#370: Hooliganism's Heyday Wasn't Just Havoc

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Whether you're a fan or not, it's doesn't take much to see that sport has a real grip on its place in culture.

Usually, you'll know a sports fan when you see one. They'll usually wrench their neck the moment they notice anything related to their team. They'll refer to the team as "we" without thinking twice about it. They'll loathe their rival team with a righteous intensity that can't be applied to anything else.

Some fans will tattoo their team's crests or logos on their body while others will pass down their fandom to their kids like a birthright, but there's one the thing we all expect true sports fans will do – they will fight.

Sports fans will fight for their team’s honor, no matter the odds. Whether they’re defending a tough loss or basking in the glory of a victory, their passion knows no bounds.

It’s never just a game; it’s a matter of pride.

All of these factors are amplified to the nth degree when you layer them on top of football in England. Add a few pints to the mix and you're probably asking for trouble if you believe that hooligans run rampant on stadium grounds on game day.

The English Disease kicks off in East London, a hotspot for that football lore, where you'll be drawn into the realm of hooliganism that dominated headlines from the 1970s and the 1980s. During this period, the football terraces were more akin to battlegrounds than the neatly packed, family-friendly venues we see today.

Hosted by the pensively insightful Sam Diss, The English Disease unearths the shadowy subculture of football hooliganism, taking you on a gripping journey through a world where sport intertwines with class, politics, and a quest for identity.

Dis covers not just the brawls and the bruises, but the societal fractures that fueled this chaotic culture. The narrative is peppered with a raw yet captivating energy that suggests football hooliganism was never just about the game; it was an outlet, albeit a violent one, for the disenfranchised to voice their discontent.

We get to connect the dots between those turbulent days and the present, exploring how the hooligan spirit has morphed and adapted to modern pressures.

The English Disease isn't just about football; it's about the cracks in society’s veneer and the myths we build to make sense of our past and present. With each episode, you're promised some historical insight with a dash of modern-day relevance, all packaged nicely as a measured narrative.

For anyone interested in the complexities of human behavior, culture, and societal structures, The English Disease is an unmissable listen.

Have a listen and share what you think.

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