The thuggery and violence of hooliganism in English football is still very much alive with violent crime increasing 17% on match days.
Wired fences and weekly skirmishes are a thing of the past but hooligans still exist. Let’s take a look at the top 10 biggest hooligan clubs in England.
10. The Herd (Arsenal)
The Herd was founded in 1978 by Arsenal fans and peaked in the 1980s and 90s with their rivals being pretty much any firm from London, notably Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and Millwall.
At the 2000 UEFA Cups Final The Herd led the “riots that brought British football together” launching a unified assault on Galatasaray fans after stabbing deaths of two Leeds fans in the semi-final.
9. Soul Crew (Cardiff City)
The Soul Crew are affiliated with Cardiff City. Inspires by a love for soul music its membership is multicultural and they’ve inherited an “invader” status because of their Welsh identity.
During the height of hooliganism Soul Crew gained a reputation for being one of the toughest firms despite Cardiff City’s lowly fourth division status and they remain very much active to this day.
8. 6.57 Crew (Portsmouth)
The 6.57 Crew got their name from the time the first train left Portsmouth to London for Saturday games and the firm remains active despite their numbers dwindling from the heights of hooliganism in the 1980s.
Involved in notorious incidents as recently as the mid-2000s, a 10-year old Portsmouth fan became the youngest ever person to be convicted for hooliganism in the United Kingdom after a riot against Southampton fans on 22nd of March 2004,
7. Naughty Forty – N40 (Stoke City)
The “Naughty Forty” might sound like the title for an adult movie but the Stoke City affiliated firm at its height had over 700 members and had a reputation for being one of the most violent firms in English football.
Naughty Forty numbers have shrunk since the height of hooliganism but they’re still active, and were involved in a frightening skirmish against fierce rivals Port Vale in an under-21s game in 2018.
6. Red Army (Manchester United)
During Manchester United’s stint in the Second Division in 1974-75, hooligan firm the “Red Army” caused havoc across England and often outnumbered home supporters at away games.
An incident against Blackpool in 1974 led to fencing and crowd segregation at football grounds in England. Manchester United may not be like they were during the Ferguson-era level, but they remain one of the biggest hooligan clubs.
5. Chelsea Headhunters (Chelsea)
I ain’t messing with anybody who’s known as a headhunter. After their foundation as the “Shed Boys” in the 1960s, the London firm renamed themselves to the Chelsea Headhunters in 1985.
The Chelsea Headhunters have a strong interest in unionism, a large number of rivalries with other firms, and have gained notoriety for major clashes across Europe, as well as their links to white supremacist organisations.
4. The Zulu Warriors (Birmingham City)
The name of Birmingham City affiliated hooligan firm “Zulu Warriors” was adopted in endearment after Manchester City fans chanted “Zulu, Zulu” to fans in reference to their multicultural fanbase.
Since 1982 the Zulu Warriors were made up of many races during the height of hooliganism, a time when most were exclusively white. At the firmspeak they were considered so dangerous, West Midlands Police launched Operation Red Card in 1987 to infiltrate the firm.
3. Service Crew (Leeds United)
The Service Crew of Leeds United are one of the biggest hooligan clubs since their founding in 1974. To bypass the police during the height of hooliganism, the firm took service trains to games instead of heavily policed chartered trains.
Some of the most notorious incidents have involved the Service Crew, including Leeds becoming the first team to be banned from European competition in 1975, and the involvement when a 14-year old fan died following a wall collapse at St Andrew’s Stadium in 1985.
2. Inter City Firm (West Ham)
The West Ham affiliated Inter City Firm (ICF) was formed in 1977 following the merger between multiple firms including the Essex East London and Mile End Boys. They have multiple ferocious rivalries with other London firms.
One of the biggest signatures of the Inter City Firm is the calling cards left on victims that read “Congratulations, you have just met the ICF”. The Green Street Elite (GSE) firm in the movie Green Street is even based on the ICF.
1. Millwall Bushwackers (Millwall)
Was it ever going to be anyone other than Millwall? Millwall’s fanbase is hardcore and it comes down to the fact that early fans were made up of hardened dock workers who worked in some of the toughest conditions in the country.
Active since 1972 the Millwall Bushwackers are the most notorious and biggest hooligan club in England, with incidents ranging from dummy grenades being thrown on the pitch, to smashing pub windows, ripping seats out at stadiums and injuring police officers.
