Currently out on the side lines nursing a calf strain he picked up in January has meant that between visiting the physiotherapist and the clinic for rehabilitation to his injury -Thabo has more time on his hands. The midfielder was recently asked by YO-TV, a television programme aimed at younger kids, to review the movie Green Street Hooligans that came out at Cinemas countrywide this past weekend.

The movie which features Lord of the rings star Elijah Wood is set around an American Student who is expelled from University and travels to England to spend time with his sister. In London he meets up with a group of West Ham supporters who introduce him to the under world of football hooliganism and the firms or rival supporters gangs that exist in English Football.

Commenting on this riveting drama Thabo added the following “ to me this movie was an eye opener to the high level of violence and animosity that exists between supporters of various teams. The people who partake in this are not necessarily guys who are from lower income groups; they are people who have good income and stable social lives. The kind of football violence demonstrated in this movie, fortunately enough does not exist in South Africa and we would be happy to stay away from this type of violence. The movie is an action filled encounter with a lot of drama and a deep story line, as to how a history and culture of violence can ultimately destroy a family. To fully understand and enjoy this picture, one needs to have a good understanding of English Football and the history of various teams in the English Leagues - not just the Premier League but lower divisions as well.

I must stress that this movie contains a huge amount of violence and should not be recommended for younger viewers. It is suggested that parents do not take children under the age of 17 to this movie. There are a lot of lessons to be taken out of this movie, the main thing is that sport is to be enjoyed especially soccer, and once the game is over Supporters need to appreciate their team and the opposition and have respect for the opponents as well as opposing supporters. Over the past few months we have seen a rise in racism and hooliganism in European football - what this movie does do is allow supporters to enter the world of these guys and see why they do these kinds of actions. I would suggest this movie but must stress that it is not a ‘Bend it like Beckham’ family type football flick, it does show a seedier side of the game rarely entered into by filmmakers”.

Green Street Hooligans is currently on show at Ster Kinekor Cinemas around the country.