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Villains - The Book they tried to ban
Villains traces the heyday of hooliganism and the Villa Park faithful clashed with the toughest and most violent gangs around. At the helm were legendary figures such as Pete The Greek and Black Danny AKA Danny Brown.
 The book gives a sharp insight into the lives and minds of five match day boys whose love of Aston Villa eventually led to very severe consequences for them all.
Bitter rivalries against the likes of Millwall and Birmingham City are recounted in depth including the notorious ‘Battle at McDonalds Island’ against the Blues in 2002.
Honest funny and brutal, this book is essential reading. Written by Danny Brown and Paul Brittle. Villains the book can be bought in all good stores or you can buy direct from this site and gain your very own signed copy of Villains from 19th November 2006
Amazon Customer reviews on Villains the book
Truthful and gripping account of the 'facts',
25 Jul 2007
By James ( Birmingham)
As most of the other reviewers have said what puts this book above all the others is that it is truthful - infact I've even been told by Birmingham City fans that they prefer the Villa book because the Blues 'Zulu' alternative is so obviously unrealistic and avoiding of the true events that took place. Furthermore, whilst clearly not regretting what they did, the authors do not glorify football hooliganism or try to give the impression that the reader should in anyway look upon what they did as being good. As a Villa fan myself it did at times make me feel proud that these guys were representing our club off the field at a time when terrace dominance was as important if not more so than events taking place on the pitch.
The continuity of the book is excellent as the 'firms' begin, develop, evolve and change with the times. I thought the chapters documenting the period between 1980-1982 were particularly gripping. Whilst Villa were winning the domestic championship the terrace boys had to emulate the team by dominating the terraces and then they had to do it abroad...
Villa Hooligans, 2 Jan 2007
By R. Martin (Birmingham)
A very good read; not like many of other firms egotistical and exaggerated accounts of what happened in the 70's, 80's and 90's. Authors speak honestly about beatings they have taken and served up. Totally unlike the 'Zulus To the Apex' version which I would recommend that you avoid at all costs.
As it was, 27 Dec 2006
By Arry Hampton
A book that is full of the drama and edge of football in the seventies/eighties. No big I am, just a solid bunch of mates who laid themselves on the line for each other. As someone who was present at many of the games mentioned including the Anderlecht early morning ground "break-in", I can vouch for the honesty of the writing. A history of how important the club was to so many and the honor in following them.
Villains review, 4 Dec 2006
By L. Williams "do you believe in the Villa"
As a Villa fan, and knowing most of the guys personally it would be easy to write a biased review, so will try and be as unbiased as possible, firstly, the humor portrayed in here is a first compared to anything in any other book I’ve read.
I’ve read most of the football violence books and most of them are the usual " 5 of us went to Millwall, and smashed 300 of them", no you didn’t !! They are mickey mouse bull**** stories, these lads have as many stories of getting the wrong end of a result as well as the good days at the office.
The lads concerned put their stories across well, and are brutally honest, Paul Brittle takes more slaps in once incident at Leicester than the whole West Ham firm take in their book. Danny’s chapter about Liverpool at home is harrowing, as it takes you into another world of violence that most people can only have nightmares about, never mind being involved in.
What I did like was the way the sub chapters within each chapter are told by a different lad with a different angle, and the story flows nicely, without you getting bogged down as if one person alone had written it.
The chapter about Blues is good, as it gives them credit for being a class firm in the mid 80's and only a fool would not acknowledge that, but also ridicules them as a club, Brittle is so funny(and spot on)when he describes the differences between the 2 clubs .
All in all one of the best books I’ve read on this subject, along with Naughty by Mark Chester of Stoke, and The Frontline by Boro.
Very honest account, definitely worth purchasing, 3 Dec 2006 By R. Simpson
This book is definitely one of the best of its genre, its well written and well balanced, and it doesn’t boast or brag like much of the same genre, the authors have taken the trouble to make sure the accounts given are honest. Definitely recommend if you like this sort of thing, go buy it! |
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