Inter City Firm

The Inter City Firm ('ICF') is a UK football hooligan firm active in the 1970s and 1980s, linked to West Ham United.cite journal
last = Haley
first = A.J.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = British Soccer Superhooligans, Emergence and Establishment: 1982-2000
journal = The Sport Journal:
volume = Vol 4
publisher = United States Sports Academy
date= 2001
url = http://www.thesportjournal.org/2001Journal/Vol4-No3/soccer-hooligans.asp
accessdate = 2007-08-08 ] The name came from the use of InterCity trains for away games.

One figure associated with the ICF was Cass Pennantcite web
title = Cass Pennant Author & Hooliologist
publisher =
url = http://www.casspennant.com/
accessdate = 2008-06-20] , who wrote on football hooliganism in the 1990s and 2000s is the subject of the film "Cass", released on 1 August, 2008, Pennant being played by Nonso Anozie.cite web
title = Cass
publisher = Internet Movie Database
url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954981/
accessdate = 2008-06-20]

In "Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF", Pennant says the ICF was not racist or right-wing (Pennant himself being a black Londoner), and averse to joining firms of other teams while supporting England. The former assertion has been disputed.Fact|date=July 2007

The ICF were the basis of Alan Clarke's "The Firm". Gary Oldman plays Bex Bissell, the leader of the ICC - Inter City Crew. Members of the ICF were consultants. The ICF make an appearance in Irvine Welsh's novellas . The 2005 film "Green Street Hooligans" was based on the ICF, but not by name. Instead, the initials 'GSE' (for Green Street Elite) were used. The main character within the film "Rise of the Footsoldier" is also associated with the ICF.

In 1982 at Highbury stadium, a member of Arsenal's "firm" ,the Gooners, was stabbed to death by the ICF. During the game, between Arsenal and West Ham, the ICF infringed Arsenal's North Bank terrace and "took ownership" of it.

ICF left a card on the bodies of rivals. It read "Congratulations, you've just met the ICF". This message oon read "congratulations you've just met the famous ICF" when they became the subject of a Thames Television documentary entitled "Hooligan". The programme featured members of the ICF such as Carlton Leach and Cass Pennant.

Notes

References

*cite book
last = Pennant
first = Cass
authorlink = Cass Pennant
title = Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICF
publisher = Blake Publishing
date = 2003-08-18
isbn = 978-1904034858
*cite book
last = Gardner
first = Bill
coauthors = Pennant, Cass
title = Good Afternoon, Gentlemen, the Name's Bill Gardner
publisher = John Blake Publishing Ltd
date = 2006-08-25
isbn = 978-1844542611