West Ham Hooligan Who Had '400 fights' Reveals Scariest Firm He Faced
Bill Gardner fought against many top firms during his days as a football hooligan.
Nasir Jabbar
A West Ham United hooligan who had 'over 400 fights' has revealed the toughest firm he faced, admitting he has respect for his rival gang.
The Inter City Firm (ICF) was a notorious football hooligan firm associated with West Ham, primarily active in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
The ICF was particularly known for its violent encounters with other firms, including Birmingham City's Zulu Warriors and the Leeds United Service Crew, among others.
Key figures associated with the ICF include Cass Pennant, who wrote a book about the firm, and Bill Gardner, who also wrote an autobiography about his experiences.
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At the height of football hooliganism, Gardner was considered one of the most fearsome fighters in the days of the terraces.
Speaking to Tony Bellew as part of BBC Radio 5 Live's Gangster series, he revealed: "Away supporters used to be attacked nearly everywhere in this country. Some places worse than others.
"Sometimes we (West Ham's Inter City Firm) did well, other times we didn’t do so well, but they know, everyone knows, that they never done us. And nobody done me.
"I think I’ve had over 400 fights in my life, and I never got beaten. I’ve never had the fear that normal human beings have. I was never frightened when I was with my mates at West Ham."
In a separate chat with James English on his Anything Goes podcast, Gardner recalled the toughest firm he faced during his time as a football hard man.
He named West Ham's local rivals Millwall, who had a firm called the Millwall Bushwackers.
Millwall's firm quickly made a name for themselves in the world of football hooliganism and was considered one of the most notorious gangs in England.
Gardner said: "I think Millwall [were the toughest] when I think of some of those games we played.
“More than 300 on each side, you know what I mean, when we went over there they used to all turn out and I’ve got nothing but respect for them, I think they are all alright.”
The rivalry between West Ham and Millwall is one of the longest-standing in English football.
Their feud is deeply embedded in football hooliganism lore and culture and has been depicted in books and films, including Green Street.