The term of Irish origin hooligans It was used at a certain point in history to indicate some English football fans protagonists of vandalism which with their violent and unruly behavior deeply marked the United Kingdom. Beyond the legendary origins of the English or Irish term, the phenomenon of hooliganism was tremendously real and has conditioned the life, not only sporty, of an entire country, also paving the way for the various movements ultras international born later. In response to tragic events in the stages of the 80s, culminating in the Hillsborough massacre, the Taylor report was drawn up, a document that revolutionized English football by laying the foundations for the birth of the Premier League.
How and why Hooliganism was born: the origins
Violence linked to sporting events is a phenomenon that can be found since the end of the nineteenth century. The sociologist John HutchinsonIn fact, the first episodes of brutality linked to sport to 1870 traces traced back. The etymology of the term is uncertain, but it would seem to derive from the surname of a 19th century Irish family, the Hooligan, and in particular from Patrick Hooligan, well known in that era for his criminal conduct. It is important to understand, however, who are the Hooligans: they are above all young people belonging to the “working class” or Working Classcharacterized by a sense of anger due in part to the employment crisis and the right -wing governments that have alternated over time, and in part to an aggressive masculinity model that is widespread in those years. Football thus becomes a form of rebellion for these guys who join over time in firm – groups organized with names, rivalries and rituals – in order to vent their anger against rivals.
The episodes that have left their mark in history
Although different phases can be identified in the chronological evolution of hooliganism, the period that most impressed public opinion goes from the late 1960s to the early 90s. In this turbulent twenty years, serious episodes of violence inside and outside the stadiums occurred, which led to the introduction of preventive measures still in use during the sporting events.
A decisive role was played by the media, which fueled attention on the phenomenon, encouraging some groups to seek visibility even internationally. An emblematic example took place in 1975, during the cup final of the champions between Bayern Munich and Leeds United: following a denied penalty, the English fans burned and launched the stadium seats in the field, generating chaos and panic.
1985, then, was a particularly critical year. On 11 May, during the last championship match at the Valley Parade in Bradford, a fire – fueled by the absence of fire extinguishers, considered possible weapons in the event of clashes, and by the use of inadequate barriers to separate the fans – caused the death of 56 people.
Only 18 days later, on May 29, the Champions Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool at the Heysel stadium in Brussels turned into tragedy. The British fans, in an attempt to reach the rivals, invaded the Z sector (occupied above all by unorganized Italians), causing a frenetic mass escape with consequent collapse of a wall and final balance of 39 deaths and over 600 injured. In response, the then premier Margaret Thatcher excludes English clubs from European competitions for 2 years, 4 for Liverpool.
However, the most dramatic point was reached on April 15, 1989, with the Hillsborough massacre. During the FA Cup semifinal between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, a disastrous management of the influx of fans led to the crushing of hundreds of people against fences, causing the death of 93 spectators. This event represented the real turning point in the history of English hooliganism.
The Taylor relationship and its imprint on the future of hooliganism
After the facts of Hillsborough, the English government decided to definitively put an end to these acts of violence looking for a solution that could forever stem the problem of hooliganism. He entrusted this task to a commission ad hoccomposed of sociologists, criminologists and expert sports managers, led by judge Peter Taylor. The final product of this decision was the homonymous report, published in full version in January 1990.
The document was based on a parcelization of the faults. In fact, there was no simple accusation to the fans and their conduct, but tried to understand how institutions, clubs and authorities could be involved, giving life to some coercive measures. The basic idea, especially of the “American” component of the Commission, was to conceive the football match as an event and a product to be sold to customers.
The first point examined were the stadiums, too inclined to episodes of violence and not suitable for common families and spectators. The report suggested revolutionizing the systems of the higher alloys, abolishing the sectors without seats to sit down names, thus creating stadiums all-seater. All barriers, fences or walls that could somehow hinder the escape (also towards the pitch) of the fans in the event of an emergency were then eliminated. The security checks were expanded with video surveillance and monitoring systems (CCTV), greater checks at the entrance with electronic ticketing systems and internal presence only of specially trained stewards, to replace the staff from the police departments. Finally, the sale and consumption of alcohol, considered among the main causes unleashing the unrest, were regulated and subjected to greater limitations.
All the changes listed were mainly possible thanks to important funding from the Football Association (the English football federation) and the government.
Thanks to the innovations introduced by the Taylor report, English football began to be conceived completely differently, with growing attention to comfort, visibility and a 360 degree experience for the viewer. The most surprising result was the consequent birth of the Premier League in 1992: a new championship with an idea of unpublished and modern football, daughter of the work of the Commission and Peter Taylor.
