Rating: 
Summary: shocking
Review: A must for a soccer-hater and -lover. It's a real life thriller. Scary to know these "people" are actually alive. It's a real page turner.
Rating: 
Summary: wanted more stories, less theory
Review: The first 60 pages are hysterically funny descriptions of yobs behaving badly. The remainder gets bogged down in theorizing. This book is classified as a sociology book, remember. The author's descriptions of what it feels like to lose your identity in a mob are pretty interesting. Almost one of a kind, I would expect. Not many editors of Granta voluntarily join football mobs having a runny riot, I should expect.
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Summary: Similar To Gawking At A Fatal Car Crash
Review: As an Englishman living in Los Angeles, I have often attempted unsucessfully to communicate to American friends the mentality and culture surrounding English football (soccer) violence. Buford does a fine job in bridging that gap, and bares not a little of himself when revealing how prone most of us can be to the thrill of being part of an out-of-control group. Buford gets swept along with the thugs and clearly begins to enjoy the sensation. What the author fails to capture is how great a part ritual and stylization play in the violence. For as frightening as it is to observe, football hooliganism has a long, long way to go before it reaches the insanity of the literal street wars of America's gang culture with it's ubiquitous fatal outcomes. I lend this book to Americans now, rather than trying to describe football hooliganism. They love it.
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Summary: The most exciting book, I have ever read
Review: I only bought this book, because I had choosen to write about football hooligans in English class. I remember I bought the book on a friday, went home, and bagan to read. By saturday morning, I HAD to sleep, but this book is very good. Buford tells the true story, he makes yóu feel part of it. This is the best book ever. From I true football fan. Enjoy
Rating:
Summary: thung romance
Review: excellent .....just finished reading it ,having borrowed the book from the college library and i`m gonna buy that sucker for sure..... revealing ,tense and captivating descriptions both of the hooligan and the accompanying skinhead scene ,their fears ,ideas and actions. The descriptions of the scenes at Turin and Sardinia were unique and thrilling, must book for everyfan ,both to remind people what a stupid thing sport violence is but at the same time remind Us all that there are people Up there that want to see people sad and depressed and see them indulging in such acts....thumbs up for Buford
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Summary: An outsider's view - that works!
Review: Picked up the book - an American author? forget it! But I decide to carry on, being "actively" involved as an English supporter in the eighties I was interested. I agree with another reviewer, people will bs, he does appear naive in some areas but that works for the book. When he describes how badly behaved our fans were, it's embarassing, but at the time it meant nothing to us. One very important point (US readers take note) the deaths and diasters that took place were not really hooligan related but bad policing and organization. Buford account of Sardinia is so powerful. I must have read it 20 times. I was there and he really describes the frustration of being treated like animals and then the violence. Us in shorts the police with batons ect. Bottom line, only a few people were real wankers, most wanted a laugh but it got too serious. The author met a few head bangers and top fans- good book. You can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs!
Rating:
Summary: DOWN AND DIRTY
Review: I LOVE THESE FIRST PERSON BOOKS WHERE THE AUTHOR LIVES THE THEME HE'S WRITING ABOUT. IN THIS CASE THE FOOTBALL THUGS IN ENGLAND. YOU READ ABOUT THE VIOLENCE, THE HATERED OF AUTHORITY. THE RAGE AND ANGER. THE BROKEN BONES, BLOOD, DEATH. IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THERE, BUT YOU DON'T GET HURT. FIGURING IT OUT IS A WHOLE OTHER BAG OF SHELLS.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific ... within limits
Review: This is a terrifying, fascinating book. I have recommended it to many friends. Buford is a wonderful observer, capable of capturing and relating the mood and mayhem of his surroundings. The subject matter is at once hilarious and frightening. In one moment, drunken footballs fans are described crawling beneath the seats of an airliner as they stowaway on a flight to Europe. In the another, an innocent bystander is beaten bloody in front of his family as these very same supporters rampage their way to a match. In simply describing these scenes, Buford is brilliant. Where he, and the book, overreach is in trying to determine why such seemingly ordinary people regularly go off the deep end. Buford's attempts at explanation are somewhat ponderous and, at the same time, superficial. Still, the stilted social commentary hardly detracts from what is an otherwise excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: Power, vivid and insight
Review: This book is not only a powerfully written book but it makes ones mind invision its all too real lively descriptions. Whether you agree or disagree with the subect (and/or) subjects, Buford reveals the truth as a eyewitness/participant. Call it self-serving. Nontheless, this is a first hand account of a man determined to find the truth about a culture/crowd/pastime/myth that can only be experienced first hand.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, But...
Review: As a West Ham fan I read this book, written by an American, with a healthy dose of scepticism. After all, how could someone from the nation who turned the World Cup into a carnival be taken seriously? (Incidentally, I'm not saying that was a bad thing, its just not what football is about) Buford actually captures the atmosphere very well . I thought most of the book caught the atmosphere very well, the Liverpool fans on the special was an excellent opening. But.. He does seem to be a bit naive at times though, I've never met anyone to back up the 'eyeball sucking' story. Correct me if I'm wrong... Also, the book is a bit out of date now, no mention of organising via mobile phone. There aren't mass rows on the terraces (what terraces? Greatly missed, no one sits down anyway!). A better book on the whole culture is Hoolifan even though its about Chelscum. Gardiner, your missing out on making some money here! Anyway, we're in Europe and THEY still have terracing... Come on you fucking Irons...
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