Firstly, the English have been known to get a long history of football hooligan problems, predating till the 19th Century. The intensity of fighting has been very high, with English fans once in 1985 being banned from watching away matches after a crowd disorder lead to the death of 39 people (mostly Italians). The weapons used for fighting were extremely dangerous, aimed at referees and other rival gangs. Weapons such as bottles, knives, bars were used, with a reporter once reporting, “bottles were flying around like hailstone.” Comparatively, hooligans in other countries are not that intensified and are largely described as “post-war phenomenon”.
Secondly, it has been reported that English hooligans are readily been reported to be exported to foreign countries and there has been many serious cases of English Hooligans causing disruptions in foreign places, where many away matches are taking place. Comparatively, it has been found that foreign hooligans do not create serious troubles in English home matches and that there have been relatively very few inter-country hooliganism that have not involved English Hooligans.
Thirdly, many of the English Hooligans create trouble at National level, while traveling with the national team as well as in clubs. Many a times, trouble has been created at international levels by English Hooligans. Comparatively, other countries, such as Holland, France, Italy, Spain only have hooligan related cases confided to clubs. The intensity and seriousness of Hooligans is much more in England than in any other nation around the world.
Drink having any part in Hooliganism?
English fans are known to be heavy drinkers and the drinks are not expensive due to relatively high income and standards of living. It is known to be ‘manly’ to be drinking and celebrating with friends. It is especially a feast to be drinking in trips abroad to foreign places. On many occasions, situations have gotten out of hands due to excessive drinking and the English hooligans are unaware of their deeds due to the intense pleasure and excitement they achieve from drinking. Below is a table carrying information on arrests and offences in making (international and league matches), showing the wide range of offences that have occurred, for which arrests have been made.
Figure 5: Arrests and charges 2000/2001 (all matches, including international)
Source: NCIS
From the above table it can be seen that nearly more than ¼ of the arrest were heavy drinking related. However, it isn’t justified and sensible to say that drinking causes hooliganism. Other different offences have been reported of causing hooliganism. Additionally, there have been many Danish, Scottish, and Irish football fans that drink a lot, but hardly cause any crowd disorder. Whereas, there have been cases that people hardly drunk have become very violent and have caused crowd disruption. It can be concluded that hooligans are aggressive beforehand and drinking makes them a little more aggressive and violent; but drinking is not the major cause of hooliganism.
Involvement of Political Groups
It has been widely exaggerated that many of the hooliganism events taking place are carefully planned and pre-arranged by political groups aimed at disrupting the crowd and the game. However, according to analysts, research says that there is no hand of organizations/political groups that are involved in hooligan acts. Still there are a few hooligan groups that spread racist comments/acts and aim at causing racial disruption in the crowd, as well as in the game. The English officials believe that these racial groups need to be sought out, in order to prevent the spread of racial discrimination, which can result in deadly effects to the game and the atmosphere of the football matches.
In Appendix A, there is a list of football teams and their associated hooligan groups.
Hooligan linked to Football
Hooliganism is linked to football due to the traditional aggressiveness of the game, the working class workers competitiveness and also due to the culture of the game of exhibiting territorial and masculine power. It is also a symbolic representation in English Football where it represents the struggle of two ‘men’ teams aiming at showing their masculine powers. Additionally, the aggressiveness and hardness on the field have been one of the many reasons why men have enjoyed watching masculine challenges and have resulted in the growth of hooliganism (though now decreasing due to increase strictness of police authorities). Many reputated players have been famous for their aggressiveness on the field and have been fined thousands of pounds, some even being banned for a number of matches. Thought, it is still believed that this is not the main reason, as hooligans appear to strike even before the start of the matches! Other instances, such as dressing room punches and players boasting about their masculine battle fields have caused to be an inspiration of encouragements to the hooligans.
However, one other main reason is that football is one of the oldest sports known and since past has had hooligan cases. In the past, when old tribes used to play, it was a clash of tribes to exhibit their power and superiority. This trend led to many violent scenes both in and out of field, and since then has not been a representation of two teams, but of two tribes/cities/towns. This long term aggressiveness has now been considered a tradition and football being the most popular sport played, there is no doubt that much widespread hooligan is left unnoticed. Additionally, the intensity of hooliganism in football is more than in any other sport. Thus, it is due to these reasons that hooliganism is linked to football.
In Other Sports
There are cases where hooliganism has been cited in various other sports. However, the intensity of hooliganism found in other sports has been less than that found in football. There have been times where panics have aroused in the behaviour of spectators in sports like boxing, rugby league and cricket. In cricket, a special English group called the “Barmy’s Army or Daddy’s Army” are known for their indecent behaviour of mocking at players on the field and of spreading violence. Disturbances and signs of hooliganism have also been found in horse racing, bike racing. However, the intensity, the coverage, the regularity is nothing compared to Football. Thus, hooliganism in other sports is seldomly looked and refered at.
Media
Media has a substantial role in hooliganism. Media has always been a source of motivation and encouragement to the hooligans. Quoted by a person, “the language used by the media is more like a world of war than sport, causing to heighten rivalries between rival groups. Printing unnecessary and vague predictions of possible violence, the media partially causes cities and places to be more violence proned and make the particular place extra cautioned, causing further trouble to the spectators. Media activities are promoting, though they do not ‘cause’ hooliganism. There have been ways that media have used to cause widespread hooliganism to be promoted.
