Inter City Firm
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The Inter City Firm ('ICF') was a UK football hooligan firm active in the 1970s and 1980s, affiliated with West Ham United.[1] The firm's name came from their use of the InterCity train network for travel to away games.[1]
One figure associated with the ICF was Cass Pennant, who authored one of the many books on football hooliganism published in the late 1990s, Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF. In his book, Pennant attempts to make clear that the ICF was not ostensibly a racist or right-wing firm (Pennant himself being a black Londoner), and that they were notably averse to joining up with firms of other teams whilst supporting the England national team. The former assertion has been disputed by many.[citation needed]
The ICF were the basis of Alan Clarke's TV one-off The Firm. Gary Oldman plays Bex Bissell, the leader of the ICC - Inter City Crew. Members of the ICF were used as consultants for The Firm film.[1] The ICF also make an appearance in Irvine Welsh's series of novellas Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance. The 2005 film Green Street Hooligans was based around the ICF, but did not use it by name. Instead, the initials 'GSE' (for Green Street Elite) were used. The ICF also appears in the film Rise of the Footsoldier.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Haley, A.J. (2001). "British Soccer Superhooligans, Emergence and Establishment: 1982-2000". The Sport Journal: Vol 4. United States Sports Academy.
[edit] References
- Gardner, Bill & Pennant, Cass (2006). Good Afternoon, Gentlemen, the Name's Bill Gardner, John Blake Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978-1844542611
- Pennant, Cass (2003). Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF, Blake Publishing, ISBN 978-1904034858
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