Hooligan-to-carer story of former yob

reformed character... ex-football hooligan Andrew Bennion

A FOOTBALL hooligan turned full-time carer has penned a book about his part in the notorious Young Guvnors gang.

Andrew Bennion (43), from Greenfield, explains how an abusive and neglectful childhood led him to be involved with the group, which attached itself to Manchester City.

As an 11-year-old, Andrew was forced to live rough on Manchester’s streets where he supported himself through burglary and shoplifting, often spending nights in supermarket skips.

In and out of care homes and prison, he discovered football violence by attaching himself to the Guvnors, who had vicious battles with other soccer yobs.

Mr Bennion, who says he is a reformed character, said: “I was there when the Young Guvnors first started and was one of the lads that founded the gang. That was around 1985 when I was still a young teenager.

“Rather than glamourising, I tried to describe circumstances that led to me becoming involved in hooliganism. I was neglected and abused at home but the Guvnors became like a family to me — what I craved.

“As well as focussing on the hooliganism itself, I’ve done a lot of soul searching and attempted to make the book as introspective as possible, explaining why I was drawn to gangs and violence rather than just describing what the gang did.

“The book is very personal and not egotistical.

“I found it cathartic writing it as it helped me to express some difficult situations I’ve been through.

Andrew, still a Manchester City fan, says he now goes to the matches only for the football, as he has bigger battles to deal with than the ones he fought on a match day.

He is now a full-time, unpaid carer and doesn’t have time to get into trouble with the police.

But when he sees hooliganism on the TV now, he recalls the excitement he felt at the time.

He added: “You may disagree with football hooliganism and I’m not attempting to say that its morally correct, but it provided me with a sense of camaraderie and friendship that I wouldn’t have got elsewhere and it helped me through some difficult times.”

Andrew’s book, “Guvnor General”, is available to buy now, from W H Smith, Waterstones and Amazon.

The book is published by Fort Publishing.