The Real Football Factories International

Holland (1x4)

: 02, 2007

The Dutch are famous for their tolerant culture and liberal attitude to sex and drugs. Dyer begins his journey in Amsterdam, where he takes in the cosmopolitan life of the capital. But Danny soon learns that Holland has a dark underbelly as he starts his journey into its fierce and secretive hooligan culture. Whilst in Amsterdam he has a secret meeting with the F -Side Firm of AFC Ajax. He learns about Ajax’s long-standing rivalry with Feyenoord hooligans from Rotterdam which has seen bombings and even murder. He then travels to Rotterdam, where he experiences De Klassieker (The Classic) derby, Feyenoord against Ajax – the biggest game in Holland. We see how drugs and weapons have fueled their rivalries, which have seen the firms battle around the football ground and even at clubs and raves. Dyer then travels to The Hague to find out how the rivalries have intensified with arson attacks and the difficulties the police have in controlling the spread of hooliganism. Because he has earlier talked with Ajax, ADO Den Haag supporters would not talk to him. His final destination is Utrecht, where he finds out about the hooligans' power and influence within clubs. He meets the Utrecht firm who have a base within the football club. It becomes apparent that many of the firms are deeply embedded in the clubs, and violence has become a part of Dutch culture.