Gangs or Firms Belonging to Football Clubs
An Introduction to Dangerous Groups Associated to the Sport
Gangs or firms are often formed to fight rival gangs supporting other clubs or teams. Often the fights are planned to take place away from the stadium to avoid being disrupted by the police. As soon as two teams are drawn to play against one another plans will be made by the gangs to get the better of their rivals.
It is likely that politics or racism will play a huge part in the firm’s culture, especially those found in southern and eastern Europe. Although the views are not held by all of the supporters following a particular club, they can have a major role in a firm’s ethics.
Football Teams who Have Gangs or Firms Associated to Them
Most football teams in England have firms or gangs attached to them. The majority of the Premier League teams have at least one major firm or gang that following them. Arsenal are followed by the Gooners and The Herd while Aston Villa have a following of four: Villa Youth, Steamers, Villa Hardcore and C-Crew and Birmingham is home to the Zulus. Blackburn Rovers are followed by the Blackburn Youth, Bolton Wanderers, the Cuckoo Boys and Burnley, the Suicide Squad.
Chelsea’s resident firm call themselves the Headhunters, Everton’s the Country Road Cutters and Fulham are home to the Thames Valley Travellers. Hull City are supported by the Hull City Psychos, Liverpool, The Urchins and Manchester City boast the Guvnors.
Manchester United’s resident gang call themselves The Red Army while Portsmouth’s are called the 6.57 Crew. Stoke City followers are called the Naughty Forty, Sunderland’s are the Seaburn Casuals and Tottenham Hotspur are home to the Yid Army. West Ham United are cheered on by the Inner City Firm and Wolverhampton Wanderers by their Subway Army.
While the gangs or firms attach themselves to their home team, the side itself plays no part in recruiting members or organising activities.
Football Related Gangs Documented in Books
Many authors have written books featuring the gangs associated with the sport. One such example is The Football Factory by John King about a seasoned Chelsea Football Club hooligan. Not only does the novel cover football hooliganism but it gives an insight in to Britain’s working-class culture in the nineties, social degradation, unemployment, racism, casual violence and excessive drinking. The Football Factory was made into a film in 2004.
Bill Bulford’s Among the Thugs is a factual account of the authors experiences of crowd hooliganism after boarding a train full of supporters on their way home from a match in 1982. He spent the next eight years attending games, witnessing riots and meeting supporters all in the name of research for the book.
A Member of a Football Gang
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