Firstly, the media has printed articles aimed at criticizing different soccer playing nations, their culture and tradition, such as German (Krauts), French (Frogs), Spaniards (Dagos). This has caused conflicts to arise between people, especially at national level, where home and away matches are troubled by crowd dispute.
Secondly, the intense interest of the media has caused hooligan incidences to escalate and make it significant. Media people print articles aimed at running scare stories about hooligan fears, raising caution and tense for the host place, resulting in the bad behaviour of the police. The pictures printed additionally disrupt the environment and raise fear between people. Being in main headlines, the hooligans love to be popular and as a result, get inspired of escalating their hooligan activities. Additionally, it has been reported that journalists encourage disorder and report false rumours about local hooligan activities, in order to create action to write in the news. They are willing to do anything at any price possible to get some action.
Thirdly, its role of making hooligans and hooligan groups as “big celebrities” has promoted and encouraged people to join the groups and encourage the hooligans to continue with their activities.
Thus, media has quite a big role in using its power of communication in inappropriately encouraging, promoting hooliganism, getting the reader interested. This not only causes violence, but increase in disorder and decrease in peace.
Statement “It’s easy to become a football hooligan!”
A person looking at this statement would first of all clearly agree with the statement, saying that all you have to do is muck around and spread violence. However, looking at the above theories and research, I have mixed reactions for the statements. There are many aspects that come into play that needs to be taken under account when agreeing/disagreeing with the statement.
Gender issue is very important in hooliganism. According to tradition, hooliganism has always been a sign/way of men exhibiting their strength and masculine power. Women have been underestimated of not being superior and thus, have dismissed chances of women being a hooligan. Additionally, women are not physically that able and are not of harsh nature to be a hooligan. People would not readily accept women as a hooligan; it would be pretty hard to meet the physical and mental needs. Thus, more likely it would be easy for men to become a football hooligan.
Status is another important issue in hooliganism. Most of the hooligans are low paid workers, who aim at taking out their financial frustration by acting cool and spreading violence. Mental status also has a big role. Being of low status, they are situated under an atmosphere that encourages men to exhibit their manly powers and encourages violence. The persuasion of feeling the excitement, emotional joy, makes the working class men even more eager to take the risk and feel the intense happiness. Mentally stressed from financial, home problems, these low working class men are more proned to become hooligans then higher status people who are more mentally stable and are aware of the risks and its possible effects. The minds of hooligans are violent and crazy, willing to do crazy things. Thus, low paid workers with mental fatigues and people with violent minds aiming at risky fun will be the ones who are more likely to easily become football hooligans. Practical people who have other forms of enjoyment will certainly avoid the risk, due to their knowledge, experience and understanding of the situation.
To become a football hooligan, you need to be a true football fan! The excitement of being a hooligan really comes when you cheer and seriously defend your favourite team, feeling that you are more part of it. People cheering for a football team will more likely become football hooligans. Additionally, football leagues, places that are really into football, are countries mainly in Europe, some in Africa and South America. Thus, people living in these places will feel the excitement of football more and will be more likely to become a football hooligan than people living in places where football is scarce! Even hard being, there would hardly be any enjoyment in being a football hooligan in places where football is not played! It is easier to become a football hooligan in places in England where there are many to enjoy with and less chances of being caught, then places where you are more likely to suffer and get caught!
Being a football hooligan is serious business, as there are always high chances of being caught, attacked and to get seriously injured or killed! Thus, once again people who are prepare to be mentally violent and tough, ready to go and face the violence are more likely to become football hooligans than ones who would rather be safe!
Though, drinking would make you fiercer, above theories suggest that you do not need to be a drinker in order to become a hooligan. Thus, people who are non-drinkers can also easily become football hooligans. However, they are more likely not as they will definitely have a good state of mind! Additionally, it is easier to become an individual hooligan in football and just combine with someone for a night in spreading violence. Joining with a group that corresponds with your favourite team helps in making hooliganism more enjoyable. In other sports, it’s pretty difficult to become an individual hooligan, unless you have got support with you, as most likely you will be beaten up and caught! It's easier to become a football hooligan due to its popularity than in any other sport where there are hardly any hooligan cases! With support from media, you are more likely to be successful in becoming a football hooligan and get away with it.
From the above theories and justification, it is easier to become a football hooligan than of any other sports due to the visible advantages. However, the limitations of places, people, gender identity, risk, financial and mental status, football craziness are aspects that make it hard to become to a football hooligan. Thus, I believe you can become a football hooligan if you have got all of the above qualities and circumstances, though it is hard work and risky. Thus, I disagree with the statement that it is easy to become a football hooligan. However, it is easier to become a football fan than a football hooligan!
Bibliography
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Williams, J., Dunning, E. G., Murphy, P. (1989), Hooligans Abroad, Routledge.
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Dunning, E. G., Murphy, P., Williams, J. (1988), The Roots of Football Hooliganism, Routledge.
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Armstrong, G. (1998) Football Hooligans: Knowing the Score, Berg
- Football Hooliganism, University of Leicester, 2000, http://www.le.ac.uk/footballresearch/resources/factsheets/fs1.html
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BBC Hooligan Report (2000): news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/ tech/newsid_414000/414948.stm
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Hooligan Web site: homepages.pathfinder.gr/aek_hooligans/
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Hooligans (Appendix A): homepages.pathfinder.gr/aek_hooligans/
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Insight info on Hooligans: www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,32229,00.html
Appendix A
Table listing football teams and their associated hooligan groups.