The League of Extraordinary Hooligans

Once, when in a Tokyo hotel, I was wearing my Japanese shirt when I went to reception. Without saying a word, the bloke working reception walked round to the other side of the check-in desk to see what name I had on the back. Unless the tag was hanging out the back and I had Redknapp on me, there was no name on my shirt.

Yes, the Japanese football fans love their heroes. When going to a Kyoto Sanga match in 2008, they had a ‘hero of the day’ interview with the keeper and the players do laps of honour to their fans at the end of each game. A far cry from the lazy players of the Barclay’s Premier League (or PL as Sky will insist on calling it), barely able to lift their arms to show support to those that have spent a large proportion of their earnings to see those that are paid more than they can imagine.


The J-League is the fans’ league for me. The games are quite rough and tumble, and to an often inconsistent standard, with token failed Brazilians thrown in for good measure. But I don’t go to watch the football; I go to watch the fans.


As in England, the hardcore fans of each team go behind the opposing goals, complete with as many banners, flags, megaphones and drums as they can carry. Everyone to a man will be decked in the club colours and will be in the stands well before kick-off, performing the countless songs and choreographed routines that are at their disposal. It almost feels like you will need to audition to earn your place in the end stands, how unified they are; God knows what you have to do to be one of the blokes holding a megaphone?! Each have nicknames blazed across their banners in the club colours, such as ‘Sledgehammer Bros’ (Gamba Osaka) and my personal favourite ‘Hardcore Naked’ (Kyoto Sanga).

Today, I went to my third J-League match to see local boys Tokyo Verdy take on Thespa Kusatsu. 3,008 were in attendance at the Ajinomoto Stadium, which holds 50,000. Yes, times are hard for the double champions from the 90s, now languishing in J-League Division 2 in a ground they share with local rivals FC Tokyo who are currently featuring in the Asian Champions’ League. They’re sort of the equivalent of West Ham, except they play in an Olympic-like stadium…wait a minute…

But in a stadium only 6% full, there was a noise constant and loud enough to cause tinnitus. The continuous chanting, banging of the drum and megaphone rousing lasted for the full 90 minutes, rarely letting up. Even the small number of Kusatsu fans, who’d made the relatively short journey, still were able to sound like an opposing army preparing for battle across no mans’ land, despite their side’s 2-0 defeat.





There is little silence, few moans and groans and even the losing team will get a nice send off. Sod the mascot racing, each J-League team should put forward their fans for a battle of the bands style showdown. There’s even a respectful applause from the opposition when a chant draws to a close. That’s what this league’s really about. Fans here support their club; we just watch ours in England (and sometimes Wales).


And what's more, you can take beer in.