Bovver: My Journey Through Football, Music, Fashion and Violence

by Chris Brown

It's the 1970s. The hair is shaved, the music is funky, and the soccer is violent. Every Saturday, legions of soccer fans take to the terraces to do battle with each other. Chris Brown was in the thick of it. The regulation haircut, clip-on braces, shrunk Levis, and bovver boots—he had the look that every self-respecting bovver boy tried for, and he launched himself into the culture of the decade with a passion. This is a story of those times. It is a story of the adrenaline-packed Saturday outings, a story of Tonik suits, terraces and The Maytals, of race riots, safety pins, and The Clash by way of P.Funk, platform shoes, and discos. This is a true story of the most maligned decade in British history.

356 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2001

Reviews

[Caesar Warrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Brown's story chronicles the history of football firms and the skinheads, bootboys and soulboys who filled their ranks. Brown gives us the intimate details of the fashions and music tastes of these gangs in the way of someone whose work the clothes and loved the sounds.

[Nigeyb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly good It's not all tales of football punch-ups - although there's quite a bit on that topic - there's also loads of interesting stuff on music, street fashion and social history. Chris Brown is articulate and a good story-teller. He was also an avid Bristol Rovers supporter/hooligan. I've only visited Bristol on three occasions so it also gave me a great insight into that fine city. Well worth reading if you're interested in music, street fashion and UK social history. There is also a fair amount on the beautiful thing we used to call "the punk rock".

[Barry Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bristol Rovers Fans - just as it was