Help make The Roaring Red Front be as good as it can be by supporting our travels to the best leftist football clubs on the planet.
The Roaring Red Front Idea
The book will be published by Pitch Publishing and will cover the world’s top Left-Wing and Antifascist football clubs and the supporters that shape their politics and attitudes. Many of these clubs have had their stories told, but never have they been collected together in one volume covering the passion, the fellowship, and the humanity - sometimes laced with violent intent - of people who dream not just of a better world but also of a last-minute winner. And a good row with the fascists.
With the world turning rightwards and democracy looking at its most precarious since the 1930s, the emergence of a global network of left-wing, anti-fascist and anti-racist fans has been one of the few shining lights in dark times.
The Fans
Some of these fans support clubs that are globally renowned, including the great St Pauli, more famous for the quality of its politics and its merchandise than its football. Others, no less committed, follow virtual minnows, like Red Star Paris and Bohemians Prague, but still have proud histories, deep convictions and something to say.
Why it Matters And Why We Need Your Help
We want tell of their history and their current struggles. And why it all matters. The Left often fails to connect: how can these clubs inform and inspire? How can their example help collectivist, internationalist and inclusive principles defeat the seductive slogans and symbols of the growing nationalist and nativist movements across the planet?
The idea arose after a series of very successful articles in the Morning Star about a number of leftist clubs: the best of the articles were those that dealt with the clubs that we have actually visited. To make the book as good as it can be, we need to travel, a lot, and this is where you can help. We're going to be visiting 7 European cities from Cádiz to Cosenza, Buenos Aries, Santiago de Chile, Detroit, and Dulwich.
We want to visit the clubs above and take in one, maybe two games. We will pre-arrange meetings with the leaders of the various left-wing groupings associated with the clubs and talk to them about the history of the left-wing association, how important it is to the identity and behaviour of the club, relations with other supporter groupings and how the politics of supporting the football support club translates into wider political engagement.
We will also engage with regular fans, in our experience people are very happy to chat at clubs like this and are genuinely interested in our interest.
This will be expensive and we would appreciate your help. Thanks very much and do not hesitate to contact us if any questions.
Contributions and Rewards
For a £10-£25 donation you get a name check in the book.
For £25-£40 you get a signed book
For £40 - £60, a signed book plus a Roaring Red Front poster.
For £60-£100, a signed book, plus memorabilia from your chosen club
For £100 and more, a signed book plus a locally sourced t-shirt and memorabilia of your chosen club
All contributors will get a name check in the book.
Thanks very much,
Stewart McGill
Vince Raison
This project successfully funded on 22nd August 2021