Every winter football hooligan firms across Europe send Christmas greetings out into the world. They do this via the underground networks they operate in, using groups on Telegram to communicate with the wider scene. I think it’s great—not only the uniquely scuzzy designs, but the whole vibe of fighting men doing something so light hearted.
These are not one dimensional people. Up top I’ve posted some of this year's best hooligans Christmas cards, from firms of all persuasions, from all over the continent. To be clear though, these are not the kind of firms most people envision when thinking of the average “hooligan”. These men are largely involved in forest fighting—a different discipline entirely. This is not Football Factory style violence.
Forest fighting is a lot more organised and skilled than the street scene. None of these lads throw chairs into cafe windows or attack random fans at the stadium. There is no “invisible wall” in the forest. Quite the opposite…
For my latest documentary, Thirteen Sector, I did a lot of research on this scene. The documentary is about the most notorious hooligan firm in, of all places, Kazakhstan.
Below is an adapted version of the historical context I wrote up for Thirteen Sector. It explains how hooliganism went from pints and lines to equal numbers and no weapons.
Real organised hooliganism began in Britain in the 1960s. For young working class men, it was a hard time. “Postwar prosperity” did not reach their neighbourhoods. As poverty and unemployment rose, the youth sought out commotion. They wanted danger, purpose, tribalism. They found it all, at the football.
Crews of opposing fans began to fight at the stadium. It was chaos. They’d rush each other’s stand, punching and kicking... This spread across the country and grew rapidly throughout the 70s.
By the 80s, hooliganism was its own counterculture. The gangs were now known as firms, and the firms were rampant. A violent underground formed. They created their own fashion, their own lifestyle, their own code.
Televised UK football violence made the hooligan known across the world. Scenes of street battles across England, Scotland, and Wales shocked viewers and terrified politicians.
As the 90s came around, the British government cracked down hard on hooliganism. Heavy policing, banning orders, surveillance… This crushed what was the current wave, but it didn’t kill the scene as a whole. Not at all. It was already evolving into something more structured in mainland Europe.
No one knows exactly when it happened, or who started it, but arranged fights with equal numbers became popular in the late 90s and 2000s. Captains of rival firms organised pre-planned fights away from police and stadiums. This was happening across Poland, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine, Holland, Russia… all over the place
Firms trained hard for these meetups. The violence was different—skilled and technical. Martial arts became essential. There were rules now too: no weapons, no running. This form of hooliganism was a unique departure from the street scene.
Arranged fights moved into secluded fields and woods, and it became known as Forest Fighting. A new hooligan discipline. Proper tactics were developed, firms hit the gym, and the chance of arrest was less likely. This new scene took off in a big way. Arranged fights with scores of hooligans is not uncommon.
The street fighting still exists, but dedicated Forest Fighting has sprung up all over Europe. This style of hooliganism is now a scene within itself. It remains hidden underground, but it’s extremely active.
Stay active, go outdoors, and have a great Christmas. Be sure to catch Thirteen Sector when it lands January 1st.
Fantastic article, thank you.
Oath thanks for sharing !