Sports History

Hooliganism at football matches is not as spontaneous or reactive as many people may think. Thugs within our clubs form what are known as ‘firms’, these firms then arrange ‘meets’ to fight each other.

For over 25 years the Naughty Forty was the name of the ‘firm’ created by Stoke City hooligans. They caused terror in the terraces while fighting rival gangs in matches at home and away. They grew in strength to over 400 members and were among the most violent football hooligans in Britain.

Family

Mark went to his first Stoke City game when he was just nine and became an instant fan.

‘I was just wrapped up in, it was amazing … thousands of Stoke fans, thousands of Leeds fans all stood beside each other wearing their own colours … it got to me’.

But he soon became involved in the Terrace Culture, wanting to defend his ground ‘against lads form other teams that have come to take it’.

To Mark it became a lot more than just the thrill of fighting; the gang of thugs was his other family.
‘The lads … are like brothers to me’, he said, ‘It’s a deep bonding experience and it brings you very close together’.

Ashamed

Mark now says he’s a reformed character and has moved on from his life of violence. He hopes others can learn from his experience without making the same mistakes. ‘I want to say goodbye to that chapter of my life with a book … and if people can take something from it, then that’s good’.

Book

In his autobiography Naughty Mark tells the story of how the Naughty 40 (or N40 as they're better known) began, developed and whom they fought