Hooligan Wars [DVD]

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What the hit and tell genre provides, as has been seen, is a possible cultural criminology supplement (7) for post-subcultural studies. Methodologically it allows academics to add events, stories, language and colour to a history of youth culture which was already partly written at the time in the 1970s and 1980s. It provides material for reflection and correction of previously mistaken assumptions. It adds to a ‘rough’ popular memory around sport studies and subcultures and further identifies ‘faces’ and ‘top boys’, however partially, so that sustained ethnographic, participant observation, work can be undertaken with ‘old boy’ hooligans in various contemporary firms. Lastly, it provides the possibility of repairing the gaps in contemporary knowledge of football hooligan subcultures within post-subcultural studies. Alexander fears her intended message may have been lost. "I didn't want to say how nice hooliganism was," she says. "If that was the case I would not have killed the main guy in the end. I wanted to show that it can destroy everything." The hooligan fiction genre has been frequently attempted but without anything like the same panache or historical accuracy as Kevin Sampson (6), John King or Irvine Welsh (Anderson, 1996; Eddie Brimson, 1998a; Dougie Brimson, 1998b, 2000). Its literary versions, added to the hit and tell memoirs, make rich starting points for academic ethnographers. There's so many books," says Blaney, who suggests that hooligan literature is akin to modern-day war stories. "It's got a bit of everything. Besides the culture, the violence and the fashion, maybe it's quite compelling because you have a brotherhood, helping each get by, making money together.

When they all get together, these lads, they're all late 50s and 60s now. It's like a reunion from 50 years ago when you had old army geezers talking about military manoeuvres they'd been on, talking commanders and lieutenants." Going into the grounds, the stewards are all jobsworths," Hotshot says. "Now, all the cameras and stuff, you can't even say f--- off, because you'd get thrown out."Here comes this German woman who makes this movie people a lot of Brits think are dirt," says Alexander. "But it's not only a British thing, it's everywhere but America, and at least hooligans don't run around with guns. There is a resistance to it, that was personal, it was about who did it, and how. That put a cloud over how hugely successful it is. Blaney suggests these books appeal to an audience who would not otherwise choose to read. "People's sons come up at Old Trafford and tell me that they've read my book, and they're only about 12 and say they've never read another book in their life," he says. "The wife of Brian Kidd [United legend and current City coach] told me that Brian never reads books, but that he couldn't put mine down.

Jones, D and Rivers, T (2002) Soul Crew: the Inside Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Hooligan Gang (Bury: Milo Books). Citing examples, he claimed some Leicester City thugs also follow Histon, Nottingham Forest yobs may go to Mansfield games and Wolves nutters are known to frequent Telford matches. Bill Buford's "Among The Thugs" was a nonfiction forerunner, coming from the unlikely source of a New Yorker staffer, an American former editor of literary magazine Granta. Buford's book, published in 1990 but begun in 1984, saw him embedded with Manchester United hooligans, members of the far-right National Front and with England fans in Italia '90. Buford wanted to discover why so many young men freely engaged themselves in acts of violence. Pennant C and Silvester R (2003) Rolling with the 6.57 Crew: the True Story of Pompey’s Legendary Football Fans (London: John Blake). Allt N (2004) The Boys from the Mersey: the Story of the Annie Road End Crew, Football’s First Clobbered-Up Mob (Lytham: Milo).

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The star has released a number of albums and singles, reaching number 43 in the UK Albums Charts, and number nine in the independent album charts. Read More Related Articles Yet, 20 years beyond that rave movement's height, hooliganism's identity survives and has spread beyond Britain to be copied and imitated across Europe and even further afield. Peace has hosted and curated her own "Heather Peace Presents" stage in several editions of Manchester Pride.