Racism & Hooliganism in British Football

Racism & Hooliganism in British Football

After the recent Racism incident by Chelsea fans in Paris just ahead of their game against PSG, we look at British football and its history when it comes to Racism and hooliganism.

Here are the top clubs with fans bases who had major portions of their fan base threatening and running the world of British football in the early 60s to late 90s.

10) Celtic: Celtic are well known for their dominance in the Scottish league, by dominance we mean on the pitch as well as off it. The club which has the most number league titles has the largest fan base in Scotland and are notoriously known for their fights with their closest rivals Rangers. Rangers who no longer play in the top tier of the league, the activities and interaction between clubs and their fans have reduced.

9) Newcastle United: Newcastle United fans are well known for their fan support in the stadium and off it too. And when it comes to the derby against Sunderland, they are as bad as any. The last October, when the black and white striped club took on Sunderland, there was a huge uproar with a Newcastle fan punching a horse, with the paper National covering its first page.

8) Leeds United: At number eight are the team from Yorkshire and their Service Crew. A long history of violent fans and a club hated by many, Leeds United have had a bloody past. A pasted marred by blood and fights with Manchester United in early 70s and after a Ken Bates takeover at Chelsea took the rivalry to a new level.

7) Chelsea: The London club who where well know for their celebrity fan supporters, had a dark side of supporters club too. They where called Chelsea Head hunters. The head hunters were well known for their racist behavior and had links with right groups like the National Front and the paramilitary Combat 18.

6) Manchester United: Well known for their fanatical fan base, United fans had a set of supporters who called themselves, the red army. The normal United support are also known as the Red Army but these set of supporters sprang up in 1974-75 when United were relegated and the red army ransacked the clubs stadium. With the 1985 documentary ‘Hooligan’ showing the Red Army clashing with West Ham’s
Inter City Firm around Manchester.

5) Portsmouth: The 6.57 Crew or the Portsmouth supporters, named after the train they board from the London's waterloo station for match days, where notoriously active during the 80s till late 2000s. In 2001, they fought with Coventry City fans at an away game, ripping up seats and throwing missiles at their rivals. In 2004, 93 were arrested –
including a 10-year-old boy who became the UK’s youngest- ever convicted football hooligan – for their part in mass riots before and after a match against rivals Southampton, where police were attacked and shops looted.

4) Westham United: Known as Inter City Fans, because of the trains they traveled on their away day trips. Active between 1970s and 1990s this group was know for their attacks, “Congratulations, you’ve just met the ICF.”. They were well know for their bouts with Millwall fans.

3) Aston Villa: Aston Villa hardcore's or Villains as they called themselves, are famous for their notorious activities surrounding Birmingham. In 2002 the battle of rocky against Birmingham, where there were 15 arrests made. And again in 2004 against Chelsea, the same person was sent to jail twice as he was involved in the instances. Aston Villa where true to their name.

2) Birmingham: The second of Birmingham team which make our list in the top 10 list, the Birmingham extremist called themselves, the Birmingham Zulus. The Zulus were famous for their chant Zulus Zulus. These people belonged to all ethnic group and the fans from other clubs just wanted to avoid clashing with Zulus. Clashes with Aston villa fans were common as the Zulus for known to defend their area. In 2006 Zulus brought down the fence as they fought against Stoke fans in a FA cup game.

1) Millwall: "MILLWALL BUSHWACKERS" are the worst bunch of fans you'd meet in England. Millwall Bushwackers who take their name from a American Civil a war ambusher are a force to be reckoned. Millwall are the worst and the most notorious fans around, known for their fights and bouts with away fans at the Den, Millwall fans are just not humans. In a recent incident, the Millwall supporters fought between themselves as their team was loosing a FA cup game. At its peak in 1980s were responsible for some of the worst rioting and missile-throwing in British football. As a police officer said, these are the worst bunch of people they have ever seen.