entertaining but wanted a bit more

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2005)

Haven't read the book but read many similar on same topic so... Thought a few incidents a bit contrived like the Stoke hooligans just happening to show up at the rest stop. Too much focus on the so-called "second in command" of the Chelsea firm.
Even so I thought it got inside the head of the lead guy on why hooliganism grips him but, yeah, could have focused more on the adrenaline rush of violence these guys get off on. Don't really get why granddads were there as the whole WWII vet analogy is just not relevant really.
The fact none of these guys would last two seconds on the mean streets of any inner US ghetto makes what they do seem laughable. I mean, if Millwall and Chelsea supporters want to have a ruck outside of police eyes, why not arrange it any day of the week? Why wait to be drawn in an FA Cup tie and then the police show up and they are all 'fraidy cats, all of a sudden? I don't get it. But that's an aside.
It's worth watching just to hear the dialog alone and how they operate on match day which is fairly accurate (cell phones, spotters, CS gas, attacking pubs, etc.).