Hooligans: 1. A Different Ball Game

Gangster

BBC

True Crime, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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 Bellew Series Producer: Emma Forde Producer: Patrick Kiteley Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston Development Producer: Holly Clemens With research assistance from Abe Atchia Production Co-ordinator: Ellie Dover Assistant Commissioner: Lorraine Okuefuna & Sarah Green Commissioning Editor: Louise Kattenhorn

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:04.8	You're about to listen to Gangster Presents, Hooligans.
0:08.0	Episodes will be released weekly wherever you get your podcasts,
0:11.3	but if you're in the UK, you can listen to the full series right now,
0:15.5	first on BBC Sounds.
0:17.6	A quick warning, this podcast contains strong and racist language, descriptions of violence
0:22.6	and some content you may find upsetting.
0:29.0	My name's Tony Bellew. I'm a die-hard Evanton fan. I didn't choose I was chosen. And I also
0:37.3	used to punch people in the face as a professional boxer. I love fighting. I enjoy. I thrive on the pressure. I love being an underdog. I was only 12 when my old man told me I also throw a punch. And that led to a career that played out in some of the biggest arenas in the UK. I'm going to take him through a dark place.
0:55.0	If he wanted as much as me,
0:57.0	you're in for one of the best fights you've ever seen in your life.
0:59.0	I had 30 wins and 20 of them were by way of knockout.
1:03.0	I've had to get through fights with crack ribs, broken with, broken hands.
1:07.0	In the ring, there were rules and respect. Round four.
1:12.6	In this podcast though, I'm here to tell you about a very different kind of fight.
1:18.6	We hated them, we hunted them, we battered them.
1:22.6	It was a way of life and nothing got in the way of football.
1:26.6	I'm talking about the brutal, bloody battles where punching below the belt was a way of life and nothing got in the way of football. I'm talking about the brutal, bloody battles
1:28.8	where punching below the belt was a way of life.
1:32.8	I refuse to be beaten by anyone.
1:35.1	And if I go down, I'll get up again and I get up again.
1:38.4	The dark side of football, something they call the English disease.
	...

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