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Being a casual







oneillco

Well-known member
Feb 13, 2013
1,321
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.

You've never understood the fascination with fashion cults? It's no different from goths, mods, punks, teddies, trustafarians and a million and one others. Each have their own slang, style of dress, rituals. Just so happens this fashion cult is more attached to football than music or politics.

And no doubt some wag will post "pwoppa nawty" within the next 10 posts. Green Street is NOT an accurate portrayal of how casuals behave, talk or even look like - it's a caricature that's been grossly distorted for entertainment, it's how the film industry works. It's the equivalent of saying that all motorbikers are like their film portrayal in Easy Rider.
 


wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patron
Aug 10, 2007
13,913
Melbourne
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.

Where you came from, it was life etc etc......
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,684
Newhaven
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.

Cardigan?
Who wore a cardigan??
What a load of tosh, you saw some dodgy ones but not everyone was the same, it was the fashion at the time and as posted earlier some people just liked the clothes.
In the early 80s I had some really good mates that I called " boy racers" the type you see now hanging around in McDonalds car park in a car with a big exhaust, most of this lot wore casual gear but didn't go to football or fight in clubs or pubs.
 


oneillco

Well-known member
Feb 13, 2013
1,321
A mainstay of the football casual wardrobe were Lyle & Scott, Pringle and even Gabbici sweaters AND cardigans. I do not know what boy racer casuals wore, but I assure you that expensive golf knitware, preferably in baby pinks, light blue and yellow, was where it was at with these geezers. FACT.


Cardigan?
Who wore a cardigan??
What a load of tosh, you saw some dodgy ones but not everyone was the same, it was the fashion at the time and as posted earlier some people just liked the clothes.
In the early 80s I had some really good mates that I called " boy racers" the type you see now hanging around in McDonalds car park in a car with a big exhaust, most of this lot wore casual gear but didn't go to football or fight in clubs or pubs.
 




BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,684
Newhaven
A mainstay of the football casual wardrobe were Lyle & Scott, Pringle and even Gabbici sweaters AND cardigans. I do not know what boy racer casuals wore, but I assure you that expensive golf knitware, preferably in baby pinks, light blue and yellow, was where it was at with these geezers. FACT.

Sorry but I don't need a history lesson on casual clothing as I was around at the time, I had all sorts of Golfing jumpers, not pink though but I don't remember people wearing cardigans in Brighton.
I'm sure [MENTION=11191]Pretty pink fairy[/MENTION] or [MENTION=11956]bushy[/MENTION] will be along to correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Last edited:


Jan 30, 2008
31,981
Sorry but I don't need a history lesson on casual clothing as I was around at the time, I had all sorts of Golfing jumpers, not pink though but I don't remember people wearing cardigans in Brighton.
I'm sure [MENTION=11191]Pretty pink fairy[/MENTION] or [MENTION=11956]bushy[/MENTION] will be along to correct me if I'm wrong.
jumpers and roll necks :shrug:
regards
DR
 






User removed 4

New member
May 9, 2008
13,331
Haywards Heath
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.
It was , I can assure you
 
Last edited:


User removed 4

New member
May 9, 2008
13,331
Haywards Heath
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.
You're talking absolute bollox, you really havent got a clue , as evidenced by your comment about about cardigans from shepherds bush , seems to me that you're just quoting some old crap you've read in a magazine , but getting it a bit wrong, come on admit it, someone from the WSF nicked your bird and you've carried a grudge ever since.
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,684
Newhaven
A mainstay of the football casual wardrobe were Lyle & Scott, Pringle and even Gabbici sweaters AND cardigans. I do not know what boy racer casuals wore, but I assure you that expensive golf knitware, preferably in baby pinks, light blue and yellow, was where it was at with these geezers. FACT.

jumpers and roll necks :shrug:
regards
DR

And track suit tops.

You're talking absolute bollox, you really havent got a clue , as evidenced by your comment about about cardigans from shepherds bush , seems to me that you're just quoting some old crap you've read in a magazine , but getting it a bit wrong, come on admit it, someone from the WSF nicked your bird and you've carried a grudge ever since.

Cardigans??? FICTION. ???
 




Tubby Mondays

Well-known member
Dec 8, 2005
3,116
A Crack House
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.

You can say what you like about pretty much anything as far as Im concerned; but when you attack Stuarts in the Bush, then you attack the very fabric of our society!

