Welsh film to blow whistle on football hooligans

Irvine Welsh is writing a screenplay on the violent activities of Cardiff City's notorious football hooligans.

He is to adapt The Soul Crew, a book by two self-confessed hooligans who detail running battles between rival fans.

The actor Robert Carlyle's production company 4Way Pictures has reportedly paid a five-figure sum to the two authors, Tony Rivers and Dave Jones.

Welsh and Carlyle went to a game at the club's Ninian Park ground in September as part of their research for the film, which fits in with some of Welsh's other projects into the seamy side of British life. The book was published in March and has sold 20,000 copies.

The supporters' club at Cardiff City have condemned the book and plans to make it into a film claiming that it will make further violence more likely. The club continues to experience problems with violence, with its fans involved in a pitch invasion during last season's FA Cup third-round tie with Leeds United.

A former player, Dai Thomas, was among those who was jailed for his part in the disturbances. The match was also remembered for verbal clashes between the then Leeds manager, David O'Leary, and the Cardiff owner, Sam Hammam.

The club has the highest numbers of hooligans banned from attending football matches in England and Wales or abroad, with 99, according to figures out in February.

Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan has criticised the film saying that it would make legends out of thugs. "My fear is that it would glamorize the Soul Crew and give the story publicity that we do not really want," she said.