Derby Lunatic Fringe

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The Derby Lunatic Fringe (DLF), a hooligan firm active in Derby, England, since the early 1970s, began as small gangs of violent skinheads often under the influence of drugs or alcohol.^{[citation needed]} The members have mocked rival football hooligans such as the supporters of Nottingham Forest F.C. with threatening calling cards.^{[citation needed]}

1 1970s: Origins
2 1980s:
3 1990s: End of an era
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] 1970s: Origins

In 1970, several major outbreaks of football violence involved Derby supporters. The first took place at the Watney Cup final between Derby County and Manchester United. The Derby Evening Telegraph's headline read "Car Burnt in Skinheads' Derby Rampage."^{[citation needed]} In 1973, Match of the Day televised the mayhem that occurred after a match between Derby County and Chelsea; although the police tried to keep the hooligans at bay, violence erupted between the two teams' hooligan firms.^{[citation needed]}

At a 1974 match between Derby and Manchester United, police officers escorted members of firms associated with Manchester United around the back of the pitch in order to avoid conflict with the Derby firm.^{[citation needed]} The DLF fought with the Inter City Firm at a match against West Ham United at Wembley Stadium in 1975.^{[citation needed]} And on 16 January 1978, during a DLF fight with the Nottingham Forest Executive Crew,^{[citation needed]} police officers arrested 33 football hooligans. Five police officers were injured,^{[citation needed]} and the remaining hooligans left a trail of destruction in their wake.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1980s:

On 31 January 1983 the DLF and the Chelsea Headhunters met at a match between Derby County and Chelsea, where the Chelsea chairman Ken Bates pleaded with his fans to "stop it," although he later suggested that Margaret Thatcher should deal with the problem.^{[citation needed]} On 7 February 1983 the DLF set off to "intervene" in an upcoming match between Chelsea and Derby County, but after ingesting drugs and alcohol, the hooligans caused mayhem on the coach and were eventually forced to disembark by the driver.^{[citation needed]} The DLF were also abandoned at another football match, Barnet v Ilkeston, when police reinforcements with dogs were called in after fighting broke out among fans. Bottles became weapons, and many hooligans took to the pitch during the pre-match warm-up by players.

On 10 May 1984, the DLF caused havoc at Cassandra's Nightclub in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Hooligans hurled glasses and chairs at Portsmouth F.C. fans; one youth later had a splinter of glass removed from his eye. Four members of the DLF were arrested and later pleaded not guilty to causing a disturbance. On 6 June 1984, an all-out war began between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester Firms in Nottingham City Centre, causing damage to buildings and streets. On 5 December 1984, a football supporter was slashed with a knife and a mounted policeman hit by a flying brick as the DLF clashed with the Portsmouth 6.57 Crew. In October 1985, the DLF were involved in riots in Leicester. Hooligans hurled petrol bombs at the police, who later conducted a national manhunt to capture the perpetrators.

[edit] 1990s: End of an era

Millwall played Derby on 27 August 1994 in the second home game of the 1994-95 season at The New Den in a match important to Millwall. Derby had beaten them in the 1993-94 First Division playoffs two and a half months earlier, denying Millwall the chance to play for promotion to the top flight. Crowd violence ensued. On 18 May of the same year, during another bitter match, the pitch was invaded twice, and two Derby players were allegedly attacked.^{[citation needed]} After the match, a BBC Radio Derby car broadcasting from the match was attacked in the club's car park and turned over. Millwall and Derby fans also fought at the local Surrey Quays tube station.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997 more than 100 police succeeded in keeping rival firms DLF and the Forest Executive Crew apart. One member of the Forest Executive Crew was charged with assaulting a police officer.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2004, four members of the DLF were given a three year banning order from attending football matches and given 200 hours community service after clashes with Bradford City fans on 12 April 2004.^[1]