Also thought the bit about working in pubs/clubs and seeing victims of bullys who were not fighters was fantastic irony, its not like bouncers have ever ganged up and beat someone on their own senseless is it?1
 


User removed 4

New member
May 9, 2008
13,331
Haywards Heath
I'm guessing that you were not a teenager/young adult during the late 70s to late 80s when this casual style was popular with a strata of young men in Britain. But it was only a strata. I assure you it was nothing like as exciting as you seem to imagine it was, and most of their contemporaries (like me) weren't impressed (the first casuals I saw were Man U fans in wedge haircuts and pink polo shirts in 1978). Yes there were blokes at every club who adopted the look/attitude/hair style. But really it was a bit crap, not like the classic British cults like teds/mods/skins/punks, etc. Casuals were the blokes who went to the really terrible night clubs, e.g. Sherries, drunk the most chemical cheap lagers, played space invaders and the fruit machines all night, and did a lot of posturing at football and on West Street of a Saturday. Casuals always moved around "mob handed" as I recall, and their speciality was ambushing people who didn't meet their approval when the odds were stacked in their favour, and doing a lot of kicking with snow white trainers. Working in pubs/clubs in Brighton in the 80s I recall a lot of 10 on 2 fights, and often the victims were not fighters. The fact is that the casuals I knew were generally racist, generally xenophobic, generally read the Sun, generally went to a lot of effort and expense to buy some hideous cardigan from Shepherds Bush, and generally were only brave when lagered-up and in a gang. Beats me why anyone would romanticise them now.

A mainstay of the football casual wardrobe were Lyle & Scott, Pringle and even Gabbici sweaters AND cardigans. I do not know what boy racer casuals wore, but I assure you that expensive golf knitware, preferably in baby pinks, light blue and yellow, was where it was at with these geezers. FACT.
Again, absolute tosh, expensive golf knitwear yes,cardigans nope, baby pinks, light blue and yellow ? Absolutely not.
 






BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,684
Newhaven
You can say what you like about pretty much anything as far as Im concerned; but when you attack Stuarts in the Bush, then you attack the very fabric of our society!

Also thought the bit about working in pubs/clubs and seeing victims of bullys who were not fighters was fantastic irony, its not like bouncers have ever ganged up and beat someone on their own senseless is it?1

Spot on about bouncers in that era.
Generally meat heads, rent -a- thugs and bullys that would outnumber a troublemaker and give them a good kicking.
I spent plenty of time in Brighton's pubs and clubs during the 80s and one thing I did learn was not to mess with bouncers.
I can't comment on today's doormen as I don't go to clubs.
 


South Stand Rebel

New member
Sep 6, 2012
169
The casuals had this stupid thing for oppositions scarves. They used to grab them off fans necks and claim them as trophies. A lot of innocent fans were targeted. Just a bunch of bullies if you ask me.

That's a pile of crap. It was the seventies hoolies, that were into trophy hunting. They also used to slap scarfers, mainly because everyone wore colours then, and there was no distinction between the ordinary fan and the hoolies. The various dress codes didn't relate to the football matches - you had punks, rockers, mods, skinheads, suedeheads etc all in the same terrace standing (and fighting together). That was way before casuals.
 


Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,785
GOSBTS
Good to see Boneville coming back to life
 


Leighgull

New member
Dec 27, 2012
2,377
Unlike most I was in Liverpool in 1979 and through the eighties.

I was caught up in the scally thing from very early with Forrest hills, Sambas and Lois being the first things that popped up.

You could get a lot of stuff on knock off when Liverpool returned from their European sojourns but it didn't take long for the high street and independents to catch up.

I remember coming to Worthing to see my Dad in the holidays and sticking out like a sore thumb from the average Sussex teen of 1981/2 there were still a lot of skins and mods dotted around then but not many scallies/ casuals that I recall.

Come 1984 Brighton was catching up in a big way but Liverpool were the originals.
 




Seasidesage

New member
May 19, 2009
4,467
Brighton, United Kingdom
Unlike most I was in Liverpool in 1979 and through the eighties.

I was caught up in the scally thing from very early with Forrest hills, Sambas and Lois being the first things that popped up.

You could get a lot of stuff on knock off when Liverpool returned from their European sojourns but it didn't take long for the high street and independents to catch up.

I remember coming to Worthing to see my Dad in the holidays and sticking out like a sore thumb from the average Sussex teen of 1981/2 there were still a lot of skins and mods dotted around then but not many scallies/ casuals that I recall.

Come 1984 Brighton was catching up in a big way but Liverpool were the originals.

Liverpool were way ahead for sure. But there were plenty of well dressed lads by 81. I started getting into Pringles, Fred Perry and Jumbo cords in my last year at school 79. It must've been Worthing who were behind :blush::smile:
 


Wellesley

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2013
4,973
Oh FFS! It was me in the cardigan alright, will I never live it down, it was 30 years ago.:ffsparr:
 


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