The Casuals
The Story
It was during the 80's that the casual movement and fashion culture began to cement its place on the terraces, with brands such as Stone Island, CP Company and Lacoste mainstays of every casual crew at football grounds up and down the country. The designer sports wear was also a staple with the brands popularity varying regionally and crew to crew. Vintage addidas trainers were the most popular footwear with samba, classic forest hills and Stand Smiths being the ranges of choice. Tracksuit tops from sports labels like Fila, Sergio Tacchini and Lacoste were popular and if still are today if you can get the right vintage style.
By the 90's the casual terrace fashion moved towards the major designer brands, with labels such as Burberry, Aquascutum, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Paul Smith and Prada (YSL before it became over commercialised) becoming the designer brands being seen on the terraces.
This shift from sportswear to designer wear did mean some of the items in the sportswear brands were no longer acceptable, however some items such as Lacoste polo shirts and V neck jumpers remained popular as did the Fred Perry polo shirts. Rockports and Kickers overtook addidas trainers for a while is the look fit in with the pubs and clubs policy of no trainers but the classic addidas and now Nike and Puma trainers can been seen on the terraces.
Essentially the fashion seen on the terraces is all about one up man ship on the rival firms, the ideal is to look the best while being the best crew or firm. The fashion, brands and look evolved during the 80's a popular youth culture was born as football and fighting became a part of life for the youth of the 80's. The scene is similar to the mod culture of the 60's with the focus on high quality, minimal styling and subtle designer branding making up the criteria of a popular terrace casual brand.
Many of the original brands are still popular today with CP Company and the Miglia jacket being the ultimate in casual clothing. Stone Island is still popular as is Lacoste and the designer brands such as Armani and Prada. There are also newcomers and brand revivals back on the scene such as Lyle & Scott and OneTrueSaxon.
The violence may not be as prominent these days and the terraces maybe disappearing, particularly in the Premier League but the sub culture of the football casual and the one up man ship of terrace fashion is still going strong across all the of the football leagues in England, Scotland and Wales. Many of the original classic sports wear is making a come back with Fila, addidas and Sergio Tacchini classic retro tops popular on the terraces today.
Terrace Fashion Brands
A mainstay of casual fashion in the 90's and still popular on the terraces today. The iconic badge is cemented as a symbol of quality amongst the terrace casuals and the genuine article will always be respected.
Best known for their jumpers, their range of t-shirts, jackets, hats and scarves are also very popular on the terraces.
Now part of the Stone Island family it is the casual connoisseur's choice. First adopted in the 80's the subtle labelling, individual detail and quality of the garments make CP Company a must for the terrace casual.
The Mille Miglia jacket is the most coveted piece in the CP range but their range includes knitwear and t-shirts.
Originally a tennis brand it was adopted on the terraces the 70's and has remained an essential casual brand throughout the 80's and 90's to present day.
A staple of football casual fashion their range of polo shirts is an essential piece of clothing for to have in the wardrobe. They also have a quality range of trainers as well as their classic sweaters and knitwear.
More popular in the North, Paul and Shark was spotted on the terraces in the late 80's and became more popular throughout the 90's.
The high quality finish and subtle shark motif make Paul & Shark classic terrace fashion. Best known for their sweaters, caps and scarves they also do a range of jeans in classic styles.
The vintage and re-issue trainers are much sought after and have huge status amongst football casuals and the genuine classic trainer enthusiast.
Ranges such as Forest Hills, Samba, Gazelle and Stan Smith are popular with their range of unique and limited edition styles and colours.
An original favourite on the terraces but was sidelined in the 90's due to Fila flooding the market with cheap trainers and cheap sports wear.
The vintage Fila BJ tracksuit tops and polo shirts are making a come back on the terraces and are now a classic item to be seen in.
Their range of v-neck jumpers and polo shirts were a must have on the terraces during the 80's. Lyle & Scott jumpers and polo shirts have recently made a comeback on the terraces after a not so popular spell during the 90's.
The classic gold eagle motif and quality finish make it a classic brand for the terrace casual with the strong association to the 80's vintage look.
Orginally a popular tennis brand in the 70's and 80's it became a staple for the football casuals as part of the trend for designer European sportswear.
Similar to Fila the vintage 80's track tops are part of a revival thanks to films like The Business and the classic sportswear brand is popular again on the terraces.
