Команда

The Billy Evans Gangland Trilogy #1

by Dougie Brimson

Английский писатель Дуги Бримсон, футбольный болельщик со стажем, предлагает взглянуть на мир футбольных вандалов изнутри. Триллер "Команда" - ужасающая в своей обыденности история борьбы пестрой компании английских хулсов со стражами правопорядка. Главарь одной из группировок, удачливый бизнесмен Билли Эванс, задумывает хитроумную аферу, надеясь с помощью "бойцов" обвести полицию вокруг пальца. И футбол для него - далеко не всегда на первом месте.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Sports, Thriller, Football, Crime, Novels

320 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1996

About the author

In 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).

Reviews

[Godzilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was aware of Dougie Brimson as a hooligan writer, but have never read his body of work up to now.

This is his first novel, and I must say it pleasantly surprised me. Perhaps my expectations were set low, and so easily exceeded, but the book rattles along at a good pace, the characterisations were realistic and involving.

I certainly didn't see where the plot was heading and it worked well. I expected a trite football hooligan story, but this delivered a lot more.

[Jay Fromkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I had an understanding of British soccer hooligans, but Dougie Brimson's "The Crew" is an in-depth novelization of the hooligan life and the police response to it. This topic seems to have dominated Brimson's writing career since 1997. Hooliganism is an odd-subculture of sport, which we we've only seen in diminutive form in the United States - small riots when teams win; small riots when they lose; the occasional fight at a baseball or football game. But British hooliganism, and European hooliganism as far as that goes, is fighting for the sake of fighting, territorialism in the extreme, more like American gang culture. Perhaps it's the popularity of football, the xenophobia of the hooligan class, and the geographical proximity but historical separation from Europe that makes British hooliganism abroad legendary. That's also what forms the framework for "The Crew." From street fights among hooligan crews in Britain, the book broadens out to fears of a hooligan invasion of Rome - on behalf of an Italian fascist group - to interrupt an England-Italy international match. With an informant inside a British hooligan crew, England's National Football Intelligence Unit (NFIU) works to reign in the hooligans, stop an international incident, and connect hooligan leader Billy Evans to an incident years earlier that resulted in the death of an NFIU officer and the near-fatal beating of NFIU Detective Paul Jarvis. Throughout the book, Jarvis and Evans match wits as the England-Italy match approaches. Brimson maintains the suspense throughout, from beginning to the surprising end. Don't worry if you don't like football (soccer); that's not what the book's about.

[Theweebarrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed this now looking forward to book 2

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel follows a desperate attempt by the police to pin down Evans, the assumed leader of one of the country's top firms and the lengths they'll go to, to get him. They convince (read coerce) an arrested hooligan to go in as an informant, hoping to get more evidence on Evans and finally be able to convict him. The police know something huge is going to happen on this trip to Rome but they just can't work out what it is.

This novel is as much as thriller as anything else, with copious amounts of violence (necessary) and expletives (even more necessary), the picture created is bleak and the conclusion is so clever well, I would love to say more but that would ruin the ending for others wouldn't it? This novel may have took its time to convince me but by the end I was desperate to know what happened next and am looking forward to buying the sequel. Despite me obviously enjoying this novel because I'm interested in the subject matter, I think it would appeal to others too.

Awesome novel, appealing subject matter, just great

[Barrie Penman · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book downloaded from kindle (cos it was free)
(Still Free)

Not really my interests, football, hooliganism..... but....
Soon swept up with the momentum.

Well worth tdownloading.

[Viktoria Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best, entertaining and intriguing books I read lately. Can't wait to start Top Dog.

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is a book that I've wanted to read for a long time, but never got round to. So I was very happy to have finally read it over the past few days. It's one of those books however that I don't think needs a massive review, and with nearly 450 reviews on Amazon alone I don't know what else I can say that hasn't been said before. First published in 1999, you can find out more about it's conception over on Dougie's website here. Very interesting to see how the book came to fruition. I read a few hooligan books when I was younger but this is the first fictional book I've read.

