Chelsea Headhunters
One of the logos used
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| Years active | 1960s–1995 (Chelsea Shed boys) 1995–Present (Chelsea Headhunters) |
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| Territory | West London, Northwest London, South West London, home counties |
| Ethnicity | Mainly White British |
| Criminal activities | Football hooliganism, riots, theft, fighting |
| Allies | Linfield, Brentford F.C., Rangers F.C |
| Rivals | Millwall Bushwackers, Inter City Firm, Soul Crew, Service Crew,Yid Army |
The Chelsea Headhunters are an English football hooligan firm linked to the London football club Chelsea.
There was widespread racism amongst the gang and links to various white supremacist organisations, such as Combat 18 and the National Front. The gang also became affiliated with Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary organisations, such as the Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Volunteer Force.
They were infiltrated by investigative reporter Donal MacIntyre for a documentary screened on the BBC on 9 November 1999, in which MacIntyre posed as a wannabe-member of the Chelsea Headhunters. He had a Chelsea tattoo applied to himself for authenticity, although the hardcore were surprised he chose the hated "Millwall lion" badge rather than the 1960s Chelsea erect lion. He confirmed the racism in the Headhunters and their links to Combat 18, including one top-ranking member who had been imprisoned on one occasion for possession of material related to the Ku Klux Klan. The programme led to arrests and several convictions. One member of the Headhunters, Jason Marriner who was convicted and sent to prison as a result of the show, has since written a book, Stitch-Up For a Blue Sole, claiming to have been set up by MacIntyre and the BBC. He claims that footage was manipulated, 'incidents' were manufactured and they were convicted despite having no footage of them committing crimes.
Nick Love's film The Football Factory presented the Headhunters in a fictionalised account. The film focuses mainly on the firm's violent rivalry with the Millwall Bushwackers. Jason Marriner was the subject of a DVD release 'Jason Marriner - Football Hooligan' directed by Liam Galvin (Gangster Toy Videos).
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