Spurs Hooligan Snubbed Arsenal When Naming The Best Firm In England With 'Edge'

Former Tottenham hooligan Frank Portinari named which firm in England had the “psychological edge” during the Seventies and Eighties.

Portinari spent two decades as a football hooligan, before moving to Belfast to head up the London Ulster Defence Association.

Speaking about his terrace days on the Criminal Connection, he praised “tough” Northern firms, adding that such “dangerous” away trips were akin to "taking your life in your hands".

Despite his Tottenham connection, he also praised Arsenal’s firm, before noting that West Ham had the most feared set of hooligans.

He said: "If I focus on London, I am honest enough to say this now that the late Sixties, early Seventies, I don't think people gave them credit, Arsenal had a naughty mob of fellas.

“And it changed because I remember when Tottenham eclipsed Arsenal so to speak and we would regularly go their end of the ground and take the p*** really to be honest."

He added: "Probably West Ham [were the most feared]. I think West Ham because what they are always attributed with is being organised and they did seem to always be organised."

Meanwhile, on encountering Millwall’s fans on Boxing Day in 1977, Portinari said: "That is some of the worst violence I ever seen. Probably the worst violence in England that I have seen.

"There had been a documentary before (BBC Panorama) and it kind of built it all up. After the game it was crazy.

Millwall hooligans are known as some of the most intimidating in England. (Image: Phil Cole/Getty Images)

“I seen a fella put a screwdriver through someone's cheek and they were kicking down walls, throwing bricks at each other, and wooden fencing.

“And there were even railings and they got the rails and the frames of like spears.

"I will make no bones about it. I think we gave a really good account of ourselves but I was glad to get back home and get in the local pub to be honest.

"It is the worst, definitely the worst, and I have seen some mad ones over the years, but how somebody didn't die that day, I am genuinely shocked they didn't."