NME: From The Bender Squad to The Gremlins; Inside Newcastle's Football Hooligan Firm

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But rumours began circulating about Hutchison after he returned from a coaching trip to America earlier than expected, in 2011.

But the hooligans had not realised their goading text messages and taunting calls were to lead police straight to the organisers. The family friend became aware of rumours about Hutchison more than two years ago, and he tried to encourage his relatives to make him get help. From the outset, it was an unusual case. "It was unusual for a criminal investigation to have people from so many walks of life," he says. "No one admitted it, and, when we got to court, both sides gave evidence to assist each other. But they always turned up for bail, and not one failed to attend a court appearance. According to Mr Dennis, the breakdown of the family structure has left men without vital restraints on their behaviour - their traditional roles as husbands and fathers. The result, he says, is a heady sense of freedom that manifests itself in thrill-seeking. Short was also arrested as he watched the Toon’s game with Leicester City this season. He told police; “It’s coz you know I’m a Gremlin.”The chief inspector goes on to describe the groups as fragmenting as the city got busier, he also describes them becoming more confrontational with both police and other male groups present in the city." Suttle was also spotted with the hooligan faction as Newcastle hosted Swansea at St James’ Park on Saturday, November 28, 2009.

Kapke was stopped by police from confronting a Tigers’ fan as he walked past towards Central Station.It goes on to detail how a PC at the Seven Stars watched as trouble unfolded between the Stoke group and the Toon thugs who arrived to fight them. Mennim was accepted into the Bender Squad’s fold. And with this firm, and later the notorious Gremlins, he travelled the country looking for fights. The court heard the messages were verbally abusive, with one reading: “You’re nothing but a w**** from the gutter.” He was also part of a group that travelled away to Middlesbrough in November. Spotters identified 120 Toon fans, including 60 hooligans, on a train on their way to Teesside.

Steve says the book does not aim to glamorise violence, but to document this part of Tyneside’s history. If any firm is arranging anything with the Gremlins I would read the above and realise you can not take anything they say on board.Many dispersed after, but 39 were arrested on the night, many of them from the south side who retreated on the ferry to South Shields where police were waiting. I first got into football at nine when I went with a few of my mates. The game didn’t really interest me. I tried a few times to get into it but I found it boring and just wanted to be somewhere else.

Police say his ban is the latest in a series that have seen core members of the Gremlins booted out of the game. It comes amid a probe into ugly scenes at Newcastle Central Station involving the Gremlins and rivals the Seaburn Casuals. Norman Dennis, a visiting fellow of Newcastle University and director of community studies at the London think-tank, the Institute for the Study of Civil Society (Civitas), believes the problem of hooliganism is a by-product of modern society.During the hearing, three officers gave evidence, detailing how they saw Jary throw a series of punches at police. At this time a PC saw a group of men ‘burst’ out of the rear door of the premises – all were swearing and all were showing aggression. They were goading the Sunderland fans shouting ‘come on’ and ‘scum’. Mann, of Brunton Avenue, Fawdon, Newcastle, is well-known among Toon fans for his collection of Magpies memorabilia in the Adelphi. His display has led to him being dubbed a "superfan". But behind it all he was just a yob. It is very difficult to police because it happens away from the grounds. There is a lot of organisation and planning that goes into these meetings. A few lads had already started to make their way over to Shields when we got yet another call telling us that they were now in North Shields and if we wanted it to go there.