Scum Airways: Inside Football's Underground Economy

by John Sugden

Soccer is big business, and it doesn't come much bigger than Manchester United. But in the shadow of Old Trafford, a black economy is growing to rival the commercial power of the official sales channels. Scum Airways is an inside investigation of the Manchester grafters—touts, black marketeers, and shady dealers—who, led by characters like "Big Tommy," have come up with a remarkably successful money-making Scum Airways. With the expansion of the Champions League came the opportunity for the grafters to move into the independent travel business. International Travel is the company for those who, through choice or because their police records prohibit them, do not travel with the official clubs. Tommy's core clients are the "Lads"—die-hard 30-something football hooligans. Scum Airways follows the exploits and adventures of Big Tommy and his team of grafters as they continue to build their empire. John Sugden went along for the ride and provides startling insights into professional soccer's burgeoning black economy.

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2002

About the author

An independent scholar and a former associate editor of Oxford University Press's American National Biography project, John Sugden holds degrees from the Universities of Leeds, Lancaster and Sheffield.