On a street corner by a pub, a group of young men see the Birmingham firm approaching from all angles. For these lads, their adrenaline starts pumping, their fists clench and (no matter what happens) they aren’t moving; they have the buzz knowing they're going to have a scrap. The feeling, for them, is electric. There’s a faint smile across Bernard’s face as he relives his glory moments as a core member of the BBC.
Between September 2014 and July 2019, Sheffield United had 47 football-related violent disorder arrests. This makes them the fourth highest in England. Bernard* is a former member of Sheffield United's hooligans- the Blades Business Crew (BBC), his two nephews Ryan* (26-years-old) and Josh* (19-years-old) have also skirted the edges of football violence. Bernard talks about why he sees this rising.
Bernard and his brother became involved with the BBC when he was about 18/19 years-old. “You don’t join it”, he begins casually. “You become involved in it. A lot of the guys I mixed with, I got to know by going to the games and your circle gets wider. An incident happens and you become involved in it and pals who were also there you get closer to. It’s tribal. You become part of the BBC, part of the family.” This family has now integrated his two young nephews.
“When it used to go up, you feel the tension coming and you see a big gang of lads and you know you're gonna mix it with them. It was part of the build-up to the game. You met, travelled, went for a drink and then you would have an arranged meeting with them, hopefully, away from the prying eyes of the police and then there would be that confrontation. For me, it was a total buzz”, said Bernard.
The man sitting opposite me nervously nibbling at his nails doesn't seem to be the hardened football criminal the stories would suggest. This especially doesn't seem the case when his worry and concern is evident on his face when talking about young people today getting involved in football hooliganism. He adds, in a gruff voice: “Covid hasn’t been great for violence this year as people can now travel but today the boys getting involved are so young. I see 14/15-year-old kids and you see them wearing the clothes; the CP company, the Stone Island and they’re hangers-on. They’re not hardened hooligans, they're just kids copying their fathers. The revival is chancers wanting to relive the 80s and 90s.
“I think the idealism is they want to be involved with something bad and it’s easy with phones to arrange. They get each other on social media but for many of them it’s the idea of being involved in something and it’s tribal.”
Josh is an intelligent, confident and rather small lad. He is not what you would imagine when you think of a football hooligan, he agrees: “I think there’s an appeal because you feel a part of something like a movement. We enjoy backing our friends up when they’re in trouble.”
But it's the stories in pubs, the YouTube videos and the books that add to this desire to be involved in something like this. Steve Cowens books, former general of the BBC, has a big role to play in this. Bernard said: “All (of these) have contributed to people wanting to dip their toe into the world of football hooligans.” This glamorisation has allowed people to think football violence is something it’s not. Bernard, despite having many happy times, recalls times of fear.
Josh, confirms what his uncle says: “Football violence could be rising because of social media. There are groups on social media where rival fans talk and organise meetups. Also, lots of young people watch YouTube where there are many videos of rivals fighting. I don’t think the recent lockdown helps either, it’s stopped young people going out and releasing some tension which they can at football matches.”
Back in his heyday Bernard was a notorious figure; six-foot-tall, broad lad with a thick moustache and a blondish ponytail- he assures this was fashionable, now he still is an imposing figure but the grey and wisdom have seeped in. “It was just a phase. It makes you realise there’s more to life. The older guys, some of them are still involved. They have this persona now because they can’t get out. I’ve stepped right back but I'm known.” Football hooliganism was different back then, now there’s CCTV on every corner and police are far more on top of it. National Police Chief Council football lead, Mark Roberts, parallel to Bernard’s view, told the Sun: “in reality, fan violence is ten times higher than arrest figures.”
Due to Bernard and his brother's high standings in the BBC, they are well known. It’s the same for his nephews. Family legacy plays an enormous role in why younger generations are involved; they have a name to live up to. “My nephews are guilty by association. Everyone looks after the boys but I knew they would follow that path.”
Josh said: “I think there will generally always be something on me and Ryan because of our last name. We both don’t drink or go out down Hillsborough (where Sheffield Wednesday is) as we know something will end up happening.”
The tales of Bernard holding his young newphew’s hands as he knocked the ‘opposition’ off their feet, give a sense of inevitably surrounding their involvement, like many others. This is all they know and they are brought up around. When asked this, Josh’s forehead crinkled trying to remember these events of which he has vague recollections.
Bernard hopes this new peak of football hooliganism is a phase from which young people move on quickly, he says with a furrowed brow: “You learn your lessons quick. I dare say I’ve left my mark on a few people but it’s how we lived and you can’t change it. I've done some horrible things but it was just a buzz when we were doing it.”
Sheffield United and South Yorkshire Police have been approached for comment but have not responded.
*Names have been changed for anonymity reasons.
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