The Football Factory

[thickos]

thought I'd spark this conversation up over here as I know many posters who are big soccer (sorry, football) fans have seen the movie.

Firstly I thought it was an excellent movie... funny in parts, shocking and also confronting. However as someone who is not a strong follower of the English football scene I was gobsmacked by what was presented... I wouldn't consider the guys in this movie 'fans' at all! I expected to see riots/brawling in the stands, but there was not one shot of any of them in or at a ground - it was all just planned brawling on the streets between rival fan bases.

To me it all seemed like basically a gang claiming to be football fans... and without giving it away to people who haven't seen it I don't see how the main character found it 'all worth it' at the end considering what happened to himself and the others?

How close to what was depicted is what is happening in the English Football scene?

 

[Raider Ultra]

I thought it was a good laugh actually. Although there is little doubt the movie condones hooliganism. Shown by the fact that the main characters think its worth it, plus they get the sh*tbelted out of them and they are ok apart form a few cuts and bruises (When in reality the main character would have been killed in real life).

Unlike in the 80s, no fighting at all happens inside English grounds due to CCTV and very tight security. Most firms now organise to meet the other firm away from the ground so they can have a decent ruck away from the police and the 'ready-eye', as they put it in the movie. I've been to plenty of matches in England, and have seen more fights inside NRL grounds then I have at English grounds. Alot of times firms will travel away and not even go for the match, just for a pre-arranged fight with the other firm. This, and they never wear team colours, but extremely expensive designer clothes. It is a very interesting subject, and I strongly suggest watching a doco called 'Haedhunters Uncovered' if you get the chance.

 

[thickos]

That's an interesting point Ultra, but I just can't understand why you would not want to go to the game???? Do you honestly think these guys care about the sport itself?

I just don't understand organised fighting as well.... they should take up boxing!

 

[Copa]

I know some hard-core Newcastle United fans... absolute nutters who would think nothing about fighting opposition fans.... but very normal when it comes to anything else.

 

[hrundi99]

I thought the film was pretty ordinary to be honest...

As Thickos implies, it really has nothing to do with football and everything to do with "gangs" and moronic tribalism.

 

[Sully]

Aside from this DVD is one called Soccer Hooligans: It is a 75 min doco style film of footage captured from all around.

It is the world for the past 30 odd years of Hooligans.

VERY INTERESTING.

Ultra: Whens the new Green flick out?

 

[woodgers]

I'm with Ultra, I found it amusing more than anything.

The serious side to it is that this is not uncommon in English Football. While the movie didn't portray them watching football (probably because they couldn't get permission to shoot images in a ground) some firms do attend, others don't and just arrange a fight. As Hrundi said, it does have a lot to do with tribalism with guys taking pride in the results they get off the field more than their team does on it. To be honest, we do it as well in the Army/SGB except without violence in that we want to be the best group and be louder than the other groups in the league, have more numbers and be well known. They have violence as a way of standing up for their club and showing their colours, all the while trying to get 'one up' over the opposition groups.

It is not uncommon for 2 small groups to join up together for a one off to fight a bigger firm. It is crazy really. Studies have shown that heaps of these guys (sometimes more than half in a firm) are well educated and have good jobs like Lawyers, Architects, etc. Some people use drugs or alcohol for a buzz, others choose to get the adrenalin from a ruck.

I read something in a previous edition of FourFourTwo that now guys from Italy, Germany and other European nations align themselves with English Firms to get in on the fighting. Sure they could do it in their own countries but the English ones more often than not have an unwritten rule that it is a 'fist fight' and not to use Knives etc

It is an interesting topic and I have a few video's and books on it.

 

[posh]

Ultra: Whens the new Green flick out?

green street isnt being shown in australia, village entertainment have purchaced the rights, but prob just for 'straight to dvd'.

 

[thickos]

Funnily enough, life could very soon imitate art...

The draw for the Fourth Round of the FA Cup in full:

Stoke or Tamworth v Barnsley or Walsall
Cheltenham or Chester v Newcastle
Coventry v Nuneaton or Middlesbrough
West Brom or Reading v Torquay or Birmingham
Portsmouth v Liverpool
Leicester v Southampton
Bolton v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Port Vale
Brentford v Sunderland
Man City v Wigan or Leeds
Millwall or Everton v Chelsea
Preston v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Blackburn
Colchester v Derby
Charlton v Leyton Orient
Wolves v Burton or Man Utd

 

[Raider Azz]

West Ham v Blackburn

looking forward to that one

 

[Raider Ultra]

Preston away, what a sh*t draw. Why does Palace always get drawn away to play at bleak northern sh*tholes in the FA Cup? I can't see anyway Millwall can knock Everton out. Hopefully they do so both of them can obliterate each other, scum.

 

[posh]

west ham v blackburn
looking forward to that one

didnt we slaughter you guys at the start of the season 3 -1? then u beat us 1 nil was it?

 

[Raider Azz]

didnt we slaughter you guys at the start of the season 3 -1? then u beat us 1 nil was it?

how sh*t was the squad we named though... especially with bellers back - look out

 

[Raider Ultra]

Bell-end-amy, the bloke is a toerag of the highest order. Quality player mind...

 

[woodgers]

Do Blackburn still have Dickov as well? If so, that would be a fiery partnership up front.

 

[Raider Azz]

sure do woodgers, although i imagine they'll probably start with kuqi up front, and dickov on the bench.

I think bellemy is fantastic off the bench, against leeds a few weeks ago in particular he was excellent and changed the game. he is a bit mouthy though, so he complements dickov nicely.

 

[Raider_69]

watched the movie for the first time today
pretty good flick, would be interested in more informative titles on the same subject

 

[Raider_69]

i also liked the twist at the end, i thought he was gonna jet off to australia with his grandfather, but sure enough, twas all worth it for him. crazy sh*te

 

[Raider Ultra]

The story line was boob

 

[Copa]

Most firms now organise to meet the other firm away from the ground so they can have a decent ruck away from the police and the 'ready-eye', as they put it in the movie. I've been to plenty of matches in England, and have seen more fights inside NRL grounds then I have at English grounds. Alot of times firms will travel away and not even go for the match, just for a pre-arranged fight with the other firm. .

Great to see professionalism move into the world of the english soccer hooligan... perhaps they could start selling tickets.

Got a cab with a newcastle nut once... he sang nasty soccer songs right in the face of the taxi driver all the way home... with a "I'm gonna kill you" look in his face as he did it.