Terrible!

Rating: 1/10 (1 September 2006)

I've just had the mispleasure of watching Greenstreet aka 'Hooligans' for the first time. And 'Pathetic' would be a kind way to some up the film!, I just cannot believe how bad it is!, the storyline is a joke, the casting is worse, the acting is'nt much better, I could go on and on, it really is that bad! It's true.................. Football firm's are still active today, but not as portrayed in Greenstreet!, (eg An Airline pilot who is a Hooligan come match day, and the Leader of the West Ham Firm managing a worse Cockney accent than Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins!(Great Film by the way) Anyway to set the record straight....originally 'football firm's' came out've the late 60's/early 70's when it was more of a Working Class London youth culture which spread across the country,(similar to the Mods v Rockers rivalry), kids between the ages of 15-21 would fight for there clubs and particular area or town they were from, that was the norm from the early 70's up until the mid 80's when security at English football grounds was almost non-existent, it was almost fashionable to fight at football in those days, it was a youth culture that carried on in a sad way to adulthood, unfortunately some of the youth's who started off rucking at football in the early days are still trying to do it now.... which is a joke!, but it is still around in this country and is very active in Europe and South America. Trying to explain 'football violence' to a North American would be hard as they are pretty gullible!(inturn believe Greenstreet!), but the closest thing I can relate it to is the Hip-Hop culture that come out've the Bronx, NYC in the 70's, where different gangs and crews would battle each other for supremacy, B-boy's, DJ's&MC's would go to different area's or borough's and battle rival crews etc, again a working class culture which spread across a nation and beyond, a way of life to the people involved. If you want a more realistic view on this subject have a look at a real-life documentary titled 'Hooligan' a documentary examining the 'Inner City Firm' or 'ICF' - a core of West Ham football supporters made up of professionals dedicated to the orchestration of organised hooliganism and violence. The documentary went on to inspire Alan Clarke's 'The Firm'.