match against Blackburn Rovers.

Between the two world wars, there were no recorded instance of football hooliganism, (though for example Millwall's ground was reportedly closed in 1920, 1934 and 1950 after crowd disturbances) but it started attracting widespread media attention in the late 1950s due to its re-emergence in Latin America. In the 1955-56 English football season, Liverpool and Everton fans were involved in a number of incidents. By the 1960s, an average of 25 hooligan incidents were being reported each year in England.

SoccerHools - Stand Your Ground!

2009-09-01T03:41:00.001-07:00

As many of you, I'm also big fan of football. But what's football without football fans:)... Cheering up for your local team, your national team or your favorite soccer team is something we all do! But hooligans are just little bit more in it! Inspired by all those hooliganism movies, books, games and fights I've made this blog. Actually blog isn't primary about violence it's about their loyalty to their clubs and how far they are ready to go for club honor, I don't approve violence, intimidation and vandalism but in the end it's all about one thing... FOOTBALL.

~Stand Your Ground!