THE FIRMS
ENGLAND& WALES
Arsenal:Gooners / The Herd
Aston Villa: Villa Youth, Steamers, C-Crew, Hardcore
Barnsley: Inter-City Tykes, Five-O
BirminghamCity: Zulu Warriors
Blackpool: BRS (Bison Riot Squad), Seaside Mafia, BTS (Blackpool Tangerine Service) Muckers
BoltonWanderers: TongeMoor Slashers, Mongoose Cuckoo Boys, Billy Whiz Fan Club
BradfordCity: The Ointment
Brightonand Hove Albion: Headhunters
BristolCity: Inter-City Robins / CSF
Burnley: Suicide Squad
CambridgeUnited:Cambridge Main Firm
CardiffCity: Soul Crew
CarlisleUnited: BCF (Border City Firm)
Chelsea: Headhunters
Chesterfield: CBS (Chesterfield Bastard Squad)
Darlington: Darlington Casuals, Bank Top 200, TheGaffa, The Under-5's, The Townies
DerbyCounty: DLF (Derby Lunatic Fringe)
DoncasterRovers: DDR (Doncaster Defence Regiment)
ExeterCity: Sly Crew
Fulham: Thames Valley Travellers
GrimsbyTown: CBP (CleethorpeBeachPatrol)
HerefordUnited: ICF (Inter-City Firm)
HuddersfieldTown: HYC (Huddersfield Young Casuals)
HullCity: City Psychos / Silver Cod Squad
LeedsUnited: Service Crew
LeicesterCity: Baby Squad, MMA, Mathew and Marks Alliance, BIF (BraunstoneInter-CityFirm)
LincolnCity: LTE (Lincoln Transit Elite) LYE (Lincoln Youth Element)
ManchesterCity: Maine Line Service Crew, Guv'nors
ManchesterUnited: Inter-City Jibbers, Cockney Reds, Men In Black
Middlesbrough: Frontline Clueless Crew
Millwall: Bushwackers, TheTreatment
NewcastleUnited: Gremlins, NME (Newcastle Mainline Express)
NorthamptonTown: NAA (Northampton Affray Army)
NottinghamForest: Forest Executive Crew, Forest Nasty Squad, Red Dogs, Naughty Forties, Trent End Boot Boys
OldhamAthletic: Fine Young Casuals
OxfordUnited: Warlords SMHS
PeterboroughUnited: PTC (Peterborough Terrace Crew) Blue Division
PlymouthArgyle: Central Element
Portsmouth: 657 Crew
Reading: Berkshire Boot Boys
RotherhamUnited: Rotherham Casuals
SheffieldUnited: BBC (Blades Business Crew)
SheffieldWednesday: OCS (Owls Crime Squad)
ShrewsburyTown: EBF (English Border Front)
Southampton: Inside Crew, TheUglies, SurburbanCasuals
StockportCounty: The Company, Hit Squad
Stoke City:Naughty Forty
Sunderland: Vauxies, SeaburnCasuals, Boss Lads, TheRedskins
SwanseaCity: Swansea Jacks, Jacks Army
Tottenham Hotspur: Yiddos, N17s
TranmereRovers: TSB TLP
Walsall - Swift Young Casuals
West BromwichAlbion: Section Five
West Ham United: ICF (Inter-City Firm)
WolverhamptonWanderers: Subway Army, Bridge Boys, Yam Yam Army
Wrexham: Frontline
YorkCity: YNS (York Nomad Society)
SCOTLAND
Aberdeen: ASC (Aberdeen Soccer Casuals)
Airdrie Section B
Arbroath: Soccer Crew
Ayr - Service Crew
Celtic: Celtic Soccer Crew
DunfirmlineAthletic: CSS (Carnegie Soccer Service)
Dundee Utility
Falkirk Fear
Heart of Midlothian: CSF (Casual Soccer Firm)
Hibernian: CCS (Capital City Service)
Kilmarnock - Paninaro
Montrose: Portland Bill Seaside Squad
Motherwell: SS (Saturday Service)
Glasgow Rangers: ICF (Inter-City Firm)
St Johnstone: FCF (Fair City Firm)
St Mirren: Love Street Division
Stirling Family / SJD Stirling Juvenile Division