Firm Films

[cennals05]

I want to go to some games but none of my friends over here like sport that much, but I've been told not to go by myself. Very hard to comprehend.

Who do you support?

I've been to 4 games over here (2 at White hart Lane, 1 at Fulham and 1 at Reading) and haven't had a problem. The Fulham game and 1 of the WHL games I attended by myself as was fine. Football hooliganism isnt as openly prevalent as it used to be due to policing at matches as you describe, but the firm culture is definitely alive and well.

There are precautions you can take like not wearing a football strip, not going into pubs around the grounds on matchday (unless you know for sure it's a safe pub) and sticking with the crowds on the high roads and around public transport where there's plenty of police.

I'd suggest going to a Fulham, Reading or QPR game as a home fan and you'll be fine. I also would avoid going to West Ham, Tottenham, Chelsea, Millwall and Luton as an away fan, and just like in Green Street Hooligans - DO NOT USE THE EAST HAM TUBE STATION ON WEST HAM MATCHDAYS!.

I got told not to go by myself because I'm female. I don't see a problem myself. Somone else suggested to go to a QPR game, so I might check them out.

I've never really supported one team, but being over here I've decided to support West Ham (like every other Australian female that I know).

I live really close to Fulham and would have gone to the Fulham v West Ham game the other week but I was away. I will get to a game before the end of season though! I went to the Socceroos v Nigeria game last year.

[devilsadvocate]

Lucas Neill and Freddie Ljungberg wouldn't have anything to do with your choice of teams would they Cennals?!!! My wife loves Lucas Neill.

I honestly wouldn't go to a West Ham game. I'm going to Spurs v West Ham on the weekend and wouldn't take my wife, that's for sure! In fact, I wouldn't take my wife to a game against any of the sides I listed. It's true that there aren't many women at the game - just the WAGs and those in the corporate areas. It's pretty rough and intimidating. Even for a spurs fan at White Hart Lane, you have to be careful.

QPR should be fine though, especially with the ground being in a relatively good area at Shepherds Bush.

[johntheclaret]

Boxhead, here's a very ugly Chelsea smile....

http://picasaweb.google.com/huxicao2020 ... 4585442130

Very good DW.

[johntheclaret]

OK, here's a pommies perspective on the whole thing.

I have been following the Clarets since around 1973 -74. When I was younger, (and prices were more realistic), I used to follow them all over the counrty.

I was at Turf Moor the night we played and beat Celtic in the Anglo - Scottish Cup Final. The Celitic fans destroyed the ground, ripped up the spiked fencing designed to keep both sets of fans separated, and used them as spears, I have stood in the Liverpool end when they came to Burnley for a league match in the late 70's (because I took my Dad and he couldn't be arsed walking all the way round to the Burnley end) and been to many a Clarets v b4st4rds matches both home and away, including the game where the Clarets fans got on the stand roof, ripped of lumps of roofing and threw down onto the b4st4rds below.

In all that time I have never been involved in a single incident. That level of general hooliganism is long since past. Today, the fans are extremely well segragated and policed, far more than in the bad old days. I don't dispute the hooliganisim was a real problem in the 70's and 80's but my point is that you can look for trouble or you can avoid it.

Firms just don't go round looking for innocent victims. That's not their style. most of the Firm Fights are pre-arranged and you would have to be pretty niave to be around when it kicks off.

That's my experience anyway, so all I can say to anyone coming over here, if you want to go and enjoy a game of association football, then go and do it. Agree with the advice above, stay out of the pubs if you don't know them, and stick to the main highway to and from the ground.

[devilsadvocate]

I don't dispute the hooliganisim was a real problem in the 70's and 80's but my point is that you can look for trouble or you can avoid it.

Firms just don't go round looking for innocent victims. That's not their style. most of the Firm Fights are pre-arranged and you would have to be pretty niave to be around when it kicks off.

That's the bottom line and the same goes whether you follow Aussie Rules, NFL Rugby, Tennis, Cricket, or darts....well put!

[JK]

Boxhead, here's a very ugly Chelsea smile....

http://picasaweb.google.com/huxicao2020 ... 4585442130

Very good DW.

She looks like she had the whole wallet stuffed in there not just the AMEX!

[Royal City]

To follow from John the Claret's piece,

I followed Sunderland all over the UK from 96-98 and must have attended well over 70 of their matches. I also went to numerous Berwick Rangers (just down the road from Newcastle) matches in the Scottish League and several SPL matches. I only ever saw two real incidents you wouldn't see at any sporting event where alcohol is served (ie. cricket, AFL, SANFL);

1) A huge fight between Sunderland and Barnsley fans at Oakwell in 95/96. Sunderland were on course to win the First Division and we took 8,000 fans to their ground. We were allocated two of the four stands and hundreds of Sunderland fans also bought tickets in the Barnsley ends. This got the locals incredibly mad and all hell broke loose.

2) Fights aplenty between Sunderland and Middlesbrough fans in 97/98 at the SOL, local derby though, always happens unfortunately but really only between those who want to fight, innocent bystanders are left well alone.

But they are the only two I ever saw. Felt completely safe 99% of the time at matches and there is an unwritten law amongst the firms that you don't attack 'scarfers' (people who wear club colours and go with families etc etc) so really one should be quite safe as long as you use a little bit of common sense.

[RustyCage]

Its pretty screwed up when fans need to be kept apart

[The Real Number 3]

Boxhead, here's a very ugly Chelsea smile....

http://picasaweb.google.com/huxicao2020 ... 4585442130

HAHAHAHAHAHA Cheers mate

[Scouser]

I've heard that "The Firm" is a great movie from a while ago about football hooliganism, but I've never managed to get my hands on a copy.

I've seen Football Factory, GSH and the Chelsea Headhunters doco and enjoyed them all - the movies are unique in their own way and the doco is quite eye opening to the reality of the firm culture.

(Despite my name, I'm an Aussie Liverpool supporter rather than a Liverpudlian in Australia, so I haven't had the same kind of exposure to that culture as would our Native Brits on here).

[johntheclaret]

scouser, dunno if you are in the Uk, and if you are, whether you read this in time 10:40 pm on Wednesday night, but The Firm is on TV tonight.It's on Film4 at 100:00pm and 11:00 on film4 +1.

Hope you get to catch it

[JK]

scouser, dunno if you are in the Uk, and if you are, whether you read this in time 10:40 pm on Wednesday night, but The Firm is on TV tonight.It's on Film4 at 100:00pm and 11:00 on film4 +1.

Hope you get to catch it

And if you aren't in the UK, the Firm is on North Tce in the city - Hope you get to catch it!

[Dogwatcher]

You'd know

[JK]

You'd know

Most certainly would

[Booney]

lol,Football Factory...

"What sort's name is Dorian anyways? "

"Right,which one took the Playstation?"

[devilsadvocate]

Went to the Spurs v West Ham game today. No real issues thanks to the huge presence of riot police, just a big brawl involving Spammer fans fighting amongst themselves inside the Lane......real Classy.

Sorry Cennels, I couldn't get a decent shot of Lucas as I was in the hardcore Spurs area and would have been lynched. You should be pleased to know that I didn't participate in the singing of 'You're just a fat Aussie wanker.......' after Neill tangled with Chimbonda!