West Ham mentor linked to former ICF hooligans
A West Ham United coach suspended for attending a march organised by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance was once involved with a notorious hooligan gang, according to a book written by a fellow gang member.
Mark Phillips, an ex-cab driver, is a childhood friend of well-known former Inter City Firm member Cass Pennant, who acknowledges the West Ham Under-18s coach – nicknamed “Woolwich” – in his book, Congratulations: You have just met the ICF.
Phillips, who is called ”an EXICD lad” by Pennant is also quoted in the book as saying: “West Ham [fans] could do what they liked really. All the years I was a hooligan the arrogance stayed with me.”
The east London club are likely to investigate the extent of Phillips’s alleged links with the DFLA as part of a disciplinary probe after he admitted attending Saturday’s march in London, which descended into violence after anti-racism campaigners tried to block the group’s route to Whitehall.
Pennant, 60, now an author and public speaker, became the leading face of the ICF and was sentenced to four years in prison in 1980.
After a second prison sentence, he was shot three times at pointblank range as a result of a previous feud with another football gang. In a tweet – now blocked from public view – Phillips refers to being a childhood friend of Pennant.
In March this year, West Ham’s board were criticised for holding a meeting where ICF member Andrew Swallow was present. Fourteen other fan organisations also attended the meeting of the Real West Ham Fans Action Group (now named Real West Ham Fans).
West Ham suspended Phillips on Monday after he indicated on social media that he was present at Saturday’s march. Organisers said on Facebook that they were protesting against “returning jihadists”, “thousands of Awol migrants”, “rape gangs and groomers” and “veterans treated like traitors”. The club said in a statement: “West Ham United is an inclusive club. We have a zerotolerance policy to violent or abusive behaviour.” Phillips has been a permanent member of staff at West Ham since 2012.