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March of the Hooligans
Hooligan-turned-acclaimed author Dougie Brimson is the UK's most respected authority on soccer hooligan-ism. Now, in a book written specifically for an American audience, he tells the astonishing story of the rampant hooliganism among European soccer fans and how it could spread to the United States. Written in the raw, in-your-face style that has won considerable acclaim in Europe--the "Daily Mail" (London) said Brimson had written "probably the best book ever on soccer violence"--"March of the Hooligans" is a powerfully intimate look at what hooliganism has become and where it is headed.
224 pages, Paperback
Published March 9, 2010
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About the author
Dougie Brimson
28 books81 followersIn recent years, former serviceman Dougie Brimson has emerged as one of the most diverse writers in Britain.
Perhaps best known for penning the multi-award winning feature Green Street, his writing career began in 1996 when after 18 years service with the RAF, he co-authored the best-selling non-fiction work Everywhere We Go. A book that remains essential reading for anyone with an interest in the culture of English football.
A further 18 books have followed including the crime thriller The Crew which topped the Amazon sports book download charts for nine years following its publication in eBook format and the comedy Wings of a Sparrow which after a successful electronic release, was issued in print.
May 2020 saw the release of In The Know. The third book in The Crew/Top Dog trilogy involving Essex gang leader, Billy Evans. In The Know topped the Amazon political thriller charts in mar 2021.
In 2003 Dougie made the move into screenwriting first with the critically acclaimed short movie It’s a Casual Life and then with his first full length feature, the Hollywood funded Green Street starring Elijah Wood. Following its release in September 2005, the film won numerous awards including:
Narrative Jury Prize - SXSW Film Festival
Narrative Feature Audience - SXSW Film Festival
Best of Festival – Malibu Film Festival
Jury Award (feature) – Malibu Film Festival
Official Selection – Tribeca Film Festival
May 2014 saw the release of his second feature, an adaptation of his own novel, Top Dog. Directed by Martin Kemp (The Krays, Eastenders) the film took the Best Feature award at the British Independent Film Festival as well as the Best Actor (Leo Gregory), Best Supporting Actor (Ricci Harnett) and Best Supporting Actress (Lorraine Stanley) awards. It has also been nominated in the Best Action Film category at the National Film Awards 2015.
A third feature, the urban revenge thriller, We Still Kill The Old Way (starring Ian Ogilvy, James Cosmo, Steven Berkhoff and Danni Dyer) was released on 16th December 2014. It has been nominated in numerous categories, including Best Action Film at the 2015 Action Elite Awards.
Other film projects in development include adaptations of his comedy novels Wings of a Sparrow and Billy’s Log, Mister One Hundred (a biography of Welsh darts legend Leighton Rees), Boots on the Ground (a drama about a British soldier injured in Afghanistan) and Three Greens (a modern day reworking of the classic movie The League of Gentlemen).
Perhaps best known for penning the multi-award winning feature Green Street, his writing career began in 1996 when after 18 years service with the RAF, he co-authored the best-selling non-fiction work Everywhere We Go. A book that remains essential reading for anyone with an interest in the culture of English football.
A further 18 books have followed including the crime thriller The Crew which topped the Amazon sports book download charts for nine years following its publication in eBook format and the comedy Wings of a Sparrow which after a successful electronic release, was issued in print.
May 2020 saw the release of In The Know. The third book in The Crew/Top Dog trilogy involving Essex gang leader, Billy Evans. In The Know topped the Amazon political thriller charts in mar 2021.
In 2003 Dougie made the move into screenwriting first with the critically acclaimed short movie It’s a Casual Life and then with his first full length feature, the Hollywood funded Green Street starring Elijah Wood. Following its release in September 2005, the film won numerous awards including:
Narrative Jury Prize - SXSW Film Festival
Narrative Feature Audience - SXSW Film Festival
Best of Festival – Malibu Film Festival
Jury Award (feature) – Malibu Film Festival
Official Selection – Tribeca Film Festival
May 2014 saw the release of his second feature, an adaptation of his own novel, Top Dog. Directed by Martin Kemp (The Krays, Eastenders) the film took the Best Feature award at the British Independent Film Festival as well as the Best Actor (Leo Gregory), Best Supporting Actor (Ricci Harnett) and Best Supporting Actress (Lorraine Stanley) awards. It has also been nominated in the Best Action Film category at the National Film Awards 2015.
A third feature, the urban revenge thriller, We Still Kill The Old Way (starring Ian Ogilvy, James Cosmo, Steven Berkhoff and Danni Dyer) was released on 16th December 2014. It has been nominated in numerous categories, including Best Action Film at the 2015 Action Elite Awards.
Other film projects in development include adaptations of his comedy novels Wings of a Sparrow and Billy’s Log, Mister One Hundred (a biography of Welsh darts legend Leighton Rees), Boots on the Ground (a drama about a British soldier injured in Afghanistan) and Three Greens (a modern day reworking of the classic movie The League of Gentlemen).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 14, 2011
Fun fact the term hooligan comes from an Irish family who terrorized London's east end in the 1890s they were called O'Hooligan. This book has many other interesting facts about football and hooliganism that I did not know till I read it.
If I was to teach an introductory class to the History of English Hooliganism this would be one of the books required. Unlike other Hooligan books that mainly focus on the author’s adventures to different footie grounds, stating what other firms they fought or who bottled it, this book focuses more on the history of Hooliganism. The beginning of this book does start out like those other hooligan books with the author explaining his role in fights and what drew him into it in the first place. It then evolved into the telling of how hooligans acted or why they did it, which I felt I had already read in other hooligan related books and thought a bit repetitive. But when I thought I had known most of what the rest of the book would be about, the author delves into the history of Hooliganism and this was very interesting for me.
If I was to teach an introductory class to the History of English Hooliganism this would be one of the books required. Unlike other Hooligan books that mainly focus on the author’s adventures to different footie grounds, stating what other firms they fought or who bottled it, this book focuses more on the history of Hooliganism. The beginning of this book does start out like those other hooligan books with the author explaining his role in fights and what drew him into it in the first place. It then evolved into the telling of how hooligans acted or why they did it, which I felt I had already read in other hooligan related books and thought a bit repetitive. But when I thought I had known most of what the rest of the book would be about, the author delves into the history of Hooliganism and this was very interesting for me.
January 8, 2008
An excellent primer to what is a truly European fad/disease--soccer hooliganism. Rather than glorifying and glamorizing the activity, the author does an excellent job at simply describing the political and sociocultural trends that allowed for such brutality to take place as well as the anonymous nature of hooliganism which breeds violence. While I disagree with the premise that hooliganism could happen in the United States (if it could, why hasn't it attached itself to other sports?), it is worth considering and preventing.
March 18, 2008
this book reads like your friends dad is telling you really violent stories that make you feel slightly uncomfortable. especially when one story just bleeds right in to the next. "yea Mr. Johnson you told me about the
Manchester match. oh this is a diffrent one? 10 people died at this one? really, hows about you skip all the details and just give me the jist of it."
Manchester match. oh this is a diffrent one? 10 people died at this one? really, hows about you skip all the details and just give me the jist of it."
May 27, 2008
Not a bad read if you are unaware of the hooligan culture. Kind of got a little repetitive at times, but definitely goes into the whole culture of soccer in England.
December 8, 2008
A weak offering from the hoolie-writes-a-book-for-pay genre. Not totally horrible, but not good.
December 9, 2008
I give it a solid "meh".
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews