1312

I was loath to read this, holding onto long term distrust of ‘outsiders' (not necessarily journalists either) writing about a youth culture that means a lot to me. The tendency is to either overhype, moralise, or just miss the point completely. Montague, perhaps by virtue of his own local terrace experience, did none of these.
1312 surprised me, it even managed to articulate the energy of terrace culture I've always struggled to put into words- the things that make it one identifiable culture despite an array of political and stylistic contrasts - to FEEL football not just to watch it, to fight for your community, to reject authority and commercialisation, and to test the boundaries of state and society.

Despite the culture's origin in passion, drama, and the values mentioned above, it's fair to say that the picture of modern ultras scenes painted in the book isn't particularly romantic, nor optimistic. There is the ugliness of the far-right and their connections with nationalist elements of the state (practically acting as police in several instances, so much for 1312!) and with capital (profiteering, merchandising, connections with suspect businessmen, even extortion).
Then there's the loud, cringeworthy virtue-signalling of groups (particularly in Germany and the USA) who call themselves left-wing. Groups who aren't able to simply live their values, but have to wear them as a badge for self-promotion and moral superiority in such a way as to render them plastic, insipid. It's so disappointing, embarrassing even, to read about these groups calling the police on and pressing charges against their political enemies (again, so much for 1312). The way that fans uncritically support the commercialisation of liberal values in America was particularly unsettling to me.

So yes, it's true, three quarters of the book did not paint a nice picture of a culture that I love. But the honesty of this book is what makes it stand out. Besides, much like the process of one generation replacing another on each individual terrace, new scenes in new regions emerge as the most subversive, innovative, and exciting- it's the same process on a macro, global scale. These new scenes are almost always derided as copycats by the old guard, just as younger generations of ultras are dismissed by their elders, but they bring new energy and new life to the culture.
Montague could've stayed euro-centric, as most covering this topic do, but to his credit he takes a broader approach and the book is far more interesting for it. North Africa, Indonesia, Turkey and Greece seem to be among the most interesting scenes at the moment and there were encounters in the book that left me with real hope for the future of this culture and the integrity of its anti-authoritarian, anti-corporate, localised values.

It's worth mentioning too that there is appeal in Montague's level-headed honesty, he doesn't feel the need to hype up every scenario. In recollections of high-energy moments he describes them as such, but when things fall flat as they so often do in football (flop, as we say here) he delivers these recounts with deadpan, and often comical, honesty.


I didn't expect to, but I loved this book.