There are two Arsenal hooligan firms, The Gooners (a mutation of the club's nickname, The Gunners) and The Herd.
| Founding location | Holloway, London |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1978-present |
| Territory | Islington |
| Ethnicity | White, White Irish, Greek Cypriots, Asian and Black British |
| Membership (est.) | 120-160 |
| Criminal activities | Football hooliganism, riots and fighting |
| Allies | The Gooners |
The Gooners were a violent football hooligan firm mainly active in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the name is now used by most non-hooligan Arsenal supporters.
The Herd was mainly active between the late 1970s and early 1990s, it still exists.[1] The Herd are a hooligan gang. The main rivals of The Herd in the 1980s and in the present day are West Ham's I.C.F., Tottenham Hotspur's Yid Army, Chelsea's Headhunters and Millwall's F-Troop (later known as the Millwall Bushwackers). Although The Herd was mainly considered to be a hooligan gang, a few members were not physically violent.[citation needed] Dainton Connell (aka Dainton "The Bear" Cornnell) was considered a folk hero by many Arsenal fans, but died in a car crash in 2007, with 3,000 mourners attending his funeral including several ex players.[2] The Herd's most notorious clashes were with West Ham at Upton Park in 1983, Millwall fans at Highbury in 1988, PSG's ultras Boulogne Boys in Paris in 1994 before the Cup Winners Cup semi-final and with Galatasaray fans in City Hall Square, Copenhagen in 2000.[3][4][5]
References edit
- ^ Jackson, Jamie (22 August 2010). "The hooligan problem and football violence that just won't go away". The Observer. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ "Thousands attend funeral of legendary Arsenal fan". The Times. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ Millwall versus the mob
- ^ "Surprise attack by Arsenal fans seeking revenge sparked battle". The Guardian. 19 May 2000. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ "Arsenal fans fear more violence". BBC News. 17 May 2000. Retrieved 2011-04-13.