Naughty.

UK.8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.VG++/VG++. Bright,crisp,clean, glossy,colour photographic portrait mug shots with capitalised white-lettered title to a red background horizontal panel towards top edge and capitalised black-lettered author name to another similar panel at lower edge,red background panels at head+foot of spine/ backstrip sunned and faded - almost invisible but b/w lettering (title+publisher) within them visible,similarly colour photographic portrait mug shots as front panel, illustrated rear panel of dw/dj,but with another 40 different colour photographic mugshots; with negligible shelf-wear, bumping or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks, tears or splits present - minimal,superficial scoring to either panel - without penetration to boards beneath.Top+fore-edges whilst aged/toned are without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - text body pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips - possibly unread,apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt lettered spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK.8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,8-335pp [paginated] includes Opening Words,Sections One to Four comprising 7,4,6 and 4 chapters respectively,Closing Words,16pp contemporary b/w photographs in 2 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp96/7 and pp208/09 respectively,and a poem as last page; plus [unpaginated] half-tite+title pages, and contents list/ table with Stoke-on-Trent city coat of arms Vis Unita Fortior (United Strength is Stronger). Visually the exterior appearance is more than acceptable, and particularly internally,the book is in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of it's twenty-year-old-age.It is only the exterior faults described that prevents a higher grading. Despite them,it really is still a more than acceptable copy for its cleanliness and brightness. In 1985,forty hooligan followers of Stoke City FC experienced a riotous trip to Portsmouth - and the Naughty Forty was born.It became one of the most notorious soccer gangs in Britain. Mark Chester was a founder member of the N40.Already a hardened fighter,he had been expelled from school after an unsettled childhood and joined the Staffordshire Regiment,only to be discharged for misconduct. Stoke City's emerging 'casual' mob became his family. 'Right or wrong,I was ready to be a committed football hooligan,' he says. He recounts tales of raucous coach trips from the Glebe pub and the pivotal clashes with the likes of Everton, Manchester United and West Ham that defined the new firm. Formidable characters came to the forefront,men like the giant Mark Bentley,Philler the Beast and the legendary Miffer,while hair-raising clashes with the likes of Millwall, Spurs,Aston Villa and Manchester City saw the gang's reputation spread. The N40 code was simple: whatever the odds,they would always make a stand.Many times they fought when heavily outnumbered yet often came out on top.They developed a closeness and cohesion rare among the football gangs. Loyalty was their watchword. Soon they were joined by the Under-Fives,a younger element determined to win acceptance from the terrace legends they admired and who carved out their own niche as well as fighting side by side with the old-school heads. Police operations,bans from the ground and the introduction of ID schemes have prevented many from attending games, but the author,long 'retired' from the scene,argues that in the new millennium the gangs are back - and as ferocious as ever. 'NAUGHTY' is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the illicit but seductive lure of terrace combat, the emotional ties of a gang and the addictive buzz of Saturday afternoons. Please contact seller for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **