Celtic Soccer Crew

Book excerpt: John O'Kane delivers a gripping tale of a life dedicated to football violence and gives an unparalled insight into the reality of being a career hooligan. With 33 criminal convictions against him, plus a further 33 cases either dropped or with a not guilty verdict, O'Kane has been remanded nine times including one charge of attempted murder when he was aged just 18. He became rapidly embroiled in a life of violence and was in and out of prison just as many times as he was in and out of a hospital bed.His was a life dedicated to the gang he founded, the Celtic Soccer Crew. O'Kane describes the extraordinary struggle of a gang of football hooligans to survive, despite discovering an unexpected enemy: the indomitable Celtic support - a support that guarded its reputation and good name with a passion O'Kane hadn't reckoned with, even as a Celtic supporter himself. But out on the streets and causing mayhem, the Celtic Soccer Crew, including, incredibly, their girlfriends, showed they were not taking grief from anyone.