Football Hooligans

[thawkwood]

Just how violent are British soccer hooligans? I have an English uncle, and he's got a few stories from the '80s and '90s, and said he'd been caught in the middle of a Manchester United fight. I've often told my friends here stateside that fights at Little League games and everything else could be worse and frequently site football hooligan riots as examples. I ask out of curiousity and as a budding writer, one of my characters is an ex-football hooligan nicknamed Bonk...

[libby]

Very very very drunk and violent. To the point where fights are organised by rival hooligans of different teams IN ADVANCE. As in they will call each other up and say "bring 50 of your guys to this place after this match so we can kick the xxxxx out of each other"

Makes me proud to be English

[drowningbitbybit]

Its rare these days. Was a BIG problem in the 80-90s. These days they've more or less sorted it - still happens occasionally though

And when it does kick off between rival groups, yeah, it gets real nasty.

"My group of eleven guys that dont know me at all that I watch from 500 yards away are much better than your eleven guys, so take this" *thwack*

"Yeah, well, my bunch of eleven guys that I pay a small fortune to see so that they can be overpaid prima donnas kicking a ball about and crying every time they trip over beat your eleven random guys, so take this" *ker-wunk*

I cant think of a better example of "pointless"

[GowerCharger]

its not rare at all, youve only got to look at the arranged trouble in germany at the world cup to see that (where they claimed there was little trouble and didnt actually report much of what happend on the news).
Most of the people involved now dont seem to be that concerned with the football tho as the fighting is arranged to go on away from the matches before or after a game, but it is pretty serious, and even more so in some countries (brazil for example).

The solution to it is simple tho, ban football altogether, its rubbish anyway. Fans at rugby games arent segregated and ive never seen any trouble there (apart from the actual players fighting on the pitch that is)

[drowningbitbybit]

its not rare at all,

...It's rare in the UK at domestic games compared to what it was like...

[thawkwood]

I like this quote: "Football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians, while rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen."

What a strange contrast that in an inherently violent game like rugby, fights amongst fans are unheard of. Whereas football, a less violent pursuit, has such violent fans.

[pault]

Also its no longer the so called Yobs that are the problem, its the hooligans in suits who cause most of the problems in footie these days.

[surf patrol]

You should have a read of John King's books, "The Football Factory" and "Headhunters". They will give you a good background.

[FishKid Wales]

Every team has a firm, alot are still active! They just keep it on the quiet.
After chating to a 'friend of a friend' who claimed to be in the gas head crew they treat it as a much a sport as the football itself and these days its organised through websites, by email and over the phone.
Each to their own is what I say!

[Luke]

I don't buy the argument they use...saying that it's just like minded people fighting each other because it's not...I remember an incident in glasgow where a kiddie was stabbed for wearing a blue tracksuit (rangers colours)....when the paramedic unzipped his tracksuit, he was wearing a celtic shirt.

Each to their own is what I say!

In my book there's no excuse for for acting like a dick.

[bluesnowcone]

i dont like football hooligans, but iv seena few riots, and well there entertaining because its not fake like wrestling , there are so many films of thr subject, personaly i would advise green street.


just dont call it soccer if you come to england, its called football

[FishKid Wales]

I don't buy the argument they use...saying that it's just like minded people fighting each other because it's not...I remember an incident in glasgow where a kiddie was stabbed for wearing a blue tracksuit (rangers colours)....when the paramedic unzipped his tracksuit, he was wearing a celtic shirt.

]

The religous divide between catholics and protestants in scotland is still reletvaly strong and spills over as seceterian violence under the guise of football hooliganism, hence why their is a far greater degree of hatred between the 2 sides!

[Luke]

The religous divide between catholics and protestants in scotland is still reletvaly strong and spills over as seceterian violence under the guise of football hooliganism, hence why their is a far greater degree of hatred between the 2 sides!

I think it's the other way around...it's hooliganism under the guise of sectarianism. Much of this comes from so called "90 minute bigots" who have no affiliation to divisions in Ireland or even the Catholic or Protestant communities, but will use it as another badge to have a fight over.

[thawkwood]

I just saw a documentary on civil disturbances last week. It cited European football fans, particularly Brits and especially Manchester United as some of the most violent.

I recall my uncle used to have a t-shirt saying 'If You're Not a Manc You're a xxxxx.' (BTW I am familiar with British slang due to my uncle). To go off topic a bit, I do use some British slang at work, which drives my co-workers barmy. For instance my boss asked me where Tony was and I said Tony was using the bog...

[iomarti]

that's quite funny, but i dont think i'd ever use that word....although the boys did when i was at primary school!!

[GowerCharger]

you gotta be careful using that british slang in the USA. When i was in uni there was an american guy sharing a room wiith with my mate, the yank guy didnt smoke so my mate had to lean out the window when he wanted a cigarette. One day this american guy was on the phone to his mates back home and they asked what his roommate was like, there was a bit of a mix up when he replied "hes alwyas bent over the windowsill having a fag", which means something very different in america

[Dr Rev]

[southwestsurfer]

Anyone watch that hooligan documentary about the english yobs in Germany?