Documentary on 657 crew and hooliganism - Portsmouth FC

More info here http://www.popcrunch.com/7-most-notorious-soccer-hooligan-firms-england/
A documentary of the Police and their battle to contain the antics of Portsmouth's 657 crew . For a small city Pompey's best lads punched well above their weight and gained national notoriety for their antics, particularly away from Fratton Park. A natural progression from the Pompey Boot Boys of the 1960's this tasty little firm came from Portsea Island. Being the most densley populated City in the UK the boys had a great degree of loyalty to each other as they were mainly close mates.
IT has to be understood that Firms in the 1980's were a progression from the original skinhead crews of the 1960's and they represent British culture of those eras. It was about fashion, music, camaraderie, turning your nose up to authority. It was about the emancipation of English youth. In the 1960's hooligans of the skinhead era were aged 13-19. By the 1980's most were in the age range of 16-25...still very young by today's standards.
Most of these guys were not career criminals, it was about pride and defending your manor. Such was the bad feeling between Millwall and Pompey during this era that Pompey were banned from Cold Blow Lane and Millwall banned from Fratton Park after years of bad riots.
Interesting how the Police Superintendent at that time introduced plain clothes spotters at away games to prevent the crew invading opponents home ends. The use of CCTV and proactive policing eventually curtailed the activities of English firms, although even today there are odd incidents.
What is shocking in this video is the way Everton fans were treated in the game highlighted in this video. The complete unpragmatic stance taken by Police against 100 Everton fans who travelled without tickets. Here you will see jobsworths in action with their triumphalist attitudes against some decent Everton Lads. Pompey became the only club in England where you couldn't pay cash at the turnstiles. The Police made every game all ticket resulting in Pompey losing 4-5000 from each home game. This was to cause a severe cash crisis that undermined our legendary managers(Alan Ball) efforts to stay in the top division.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 657 crew
• Portsmouth FC
• Pompey
• Fratton Park
• Everton FC
• hooligans

[jihuigou]

Those were the days my friend

[fitzy1201]

@jihuigou ♫ Those were the days my friend,

We thought they'd never end,

We'd sing and dance for ever and a day.

We'd live the life we choose,

We'd fight and never lose,

For we were young and sure to have our way

La la la la la. La la la la La la la laaa la, la la la la... ♫

[pompeyloyall]

inside firm..................oh my days

[pompey4life1234]

Lol my Grandad told me he voted for the 657 crew so he could get cheap fags on the gosport ferry :L

[pittenweem12]

4m 46secs- Pompey used Lambretta side panel badges as weapons?? Touch of class

[13JHoward]

There was me, that is Alex, and my 3 droogs, that is Pete, Georgie and Di, and we sat in the Korova Milk bar trying to make up our rassadookswhat to do with the evening. Nice fillm music reference. 0:50

[Islamisbad1]

@aberdeenasc115 yr olds hiding in bushes and attacking lone scarfers, a firm does not make.

[aberdeenasc1]

@fairway0000 -er,i know firms are a thing of the past. i presume by your sensless post u dont like s/hamton. they do have a group of 100 lads who pose about lkooking for trouble but know the police have it sewn up. the point i was making was i was surprised pompey didnt have one too. you are nothe brightest tool in the box ru. we all know the police have stopped large scale violence

[fairway0000]

@aberdeenasc1 Im sorry if i hit a nerve there somewhere, your obviously a supporter and a lil upset!! its just i'd never heard of Southampton ever having a firm :/ ... well not one worth talking about anyway, let alone one called "the inside firm" lol. I also feel you are pretty stupid here, everyone knows football firms in the UK are a thing of the past....

[andthereisntone]

cavemen

[aberdeenasc1]

@fairway0000 whats funnier is ive been with southampton[family ties in area] twice against pompey as a guest. they took the piss both x,FACT,mate. they have the acive firm not pompey which did surprise me! the u learn from others that southampton turn out for spurs and cardiff,which is more than pompey have done since the 80s[for 7 years or so]u cant live in past mate u look stupid

[fairway0000]

Want to hear something funny?

The inside firm of Southampton!

[bigheadfred6]

Play up pompey, pompey play up!