The Real Football Factories: A Global Tour of Hooliganism

By: Bob | June 13th, 2007

You might remember a film that came out a couple of years ago based on the John King book, The Football Factory. It featured a fictional group of Chelsea fans called the Headhunters who do battle with other hooligan groups across England, including Millwall’s Bushwhackers. The movie didn’t really work for me and was not nearly as good as the book.

One of the stars of the film, Danny Dyer, has been busy lately filming a series of documentaries about hooligan and fan culture in places from London to Argentina. I have been watching various clips of The Real Football Factories on YouTube the past few days and have to say that some of the action is quite compelling.

The clips don’t glamorize the ultras nor do they condemn them. They present the groups as they are, which is sometimes crazy, sometimes dangerous and thoroughly fascinating to those of us who have not grown up in this environment.

The clips are scattered about the Web, so I have done my best to compile them in sequence for somewhat easy viewing. Most of the parts are about 10 minutes long so be prepared to have your time gobbled up. Let me know what you think.

Argentina
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Balkans
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

England
Part 1 | Part 2

Italy
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Turkey
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Soccer Forums

Team/International Results

Category: World Football

Tags: hooligans, The Real Football Factories, Ultras, video, World Football, World Soccer

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• Andy |  June 13th, 2007 at 11:40 am

  
  
  

  I have watched the Turkey and Argentina programmes in full and if you think that England is bad!!! then you aint seen nothing yet… even Dyer was shi**ing himself (and he is a hard man) but there was alot said about camardrie and an awful lot said about corruption within the clubs featured and their fans - especially in Argentina

  Posted from United States

  

• Chris |  June 13th, 2007 at 12:15 pm

  
  
  

  What ever happened to Harry The Dog?

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Peter |  June 13th, 2007 at 2:11 pm

  
  
  

  I made it through the Italy series and think I need to go to church or something to cleanse my soul. Pretty cool stuff even if it is scary.

  Posted from United States

  

• Christian |  June 13th, 2007 at 3:37 pm

  
  
  

  I’ve seen some of the videos from Scotland and England and they are such a joke. For one, he keeps pretending that everywhere he goes is some danger zone where violence is just a step away from kicking off, and that every hooligan he talks to is some kind of psycho. But really, he only interviews guys whos USED to be thugs, but are either too old or gave it up. I haven’t seen them all, but I think it’s English media influence of trying to make a scandal out of anything.

  Posted from

  

• Tom |  June 13th, 2007 at 3:44 pm

  
  
  

  I’ve seen all three programmes in their entirety, through the magics of bittorrent. Christian, I do agree it gets VERY tiresome how EVERY game he attends is suddenly too overwhelming for words in its intensity, and every meeting he has with an ultra has him claiming he’s about to pee his pants with fear.

  On the other hand, to be fair, he does interview some guys who are clearly still the top dogs in their groups, and it’s fascinating stuff overall.

  Posted from United States

  

• Clint |  June 13th, 2007 at 6:48 pm

  
  
  

  Not to be confused with the actual Headhunters, of course.

  For an interesting read, check out any responsible account of the fall of Yugoslavia and how some of the most vile hooligan firms on Earth influenced the politics and violence that split the country up. Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb and Partizan being three of the teams who had groups of fans that displayed a level of hyper-violence during that period that would be tough to equal - or stomach.

  Posted from United States

  

• Federico |  October 26th, 2007 at 11:12 am

  
  
  

  no me deja verlos aguante el rojo y argentina

  Posted from Argentina

  

• Federico |  October 26th, 2007 at 11:12 am

  
  
  

  aguante el rojo y argentina

  Posted from Argentina

  

• Pitch Invasion · Ultras video - 06.14.07 - Curva Nord |  November 5th, 2007 at 6:32 pm | Pingback

  
  
  

  [...] is a clip from the show featuring the interview with Bocia (hat-tip to The Offside for finding this on youtube, something I failed to dig up [...]

  Posted from United States

  

• letva |  November 23rd, 2007 at 6:28 am

  
  
  

  y just want to say dat there is no hooligans in the world like CROATIAN hooligans.

  MI HRVATI!!!!!

  Posted from Croatia

  

• Dunc |  December 13th, 2007 at 2:16 am

  
  
  

  Scotlands the hardest out of them all =D

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• kill for you |  March 10th, 2008 at 7:38 am

  
  
  

  you did not see anything about hooliganism in turkey. there are much more thing doing around.

  Posted from Turkey

  

• iasi |  March 23rd, 2008 at 10:10 am

  
  
  

  Forza POLI IASI!

  Posted from

  

• Miscellany from a hiatus — Movie Information blog |  March 30th, 2008 at 10:37 am | Pingback

  
  
  

  [...] hooligan groups across England, including Millwalls Bushwhackers. The movie didnt really source: The Real Football Factories: A Global Tour of…, Soccer News and Opinion from leagues around the world [...]

  Posted from United States

  

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