'The Football Factory' (2004) was a film based on the John King book of the same name and was heavily altered for the modern age. Directed by Millwall fan Nick Love and starred another Millwall fan Tamer Hassan, as well as West Ham fan Danny Dyer. The film caused controversy as it launched prior to the European Championships in Portugal and many felt it would be a prelude to copycat Hooliganism.
As a film it's like marmite - you'll either love it or hate it. Some say it's pure mockney wannabe tosh, and others say it's one of the most realistic insights into the whole gang ethos behind being a modern day hooligan. We draw no opinion on whether we like it or not, but we were impressed by the number of Football Casual brands that are featured in the film.
It was like celluloid heaven when ticking off all the brands, and we simply couldn't list them all below due to lack of space. On this note, I think Nick Love made a very commendable effort in concentrating on many of the details - even if some of the items are little dated now. I'm not sure how many self-respecting Football Casuals would still be seen wearing a Burberry Harrington jacket, as it's more likely to be a Barbour these days. However, on the whole it was a valiant attempt. I also felt some of the language was a little wide of the mark. "Jog on you sigh" is not from a vocabulary I'm familiar with following football for over 25 years.
None of the actors are genuine Football Casuals, but they all made a real attempt (even Danny Dyer) in evoking much of true spirit. The best film I've seen yet in terms of brands.
