Guvnors
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Review
'A gripping read.' (BBC Radio Five Live)
-- BBC RADIO FIVE LIVE
'The most explosive book about soccer violence ... ever!' (Sunday Sport) -- SUNDAY SPORT
As far removed from Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch as it is possible to get.' (The Guardian) -- THE GUARDIAN
`As an insight into the mind of a hooligan, it probably won't be bettered.' (Manchester Evening News) -- MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
-- BBC RADIO FIVE LIVE
'The most explosive book about soccer violence ... ever!' (Sunday Sport) -- SUNDAY SPORT
As far removed from Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch as it is possible to get.' (The Guardian) -- THE GUARDIAN
`As an insight into the mind of a hooligan, it probably won't be bettered.' (Manchester Evening News) -- MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Review
As far removed from Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch as it is possible to get.' (The Guardian)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I guess this book should get a but more praise because it is one of the earlier 'hooligan' books but the simple fact of the matter is if you have read one you have read them all.
Story begins with his childhood, born in rough working class area, dad used to slap him around, mum worked her guts out but both were the salt of the earth. Joined a firm, was a life long fan, police make an operation against the firm, court case goes on, gets sent down, comes out becomes a bouncer yeh you have just about read the same thing with just about every hooligan book around.
Still, this does have some things of interest. Francis is pretty honest with his many encounters with rival firms describing how he and his firm were not only turned over more than once but that on many occasions he had the living daylights kicked out of him. He is honest about his own firms use of knives and how other firms also used them recounting occasions when the City firm have slashed a few people. He is honest about the thieving that went on how they were far from the best dressed people around (in fact being honest enough to say they dressed like scruffs) Which is a damn site more honest than some of the books you will find out there with there obligatory chapter dedicated to nothing more than designer labels and myths about how they were such 'dresses' (Anyone seen the pictures in the Birmingham Zulus book? V-Neck jumpers with black suit jacket, yeh lads you were the height of fashion)
Mickey was a mixed race lad and is not daft enough to think that racism didn't exist on the terraces. He more than once tells us how his firm fought City firms who were NF and some of the racist abuse that the Cool Cats received in Liverpool (From both Liverpool and Everton) Leeds, Millwall and Chelsea and even more so the shock value a mixed race firm received in places like Newcastle and Leeds.
Not a bad read, you will probably get through it in about an hour at best.
Story begins with his childhood, born in rough working class area, dad used to slap him around, mum worked her guts out but both were the salt of the earth. Joined a firm, was a life long fan, police make an operation against the firm, court case goes on, gets sent down, comes out becomes a bouncer yeh you have just about read the same thing with just about every hooligan book around.
Still, this does have some things of interest. Francis is pretty honest with his many encounters with rival firms describing how he and his firm were not only turned over more than once but that on many occasions he had the living daylights kicked out of him. He is honest about his own firms use of knives and how other firms also used them recounting occasions when the City firm have slashed a few people. He is honest about the thieving that went on how they were far from the best dressed people around (in fact being honest enough to say they dressed like scruffs) Which is a damn site more honest than some of the books you will find out there with there obligatory chapter dedicated to nothing more than designer labels and myths about how they were such 'dresses' (Anyone seen the pictures in the Birmingham Zulus book? V-Neck jumpers with black suit jacket, yeh lads you were the height of fashion)
Mickey was a mixed race lad and is not daft enough to think that racism didn't exist on the terraces. He more than once tells us how his firm fought City firms who were NF and some of the racist abuse that the Cool Cats received in Liverpool (From both Liverpool and Everton) Leeds, Millwall and Chelsea and even more so the shock value a mixed race firm received in places like Newcastle and Leeds.
Not a bad read, you will probably get through it in about an hour at best.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book was excellent, and thats comin from a Manchester United fan. Mickey Francis and his brothers tell the exact story of their years in football violence. He was brought up in one of, if not, the roughest areas in the country and uses this to get his point across. It is a must read book if you are a football fan and has been brilliantly written.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As far as football violence goes, and lets face it the vast majority of such epics are tedious, dubious and do little but glorify mass battles in areas where it is likely that women and children can be found, this is about as good as it gets. Make no bones about it, Mr. Francis is an extremely complex and "hard"person. He makes several key statements that sociologists who constantly review the hooligan culture, should take on board such as the fact that he didn't just fight at football, he was prone to violence wherever and whenever. It also shows how difficult it was for him to move into legitimacy because of the reputation he and his associates had acquired not only with the authorities but with others in later life. A key publication in this overflowing and glorified area.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read
Brilliant Book.
A true portrayal of gang culture on the terraces. Its told by a Manchester City fan who still goes too the games now. Read more
A true portrayal of gang culture on the terraces. Its told by a Manchester City fan who still goes too the games now. Read more
Published 16 days ago by John Dawson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Guvnor review
A very honest account of football violence in the 70s and 80s and the organisation of the club's home and away
Published 1 month ago by arsenal1
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting read, but doesn't really flow...
Lots of good anecdotes about travelling fans and rivalries - the ups and downs of being a football fan, the banter and the battles. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Tootall
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative
This book had lots of information and was very informative. Once i started i couldn't stop reading. I never knew the extent of football hooliganism
Published 4 months ago by footiebabe
2.0 out of 5 stars
Poor book, poorly written.
In short this is the worse hooligan book I have read to date. Leave well alone. This is not about a football firm but about beating innocent match goers up when they outnumber... Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2009 by Liverpool Red 1
5.0 out of 5 stars
good honest read
Quite simply the best book on the subject of working class lads fighting for their team I've read. And I've read most of them. Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2008 by woods
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cool Cats
I travelled with MCFC in the 70's and 80's and with The Cool Cats a few times. The coaches used to pick up under Piccadilly Station at Store Street and Donald would pull guys off... Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2007 by bluemoonboy
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best soccer hooligan book - by the greatest soccer hooligan!
As a football team, MCFC may have been overshadowed regulary by the arguably more famous team they share this city with, but their hooligan gang, the Guvnors, always had masses of... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2006 by M. Oldham
5.0 out of 5 stars
great!
it really tells you a good and truthful story of the hooliganism of football. The bloke doesn't like football though!
Published on 27 Oct 2004 by "sammyddd_411"
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Right F***in good read
Mick and the boys obviously tell it how it is but i must say one thing I certainly wouldn`t like to bump into Mr Francis in a dark alley Micky or his brothers,I find this a factual... Read more
Published on 11 Nov 2001
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