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 label...
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
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27:38
Gangster Presents... Hooligans
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 Bellew
Series Producer: Emma Forde
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Development Producer: Holly Clemens
Production Co-ordinator: Ellie Dover
Assistant Commissioner: Lorraine Okuefuna & Sarah Green
Commissioning Editor: Louise Kattenhorn
Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston
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3:14
The Daniels and the Lyons: 6. The Glasgow Smile
A brutal attack on a Daniel family member results in lengthy jail sentences for a number of Lyons associates. The feud continues in prison and there are fears it could go on for generations to come.It was an attack so brutal that police initially thought the victim - a Daniel family member - had been shot in the face or injured by an explosive device. The attack was the culmination of the latest wave of violence in the bitter dispute. A police crackdown on the ongoing feud results in lengthy jail terms for a number of Lyons associates. Meanwhile, presenter Livvy Haydock discovers how Glasgow is successfully fighting back against the violence, with murders and killings now at an all-time low and community groups helping to steer young people away from gangs and crime. But there are still fears that the feud has become so ingrained that it could go on for generations to come.For a who's who, please visit this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Czgw23hf0tqsb855CcPKPJ/who-s-who-in-the-story-of-the-daniels-and-the-lyonsPresenter: Livvy Haydock
Series producer: Paul Grant
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
Journalism assistant: Tim Fernley
Editor and executive producer: Carl Johnston
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26:43
The Daniels and the Lyons: 5. The Pushchair Assassin
After his public assassination in a supermarket car park, the hunt for Gerbil's killers begins. A death in the Daniel family heralds a brutal new chapter in the never-ending feud.With such a high-profile murder, police are under pressure to catch Kevin Carroll's killers, and the manhunt takes an international twist. A high-profile member of the Daniel family dies and after a period of relative calm, the dispute between the two crime groups reignites in a series of brutal attacks. One man is even targeted as he drops his child off at school.For a who's who, please visit this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Czgw23hf0tqsb855CcPKPJ/who-s-who-in-the-story-of-the-daniels-and-the-lyonsPresenter: Livvy Haydock
Series producer: Paul Grant
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
Journalism assistant: Tim Fernley
Editor and executive producer: Carl Johnston
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26:34
The Daniels and the Lyons: 4. The Digger
Gerbil is recruited for a kidnapping plot which doesn't go to plan. Meanwhile, he continues his reign of terror as he seeks to build his drug empire - leading to a growing number of enemies out to get him.Gerbil's reputation is such that he is recruited to carry out a kidnapping by a Liverpool drug gang. Meanwhile, he doubles down on his efforts to take control of the drug trade in parts of Glasgow - taking dealers hostage and threatening them with violence. He gives one dealer an ultimatum and arranges a meet in a supermarket car park. But things take an unexpected and deadly turn.For a who's who, please visit this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Czgw23hf0tqsb855CcPKPJ/who-s-who-in-the-story-of-the-daniels-and-the-lyonsPresenter: Livvy Haydock
Series producer: Paul Grant
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
Journalism assistant: Tim Fernley
Editor and executive producer: Carl Johnston
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 Bellew
Series Producer: Emma Forde
Producer: Patrick Kiteley
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Development Producer: Holly Clemens
Production Co-ordinator: Ellie Dover
Assistant Commissioner: Lorraine Okuefuna & Sarah Green
Commissioning Editor: Louise Kattenhorn
Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston