Hooligans 1. A Different Ball Game
What turns a fan into a fighter? When faced with a choice, do you turn and run, or stand and fight?
We meet the men who found themselves drawn into a world of running battles and riots during the 1970s and 80s. For some, joining a firm and fighting gave them a new identity. For others, it was the first time they truly felt they belonged.
From a young age, Bill Gardner, also known as Mr West Ham, found a home and a family he never had on the terraces of Upton Park, one he would fight for. For adopted Brummie Cockney Al, the early firms in Birmingham took him under their wing, but it was not long before he was up to his neck in it. In Manchester, a childhood plagued by bullying and racism led Fireman Sam to become part of United's hooligan mob, and for Chelsea fan Mark Alleway, being a football hooligan became an addiction.
But not everyone was signing up. Most fans just wanted to go to the game in peace, but trouble was never far away. Football writer Amy Lawrence and DJ Trevor Nelson recall how getting out unscathed on matchdays was not always easy.
The police and politicians soon realised they had a serious problem on their hands. But despite their best efforts, the mobs ruled the terraces. And for a while, it was chaos.
Presenter: Tony BellewSeries Producer: Emma FordeProducer: Patrick KiteleyTechnical Producer: Nicky EdwardsEditor and Executive Producer: Carl JohnstonDevelopment Producer: Holly ClemensWith research assistance from Abe AtchiaProduction Co-ordinator: Ellie DoverAssistant Commissioner: Lorraine Okuefuna & Sarah GreenCommissioning Editor: Louise Kattenhorn
Gangster
Former boxing champion and proud Evertonian Tony Bellew delves into the brutal world of football hooliganism. At its height in the 1970s and 1980s, it was labelled 'the English Disease,' a time when violence on the terraces was as much a part of the game as a half-time Bovril. Bellew hears from those who lived for the trouble, the men and women whose Saturdays weren't complete without a brutal punch-up.
He speaks to the innocent victims caught up in the mayhem, the families of those who lost their lives at the hands of thugs, and the undercover police officers who risked everything to infiltrate some of England's most notorious firms.
He also explores how government crackdowns, tougher laws, and the introduction of all-seater stadiums helped bring an end to widespread hooliganism.
Presenter: Tony BellewSeries Producer: Emma FordeProducer: Patrick KiteleyTechnical Producer: Nicky EdwardsDevelopment Producer: Holly ClemensProduction Co-ordinator: Ellie DoverAssistant Commissioner: Lorraine Okuefuna & Sarah GreenCommissioning Editor: Louise KattenhornEditor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston
- No. of episodes: 63
- Latest episode: 2025-04-11
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