''The Football Factory'' is the controversial

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

by English author John King, and is based around the adventures of a group of

working-class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

Londoners who follow

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

home and away, fighting their rivals on the streets of England's cities. The principal character/narrator is Tommy Johnson, whose internal monologues allow the reader an inside view of

football hooliganism Football hooliganism, also known as soccer hooliganism, football rioting or soccer rioting, constitutes violence and other destructive behaviours perpetrated by spectators at association football events. Football hooliganism normally involves ...

and the adrenaline highs involved. Major battles take place with Chelsea's traditional enemies, among them

Tottenham Tottenham () is a town in North London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, bordering Edmonton to the north, Waltham ...

and

Millwall Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Limehouse, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east ...

, and the book's authenticity has often been commented upon. The language used is hard-hitting but imaginative, as Tommy's frustration and outspoken views on life in modern-day Britain delve into a range of subjects, including

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

patriotism Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one's country. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or histor ...

prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...

poverty Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...

, and the political system. Equally as important to the novel's structure is the presence of pensioner Bill Farrell, a former soldier who fought in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was decorated for his bravery. After the war, he married a concentration camp survivor and is trying to cope with her recent death. He is seen as a hero by subsequent generations, among them Tommy and various older members of the Chelsea firm, hardcore hooligans such as Dave Harris and Billy Bright. Bill Farrell is a calmer voice, but while his more measured reflections present an alternative approach to that of the younger men, he shares their frustrations and feelings of powerlessness. Vignettes from a range of minor characters are also included, among them the story of Vince Matthews, a former hooligan who has broken out of the circle of violence to travel the world. ''The Football Factory'' is rich in cultural references, from popular music to the songs and chants of the terraces. Tommy remembers the glory days of the Shed at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea North Stand and Gate 13, along with his own assessments of opposing players and supporters. The role of a sensationalist media and the hypocrisy of the political classes is highlighted in relation to football-connected violence, with modern warfare brought into the equation. London is shown in detail, the allegiance to a football club as an extension of community, in many cases involving populations that have been displaced. Whether it is a street, pub, greasy spoon, Indian restaurant, or launderette, the reader will know which part of London they are seeing. On its release, ''The Football Factory'' was heralded as a 'state of the nation' novel by some reviewers, while others criticised its aversion to political correctness. Football fans and the wider public made it a best-seller. It has been translated into a number of languages and was followed by '' Headhunters'' and '' England Away''. Together, these three novels make up ''The Football Factory Trilogy''. In 2004, the book was turned into a film by director

Nick Love Nick Love (born 24 December 1969) is an English film director and writer. His credits include the films '' The Football Factory'', '' The Business'', ''Goodbye Charlie Bright'', ''Outlaw'', ''The Sweeney'', and a 2009 remake of football hoolig ...

, starring

Danny Dyer Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'', with other notable roles as Mick Carter in EastEnders, Billy the Limpet in '' Mean Machine'' and as Tommy Johns ...

as Tommy Johnson and

Dudley Sutton Dudley Sutton (6 April 1933 – 15 September 2018) was an English actor. Active in radio, stage, film and television, he was arguably best known for his role of Tinker Dill in the BBC Television drama series ''Lovejoy''. Early life Sutton was ...

as Bill Farrell. The controversy of the book's initial release was repeated, as the subject matter and the presence of a number of known Chelsea hooligans among the extras caused great excitement in the media.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Football Factory, The 1996 British novels Chelsea F.C. British novels adapted into films Novels by John King (author) Jonathan Cape books