Scally: The Shocking Confessions of a Category C Football Hooligan

by Andy Nicholls

For twenty years, Andy Nicholls was one of the most active football hooligans in the country and a leading figure among the violent followers of Everton Football Club. Classified as a Category C thug - the worst kind - he amassed more than twenty arrests for football related offences and is banned from every ground in the UK. Scally deals head-on with the vicious knife attacks perpetrated by the shadowy County Road Cutters, chronicles the bitter Manchester-Merseyside battles that left scores injured and describes enduring rivalries with the gangs of Aberdeen, Chelsea, Millwall, Middlesbrough and many more. Scally caused a storm of controversy on first publication and is widely acknowledged as the most revealing, most shocking book ever written about soccer gang culture.

Genres: Nonfiction, Football

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Scott]

It was well on top…..a tasty little firm…….it was well on top…….a tasty little firm……..it was well on top……..a tasty little firm.

I get that the main purpose of this book was setting the record straight (and I do appreciate Andy’s commitment to tell things as they happened and to not bullshit), but the book is a lot longer than it needs to be, and kind of agonizing to read for anyone who isn’t already an expert. The writing gets pretty repetitive. But it’s thorough, and honest, and it gives you a pretty good sense of what it was like to participate in this stuff during the heyday. IDK. I guess I would have approached it a bit differently, but I’ve never written anything outside of academic stuff, so what do I know? I doubt I could do any better.

[Neil]

Battled Chelsea.....repeat.......battled man city.......repeat.......battled man utd.......repeat.......battled QPR......repeat.....and so on. There are only so many times you can read about slashing people with Stanley knives without getting bored.

[Matt]

Very repetitive book, battled with such a team, fought someone else, slashed someone. They're shit, they're great. Arrested treated badly by the police bla bla bla.
Not 1 I would recommend or read again. I'll give them some credit intermingled was some good history of the team from the 70's onwards but you had to dredge through it.

[Paul Craig]

Very fun read. Typically scouse. But, most importantly he (at the time of releasing the book) was trying to put a stop to his antics by seeking help. He makes it clear that it is an addiction and was a problem. With the stories that he tells, you can understand why.

[ian connell]

Just one word mint

[Mickmada]

True story
Know Andy from the Flint coaches was at most if not all the battles pre snorty forty (as Id moved away from the pool) but was there from 77. & the Special (kavanagh & Mally selling the scratch cards - through to Brady hiring maincrest vans to Joe F & the 6 coaches from limey to piccadilly & the cock up at QPR
Haha great times - great lad
No vin diesal superman we never got done bullshit
Just saturdays kids doin what we do ie go the match