Wednesday, Legend, 11:00pm
Nick Love’s The Football Factory (2004) is a rough-and-tumble look into the world of football hooliganism. Based on John King’s novel, it follows Tommy Johnson (played by Danny Dyer) as he navigates a life fuelled by violence, booze, and a rather unhealthy obsession with Chelsea Football Club. It’s gritty, unapologetic, and not exactly a love letter to English football—more like a punch to the jaw of 90-minute match culture. While not for the faint of heart, The Football Factory brings out a stark reality: for some, football is just as much about the fight outside the stadium as it is about the action on the pitch.
The soundtrack is a loud, aggressive collection of British rock and electronic music, perfectly reflecting the film’s anarchic energy. Key tracks include The Libertines’ "What a Waster" and The Streets' "Turn the Page," which set the tone for a youth culture that’s angry, disillusioned, and looking for an outlet. It’s the kind of music that sounds like it was made to be shouted at the top of your lungs in a dingy pub, which is precisely where much of the film takes place. Composer Ivor Guest delivers a score that's more ambient than melodic, allowing the tracks to carry the emotional heft, which is probably for the best given the subject matter—less sweeping orchestras, more dark, gritty atmospheres.
For soundtrack collectors, The Football Factory offers a nostalgic glimpse into early 2000s British music. If you were ever into The Streets, or have a fondness for the post-Britpop era, this one’s worth a spin. It's not a soundtrack for romantic dinners or quiet introspection; it’s for riling up a crowd—or perhaps just surviving a Friday night at the pub without getting glassed. One for the hooligan in all of us, then.