Section 5, also known as Albion Youth when referring to its younger members, is a football hooligan firm associated with West Bromwich Albion F.C. The Championship club has had several hooligan firms since the 1960s—including the Clubhouse and the Smethwick Mob—but Section 5 remains the largest and most infamous, with its activity peaking in the 1980s and 1990s. What made Section 5 distinct from many other English hooligan groups of that era was its mixed racial composition. During a time when racism and segregation were deeply ingrained within the hooligan scene, Section 5 stood out for uniting supporters of different ethnic backgrounds under one identity. The firm became particularly notorious for violent clashes with rival supporters, especially those of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, and Aston Villa. These Black Country and West Midlands derbies remain among the fiercest in English football, and Section 5’s reputation was largely forged through such confrontations.
Over the years, Section 5 has been involved in numerous high-profile incidents of football-related violence. In Amsterdam in 2002, ahead of England’s friendly against the Netherlands, West Brom and Wolves supporters clashed in the city centre—an incident captured on CCTV showing Wolves fans hurling bottles before Albion hooligans charged out to fight them. Another infamous event was the “Battle of Bramall Lane”, when a match between Sheffield United and West Brom was abandoned after United were reduced to six players, sparking violent scenes inside and outside the ground. In 2004, Section 5 fought a major street battle with Cardiff City’s Soul Crew as Albion supporters were escorted to the stadium. That same year saw one of the firm’s most notorious incidents outside the Uplands pub in Handsworth, where up to 80 fans clashed using baseball bats, bricks, bottles, and iron bars. Eight people were injured, and around 60 hooligans were later convicted and banned. The violence continued through the following decade, with major disturbances including the 2011 Black Country Derby—where smoke bombs, missiles, and pub fights followed a 1–1 draw with Wolves—resulting in seven supporters being jailed. In 2012, forty West Brom fans clashed with QPR hooligans near The Hawthorns, and a year later, fresh trouble erupted before a Premier League match against Aston Villa. The pattern continued with a brawl at Birmingham New Street station in 2015 involving fans from West Brom, Villa, and Wolves, followed by violent scenes at Birmingham’s O2 Academy in 2016 between Albion and Birmingham City supporters.
The origins of the name “Section 5” are debated. One theory links it to the central part of the old Birmingham Road End stand at The Hawthorns, known as “Section 5”, where the loudest chanting and atmosphere originated and where many members of the firm used to stand. Another explanation ties it to Section 5 of the Public Order Act, a law frequently used by police to charge fans for disorderly behaviour during the height of football hooliganism. In 2009, former members of the firm published a book titled Sons of Albion: The Inside Story of the Section 5 Squad, which chronicled over three decades of West Bromwich Albion’s hooligan subculture, including the Clubhouse and Smethwick Mob. The book offered a rare first-hand perspective on the evolution of West Brom’s football violence scene. While police crackdowns, heavy sentencing, and banning orders have greatly reduced the firm’s visibility, Section 5 continues to hold a symbolic place in West Bromwich Albion’s fan identity. Today, those members not under banning orders often gather in the Smethwick End at The Hawthorns, carrying forward the legacy of one of England’s most notorious football firms.
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