Inter City Firm
organised crime |
The Inter City Firm (ICF) is an English football hooligan firm associated with West Ham United, which was mainly active in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. The name came from the use of InterCity trains to travel to away games.[1] They were the subject of a 1985 Thames Television documentary, Hooligan.[2][3]
History
The firm formed out of a number of other West Ham groups, including the Mile End Boys and Essex East London Firm. ICF formed in the 1977/78 season.[4]
The most notable figure associated with the ICF is
The ICF pioneered calling cards that were left on victims.[5] They read "Congratulations, you have just met the ICF".[6] Calling cards would also become popular at other football clubs.
In the very late 1980s, the ICF was regularly linked to the
The ICF again came to prominence in 2018 when former members re-grouped as the Real West Ham Fans Action Group, organising protests against the club board.[7][8]
In popular culture
The ICF were the basis of
Further reading
- Pennant, Cass (2003). Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF. Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904034-85-8.
- Gardner, Bill; Pennant, Cass (2006). Good Afternoon, Gentlemen, the Name's Bill Gardner. Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84454-261-1.
References
- ^ a b Haley, A.J. (2001). "British Soccer Superhooligans, Emergence and Establishment: 1982-2000". The Sport Journal. 4. United States Sports Academy. Archived from the original on 2007-06-15.
- BFI. Archived from the originalon January 31, 2021.
- ^ "Hooligan (TV Movie 1985)". IMDb.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-904034-85-8.
- ^ "Violence at West Ham is proof that hooliganism has never gone away". The Times. 27 August 2009.
- ^ "Come and have a go if you think you're cool enough". Evening Standard. 13 April 2012.
- ^ Miguel Delaney (7 March 2018). "Why are West Ham's board holding meetings with self-professed hooligans?". The Independent.
- ^ Ken Dyer (8 March 2018). "West Ham distance themselves from notorious fan group founded by Inter-City Firm members". Evening Standard.