Leeds United Service Crew

The Leeds United Service Crew are a football hooligan firm linked to the English Football League team, Leeds United A.F.C. cite book
last = Lowles
first = Nick
coauthors = Andy Nicholls
title = Hooligans: A-L of Britain's Football Gangs
publisher = Milo Books
date = 2005-09-26
location = Wrea Green
pages = 282
isbn = 1903854415] The Service Crew were formed in 1980, and named after the ordinary public service trains that the hooligans would travel on to away matches, rather than the heavily policed organised football special trains. The Service Crew have a reputation for being one of the most notorious hooligan firms in English football.cite book
last = Lowles
first = Nick
authorlink =
coauthors = Andy Nicholls
title = Hooligans: A-L of Britain's Football Gangs
publisher = Milo Books
date = 2005-09-26
location = Wrea Green
pages = 282-283
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1903854415]

In 1985 when football hooliganism was rife in England, the "BBC Six O'Clock News" had a special report in which they listed the worst football hooligan gangs creating mayhem across England and Leeds United were listed amongst the worst five clubs..cite book
last = Lowles
first = Nick
authorlink =
coauthors = Andy Nicholls
title = Hooligans: A-L of Britain's Football Gangs
publisher = Milo Books
date = 2005-09-26
location = Wrea Green
pages = 63
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1903854415]

History

The club distances itself from any activities the Service Crew are involved in. During the height of the hooligan scene, the Service Crew become one of the most notorious firms in European football, and in doing so nearly brought the club to its knees.cite book
last = Lowles
first = Nick
authorlink =
coauthors = Andy Nicholls
title = Hooligans: A-L of Britain's Football Gangs
publisher = Milo Books
date = 2005-09-26
location = Wrea Green
pages = 283
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1903854415] Leeds United were relegated from the First Division in the 1981-82 season, and Leeds fans marked relegation by causing significant damage to The Hawthorns, the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C.. Thirty-four police officers and thirteen fans were injured when up to 3,000 Leeds fans pulled down a 9ft security fence. They later clashed with police on the pitch and outside the ground.

The Football Association later cleared the club of any responsibility but ordered Leeds United to print a warning to Leeds fans in every match day programme that season. However, only two weeks after the verdict, in the clubs first game in the Second Division, some Leeds fans went on what was described in "The Sun" newspaper as "an orgy of drinking, looting and fighting" in Cleethorpes, where 600 Leeds fans had stayed the night before the match. In October, two Newcastle United players were hit by missiles at Elland Road and the FA ordered another enquiry.

Modern day crackdowns on football hooliganism and the heavy use of CCTV at grounds have, as with other firms, largely curtailed the activities of the Service Crew.

Notes

Further reading

* Gall, Caroline (2007). "Service Crew: The Inside Story of Leeds United's Hooligan Gangs , Milo Books, ISBN 1903854725