FRIGHTFUL FANS: 5 OF THE SCARIEST AND DEADLY FAN BASES IN WORLD FOOTBALL

Featured Image Credit: The Sun

Everyone loves an away day, a train at 6am to travel to a different part of the country all to watch 22 men kick a circular thing round a section of grass for 90 minutes and as ridiculous as it sounds you simply just can’t beat it.

Although, in some corners of the globe an away fixture can be a bit of a daunting one, whether it be through the violent outbursts associated with a team, or the deafening atmosphere provided by the home fans and here is five examples of exactly that.

Sport Club Corinthians Paulista

Better known as just Corinthians, playing their football in the Brazilian Serie A, being a supporter of the club has been described like a religion.

The seven-time Brazilian league champions, most recently winning the honour in 2017, have one of the most loyal fanbases in the world. With people going as far as quitting their jobs, selling their bikes and even their fridges just to be a part of a Corinthians game.

A staggering 30,000 fans turned up to Nagoya, Japan in support of the Brazilian side when they competed in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup.

Although they have a passionate side, the Corinthians faithful have had some violent moments and are often seen wielding flairs. In the past decade, some games have been played behind closed doors due to safety concerns.

Corinthians are definitely not a team you want to be drawn against as a travelling fan.

Millwall

Any well-educated fan of English football knows that Millwall fans don’t have the best reputation when it comes to crowd trouble, referring to themselves as the Bushwhackers.

The problems with hooliganism for Millwall are deep rooted into their history, as the majority of the fanbase were employed at the docks, a place that was known for being physical, aggressive and ready to employ violence.

Three huge riots have stemmed from the Bushwhackers, the first came at Kennilworth Road in 1985, where a ridiculously large amount of Millwall fans turned up to cause havoc during their sides FA Cup fixture away to Luton Town.

In 2002 Millwall clashed with Birmingham City fans outside London Bridge station ahead of a play-off Semi-final fixture in the capital, and most recently at the Boleyn Ground when a man was stabbed after a match with bitter rivals West Ham United took an ugly turn.

Although in recent years the Lions faithful have had their reputation slightly improved, the stigma surrounding them still exists and makes a trip to the Den daunting for anyone.

Al-Masry SC

Causing a domestic league to shut for two years is a pretty serious decision but was understandably justified following the tragic Port Said Stadium riot in 2012, courtesy of the fans of Egyptian side AL-Masry S.C.

The riot, which still remains as one of the most violent and tragic incidents in recent footballing memory, caused 74 people to lose their lives and a further 248 injuries.

Al-Masry fans boast the achievement of being the first organised fan group located in the Middle East, but their recent history is tarnished with shocking events.

Following the riot from eight years ago, many fans have faced jail time and in April 2015, 11 of the worst offenders were sentenced to death by an Egyptian judge.

While they may not be some of the scariest and intentionally violent fans, the ultras surrounding Al-Masry have caused some of the most disturbing scenes in football history.

Borussia Dortmund

While the Dortmund faithful may not be scary or violent, they sure are intimidating, especially when the infamous Yellow Wall gets going.

The staggering 27,000 capacity South stand is the largest terrace for standing spectators in European football and on a matchday is one hell of a sight to behold.

Dortmund supporters mix an unrivalled level of passion and love for their club with some wonderful and ridiculous fan displays, often co-ordinating with club officials to create aesthetically pleasing artwork to appear on the Yellow Wall ahead of games.

While you can guarantee your safety attending a fixture at the Signal Iduna Park, your eyes and ears may never recover from the extra-ordinary support Dortmund fans give their team.

Wisla Krakow

Not many Polish teams get much recognition for European success, however Wisla Krakow are fairly well known to football fans in other countries, but for all the wrong reasons.

Like the majority of hardcore fanbases, the ultras at Wisla Krakow do get involved in violence with opposing fans, but they take it to the next level.

In a documentary shot by Hools TV, Krakow fans were seen waiting for opposition fans to arrive with hundreds of armed police on location in an attempt stop rival gangs from brawling.

Machetes and bats are often used by supposed Krakow fans in pre-planned attacks on rival supporters, and the clubs ultras have been connected to several murders.

Even actor Ross Kemp, who’s known for being the hardest man alive, looked phased by the violent scenes in the Ekstrakasla, Polish footballs Premier Division.