It's an absolutely brilliant book and one you don't need to be a huge football fan to enjoy, yes football is part of it but it's so much more than that. There's a lot of reviews over on Amazon from female readers who have read and really enjoyed this book. Some scenes are a bit brutal, but to be honest anyone going into the book not expecting that is a bit naive. For me having grown up witnessing and watching violence in films and real life it doesn't offend me in the written form. That said, the violence is absolutely necessary to the book and isn't just thrown in for the sake of it. Plenty of swearing also which I don't bat an eyelid at but I know some people complain about it in books which is baffling.

The book is full of twists and turns, and as for the ending, I'm reeling and can't wait to read Top Dog when my review tbr is less staggering, especially as it's now a film. I know a few people were disappointed by the ending of this book but I'm certainly not one of them. All through the book my opinions changed about each of the characters. At times I liked them, at others I couldn't stand them. You get to see both sides: the hooligans and the police attempting to uncover what they have planned in Italy. The police have no idea however just what Billy Evans has planned. You can really feel the frustration that Paul Jarvis has trying to take Evans down and the hatred he has for him is so strong.

All very realistic and believable it's a very hard hitting and thought provoking read. And I don't think there's many people more qualified to have written a book like this than Dougie Brimson. The writing is incredible.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

British hooligan authority Brimson turns his hand to fiction in this surprisingly readable bit of pulp about a top hooligan and the policeman with a sworn vendetta against him. The plot is fairly simple, DI Paul Jarvis of the National Football Intelligence Unit watched a fellow policeman die a few years previously in a hooligan rampage orchestrated by Billy Evans. Fast-forward a few years and Evans is a top man and a semi-respectable used car dealer. Jarvis discovers Evans is planning something big in conjunction with an England game in Italy, and tries every means possible to find out what. Part of that means putting the screws on those trusted by Evans, and soon enough, Jarvis has got a grass to go along with the undercover officer already on the scene. The story builds nicely to the climax in Italy, and has a really well setup twist at the end that'll leave you shaking your head. I didn't expect much from this book, and to be sure, it's not of the same quality as John King, but it does deliver a page-turning punch of a read.

[L.R. Currell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. I'd give this book four and a half stars if I could. The story is very easy to follow. I didn't think Evans character was solid at first but by the end of the book I got it. Using this story as a sort of prelude (it isn't exactly) into Evan's character being the protagonist in the next is a great idea.

I kind of lost touch with the whole exporting cars idea. I would have to go back and re read it again to fully comprehend. I am a fast reader so I normally get the main Crux of the book and can miss things on occasion. Saying that I got the fact that Evans got away by covering his bases. Even if I didn't put all the pieces of the puzzle together, I still got the big picture.

A great read, I put it down a couple times but was anxious to pick it up again. I liked the cat and mouse game of the cops and the hooligans. Very well written for a nice, relatively easy read.

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is probably more for the fellas but having said that I did enjoy it. I even had a bit of empathy with Fitch (one of the baddies)!
The only thing I didn't really like about this one was the ending - not because it was badly written or anything but because it didn't end the way it should have in my head :oD Maybe that's what made it such a good read?
On the whole, it's a good insight into the hooligan culture and a bit of an eye opener :o)

[Elizabeth Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Dougie Brimson's non-fiction books about football hooliganism while researching my latest novel and found them informative and helpful. I decided to give this novel a go. Plenty of insight into the mind of the football hooligan, interspersed with a gripping story that kept me interested right to the end.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has been heavily involved in the policing and stewarding of football I found this a fantastic read. It is a great insight into the world of football hooligans but not for the faint hearted. I loved the ending too - even if it was met with an involuntary expletive! Read this and then buy Top Dog to find out what happens next...

[Qfreak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't my usual read, but it was free on Amazon. I was sucked in within a few pages and couldn't wait to see what happened. The last couple of chapters were a bit strung out I found, but other than that I really enjoyed it, and will happily pay for the follow up.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book let's you feel the characters. The hooliganism is a secondary story to the main plot but I found I wanted to keep on turning the pages. The ending was a bit blunt but what's the point of a book always finishing how you expect it to?

