'Casual died with Heysel' according to one middle-aged bloke I spoke to recently. Perhaps. Maybe the definition has changed and continues to change to this day. Purists who hark back to the glory days of the late 70s right through to the mid 80s enjoyed something that existed then, that is unlikely to be ever experienced again.
The word 'Casual' is one that many of the boys from that era never liked, but is the term that stuck the most. So what does it mean? Well, its fair to say what it meant then is certainly not what it means now. The theme of Phil Thornton's book 'Casuals' put it into three simple words; 'Football', 'Fighting' & 'Fashion'. It was the combination of all three which drove it forward with unbelievable momentum, and with big numbers.
Certainly the ban on English clubs from European competitions for a few years after Heysel put the bosh on many lads activities, but not completely. By the late 80s and early 90s, even the loved up and mad for it rave and Madchester scenes couldn't fully kill it off. The BritPop explosion and Euro 96 saw a bit of a mini re-birth in terms of the casual violence element, but ever since then the fighting element has been dying a slow death in the UK. This is a mixture of improved police surveillance and intelligence, heavy sentencing, CCTV and all-seater stadia.
So 'Casual' now seems to be less about the violence, and more about the football and fashion. The clothes do mark the man, so our advice is don't wear the clothes if you can't walk the walk if confronted. I'm sure a couple of plucky scarfers who wore Stone Island in Russia for the England game recently might think twice in the future. Places like Russia and Poland are currently enjoying their golden age.
It seems 'Casual' in the UK these days, is about dressing. That's fine with us, I'm more of a dresser myself. I wouldn't go looking for trouble at all, but I also don't run if confronted. As I said, the clothes mark the man.
FootballCasual.com is all about the clothes and general culture. We act as a resource for those looking to find out more about the brands they choose to wear, and to help those who want to get into the fashion. We believe that we are doing our little bit to help keep it alive. 'Casual' maybe on a life support machine, but its still got a pulse.
Do you reckon sites like this and others helping or hurting 'Casual' culture? Join
our forum and let us know what you think.
Labels: forum, news
Sorry I haven't been around for bit - stuff to do and that. I will be posting more regular stuff soon. Just a quick post to promote a new blog launched by one of our forum regulars 'thedorf' who I rate as a good lad. If you love your gear and casual fashion then I suggest you pop along and give the lad a wave. He's currently on a Uniqlo buzz and he supports Everton. Dont hold his taste against him - Uniqlo actually are not too bad for some lines. As for Everton, well no-one's perfect.
