History of Firms

The history of hooliganism remains unclear in terms of when the first football firms began. Although the beginning of established firms is unknown, they can be traced all the way back to the Middle Ages in England. Edward II banned football because he felt that the violence and disorder surrounding matches led to social unrest and tension. The first recorded instances of gangs in England occurred in the 1880s. In order to establish themselves, gangs would intimidate neighborhoods and referees.

A specific example of early gang activity in 1885 includes Preston North End and Aston Villa. After a friendly match in which Preston defeated Aston Villa 5-0, the two teams were pelted with stones and spat at. One player was actually beaten so severely that he almost lost consciousness. In 1905, Preston fans were tried for hooliganism. There was no recorded firm activity between the two world wars, but it received widespread media attention in the late 1950s. By the 1960s there was an average of 25 hooligan incidents reported in England each year.



Football firm violence replaced unorganized violence in relation to sports, however both groups are considered to be hooligans. Today, football firms are also referred to as casuals. Beginning in the 1970s, members of firms began to dress differently. Instead of wearing clothing associated with the club that they represented, they would dress in designer clothes and expensive sportswear. Popular designers associated with UK football firms include Pringle, Fred Perry, Burberry, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, and Stone Island. By dressing in a more casual manner, firms no longer stood out to police, and it became a mechanism to avoid arrest.

NationMaster.com
2005 Football Hooliganism, The Free Encyclopedia.