soccer hooligans
Charlotte Adams
Updated on June 18, 2026
Football hooliganism, soccer hooliganism or more commonly football riot, is a form of civil disobedience involving violent or belligerent behaviours perpetrated by spectators at association football events.
Do football hooligans still exist?
Although reports of British football hooliganism still surface, the instances now tend to occur at pre-arranged locations rather than at the matches themselves.
Who are the toughest football hooligans?
The 10 Biggest Hooligan Clubs in English Football
Service Crew (Leeds United)The Zulu Warriors (Birmingham City)Chelsea Headhunters (Chelsea)The Herd (Arsenal)Soul Crew (Cardiff City)6.57 Crew (Portsmouth)Naughty Forty – N40 (Stoke City)Red Army (Manchester United)
Which football club has the most hooligans?
Millwall F.C.
The Bushwackers are the most famous of their hooligan and thug supporter groups. The group, usually consisting of anywhere from 200-250 at a time, are by far the most fanatical supporters of the club.
What is a soccer firm?
Hooligan firms (also known as football firms) are groups that participate in football hooliganism in European countries.
What is a firm hooligan?
A Football firm is often the term given to a group of football hooligans who are travelling together often to engage in violence with the other teams firm. Football firms often have ‘firm’ within their name for example ‘West ham ICF’ the ‘Inter City Firm’
Does Everton have firm?
The County Road Cutters are a hooligan firm associated with Premier League football club Everton F.C.
Who is the leader of the Chelsea Headhunters?
Jason Marriner was one of Britain’s most feared football hooligans. Known as ‘The General’ he was a key member of the notorious Chelsea Head Hunters and was jailed for 6 years after the BBC’ Read all.
Do Arsenal have firms?
Arsenal has two separate Football hooligan firms, one named as ‘The Gooners’, this being a mutation of the club’s nickname, The Gunners and ‘The Herd’. The Gooners were known as a violent football hooligan firm, who were mainly active within the 1980s.
Why are English fans so violent?
Violence at football matches has been a feature of English life since the formation of the first leagues in the 19th century, and was a natural by-product of fierce team rivalries and a drinking culture that made the pub as important a venue as the stadium for many fans.
Is the GSE a real firm?
A government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) is a quasi-governmental entity established to enhance the flow of credit to specific sectors of the American economy. Created by acts of Congress, these agencies–although they are privately-held–provide public financial services.
What is Manchester United firm called?
Man United – Red Army
Just as Manchester United is one of the biggest football clubs in the beautiful game, so their fanatical firm, the Red Army, is said to have had the largest numbers at the height of Britain’s hooligan problem.
What are Liverpool hooligans called?
Sports Clubs / Ultras: Liverpool – Urchins
Perhaps the most famous of these hooligan groups were the Liverpool FC Urchins. The group has been at fault for multiple clashes with other fans in recent history, although their site seems to have been discontinued in order to stomp out hooliganism.
Why do football hooligans exist?
Football hooliganism dates back to 1349, when football originated in England during the reign of King Edward III. When villages played one another, the villagers main goal involved kicking the ball into their rival’s church. King Edward banned the game as it distracted his subjects and caused constant social unrest.