Product Description

Here, in graphic detail, the Swansea Jacks recount the history of their times following the Welsh club. Cardiff City and their infamous Soul Crew have been arch-rivals of the Swansea Jacks for over four decades. Tooze and King chart the rise of the Swansea firm, from the Skinhead movement in the late 60s until today's present fashion-conscious casuals. They write not just about the hooligan scene, but also about the politics involved in following a lower league team, the music and the drugs scene.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #362686 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 270 pages

Customer Reviews

swansea jacks memories of a miss spent youth
i can quite understand why some people would find this book a little offensive. And perhaps to understand its graphic content you had to be one of the thousands of young working class men who were the "football hooligans." this book is real, do not imagine its fiction , these scenes were repeated up and down the country from portsmouth to glasgow, its not some 19 yr old celebrity or soccer stars self indulgence, but an accurate account of a massive social problem that is like it or not part of many forty somethings past .

Toozey or Lee?? You decide
Well written and honestly told, but I would say the majority of the content comes from Lee. If I remember correctly Toozey only wrote the 1st couple of chapters, few of the other lads wrote their memories and Lee seemed to be responsible for the rest. Think Toozey's involvement was more of the arrranging of the book and yes he does mention a lot of the veterans as well (Michael Buller and Billy Pridmore to name but a few). Anyway this book is brutally honest I'm just grateful this era is more or less over as I can take my children to a match and know that they can enjoy the match and be kept away from the trouble if there is any.
Unfortunately the rivalry between Cardiff and Swansea is always going to be there.

A truthful look at youth culture.
It is very easy to dismiss the authors as scum as one reviewer has, I say reviewer but I find it hard to see how she can review a book that she hasn't actually read, I'm afraid she has allowed her personal views about what she 'thinks' the book is about cloud her judgement. Much the same can be said about the reviewer from Cardiff anyone who knows about the rivalry between Cardiff and Swansea will know that such a review needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Hoolie books fall into three catagorys, first we have the academics who think know all about youth culture but have never been anywhere near the terraces. Then we have those with very blinkered views towards their own set of fans, and never admit to having ever come unstuck, there is a sub catagory within this group that have never actually been involved with anything on the terraces but saw an opening and took it, this particular group usually support a team that starts with 'W'. Then we have the books that are written by those who really were there, they were part of the Casual culture from its very start. For them it wasn't (as many less knowledgeable people think) just turning up at football for a punch up. Being a Casual was a way of life, the clothes the music and of course the football. Swansea Jacks aren't asking for you to see it from their point of you, the authors aren't asking for sympathy or forgiveness, they want you to see what it was really like. Forget what you may have read in the papers or seen on the TV this is real life this is what it actually happened.

Hunter-Hunter Books is now at the fore front of Casual culture books, the pretenders of the past have had their go and now at last the real lads have a voice. There will be those who hate the idea of these books being published but give them a go, there are some talented writers out there who up until now have not had a look in, open your minds you may be in for a shock.