Football hooliganism is a dirty phrase in England. Say it and people will think of the 80s – the dark old days. Today, those terraces look very different. But the stories – of organised fights, of pub brawls, of banning orders – haven’t gone away.

We see them everywhere on our social media timelines: a steady stream of violence swallowed by smartphones and regurgitated for hungry eyes online. This series digs deeper – beyond the stereotypes and tabloid headlines – to understand this violent subculture and why it’s forced its way back into our society in 2024.

Embedded in our national sport, this is a story of class consciousness, rebellion, and adventure turning to embittered violence, tribalism, and greed. It is a story of what happens when society disenfranchises its people, dismantles its social structures, and pits them against one another.

This is the untold story of The English Disease.