[Chris Copley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's violent, gritty and raw in places, but this book is gripping and tense throughout. The story is fast-paced and entertaining and it's definitely one that once you've started it, you won't want to put it down.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story of how the police try to infiltrate the top boys of english football hooligans

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Interesting story line. Definately made me want to read the second book.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

fast paced, a lot of violence and an ending that you don't expect

[Nikitas Bompolias · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really a football fan, but to be honest it doesn't matter. The book is really a page turner. It's a crime thriller with a twist. It's not generally long and quit enjoyable.

[Vik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual type of read, it was fine as a quick airplane read. Gives you a good fictionalised view of hooliganism from the perpetrator and police view.

[Georgina Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this! Probably not the ending that everyone would expect but still a shock anyway. Will defi try and read the next book in the series

[Michael G Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent story of crime,violence and hooliganism

[Polina Traore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this being one of a few books, where the ending wasn't logical, it wasn't predictable, it was so incredibly unexpected, I wanted to go around screaming at people about how wonderful this book is. Too bad it was late night, when I finished it.
I read it because I love football (or soccer). But it had little to do with the sports itself, while it had a lot to do with the culture.
This is a detective story, a story of violence that presents the beauty of sickening facts.
"The Crew" is the example of what you shouldn't read if you are scared of understanding someone you don't want to understand. And this is not a one-time read for sure.
It paints a picture, it pictures the era, and in my mind, it deserves its own genre. Wild and honest, intriguing, and brilliant in every way.
I think people, who can truly benefit from it are us, female writers. Because to tell a story from a guy's point of view, we need to know how men think. And we have it all here. Nothing needs to be invented or made-up.
Besides, it simply is a great book with a wonderful plot.

[David Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read and can't wait to read more from this author... I definitely will recommend this book to others ...

[Dan Sihota · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few weeks ago I was doing some personal research into how different authors write scenes of violence and I became aware of Dougie Brimson and his books on the subject of football hooligans. When I saw his book entitled, The Crew, available for a free download on Amazon, I decided to get myself a copy.

From a personal point of view, I was a little disappointed to find there isn't actually a great deal of violence in the book. This book is best described as a contemporary crime story, where the police are trying to catch some criminals, in this case, football hooligans. The story is juxtaposed between a specialist football unit in the police who are trying to put an end to football violence and the activities of the football hooligans. A key aspect of the story which doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense is that in order to monitor the activities of a group of hooligans, the police have infiltrated them with an undercover policeman who is black. While not everyone involved in football violence is a racist, many far-right supporters are known for their involvement. So, it doesn't make sense to send a person of colour undercover into an environment where he might not be very welcome. In fact, this lack of suitability causes the undercover operation to turn out badly. But to anyone who knows a little about football hooliganism, this failure shouldn't come as a surprise. So the fact that a specialist unit in the police set up to tackle football violence could fail to anticipate this seems a little implausible.

But what let the story down for me is that, unlike most other crime stories, the villains get away and the policemen end up in the dock. I'm not sure if Brimson did this deliberately so he could continue the story in a sequel, but this resulted in a very unsatisfying ending to this book.

The book is written in a very informal style, but I'm not sure if anyone unfamiliar with British slang or football culture would be able to follow it easily. This isn't a bad book, but awarding it two stars, describing it as okay does seem a little generous.

[shakti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

It’s a nice book with lots of good thoughts & ideas! Was a good read for me, I enjoyed it.

[Robert Hellier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much run of the mill crime with some hooligans thrown in story......fairly ho hum until a decent ending that surprised me and added a couple of extra stars...... Www.facebook.com/1000cutts :)

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty violent as expected and a good story set around football violence. Well written enough to make you dislike characters and their motivation.Good enough to make me want to read the follow up.

[Marc Wiener · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gripping good read

[Alan Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read slow start but a good read