January 6, 2009 12:16

Noel Gallagher admits to football hooligan past

Oasis man says he was part of a Man City 'firm'

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Noel Gallagher has said he used to hang around with members of some of Manchester City's most notorious football hooligan firms before he signed a record deal.

The star, who was a regular on the Kippax Stand at City's old Maine Road ground in his youth, said he still keeps in touch with some of the firm members now, reports The Sun.

"I knew all that lot and I still see a few of them today," he said. "They were quite mad times. Half of us were on the dole."

Man City hooligan groups The Guv'nors and The Maine Line Service Crew were some of the most notorious and feared firms in the UK during the '80s.

The Oasis guitarist said he regularly used to wonder if he would get home without injuries after matches.

"The grounds we used to go to 20 years ago were dangerous, especially night games at Leeds and places like that, and wondering whether or not you'd make it home in one piece," he said

Gallagher also admitted that he tried to start his own chants at Maine Road on several occasions, which he now attributes as being his first dalliance with songwriting.

"I did start a song in the Kippax when I'd had a drink," said the guitarist. "Probably something like, 'Everywhere We Go' or similar and everyone joined in.

"So maybe the first seeds of my songwriting career were sown at the back of the Kippax."