Is this true?

Very good post, @The Royal Archer. I think he overexaggerated quite a lot of the personal stuff in the book. I don't know, but I reckon he threw in the barmaid stuff to make it more interesting. I also would doubt he was known as Jim from Wandsworth, that could be an alias of an alias.

I was at the Arsenal and Boro games and his account of both are mostly spot-on. Boro was scary and I was only 13 at the time. I also saw a Brum coach get done in which is in the book too.
Funny thing is robbo one of those whose conviction in the Dirty Den trial was quashed told me their undercovers used the same ruse used in Bannons book - that they were painters and decorators. As this predated Wandsworth Jims `operation' it made me all the more skeptical.
Noone who was at Highbury that day will forget it - was also in the seats and recall a massive roar just ahead of kick off as everyone looked towards the North Bank. All of a sudden groups of two or three Wall stood up in the seats to make themselves known joining in a chorus of `Millwall! Millwall! Millwall!'
None of the Arsenal in that stand was prepared to do anything.
Seems like yesterday!
 
So you actually remember the geezer Peckham? That's interesting.
I was going at the time albeit on the fringes of any such activities and much of his accounts of the seasons at the end of the 1980s are reasonably accurate.
I didn't particularly use either of the boozers - easy to identify from their code names - he mentions at that time.
Of course that doesn't mean thiat the accounts had to be written by undercover Old Bill, could have been from anyone who was there.
Remember that Operation Dirty Den had just fallen apart prior to promotion along with similar infiltrations at other clubs.
I always believed it very unlikely they would have sent in other coverts so soon afterwards following the scandal over the cost of those trials and of course in the light of those events it was a lot more risky to attempt to infiltrate any of the firms. I remember at the time of promotion there was a lot of suspicion towards any one knew who arrived on the scene - still is to an extent today I guess as Millwall have never been a club to welcome outsiders.
But I have to say having spoken to many who were around from those days a lot think the book is bollocks and no-one I have asked who I would expect to have known - no names here of course - believe he existed as undercover.
Always thought it odd noone recalled him having an affair with the barmaid or the pub losing its licence.
This is of course by no means the first time the subject has arisen on here and again I can't recall anyone acknowledging his existence ,more a case of dismissing the book as a fabrication though I was informed that ID was based on the experiences of someone involved in Dirty Den - this was some time before the book.
However if you do remember Jim from Wandsworth then that changes everything. Peckham.
He didn't half do some amount of drink driving in the book as I recall which again seemed a bit fictitious!
I read the book, and whilst the copper makes out that he was a legend in his own mind, I'm taking it from the comments on here that the main boys were too tight a group to compromise themselves to be set up.
It sickens me to see so many police around the Den on match days, all smiles and attempting to engage in friendly chat with some of our supporters. Short memories.
Wouldn't even look at them,
(apart from a couple of WPCs in their 20's who had lovely tits and arses).
But you now have me worried. As an outsider, I'll be shitting myself from now on when I get over on match days.
I'll maybe start wearing a Wall top, foam hands and a few balloons.
If necessary, I can provide references of my dodgy past, and put a photo of myself up.
 
Funny thing is robbo one of those whose conviction in the Dirty Den trial was quashed told me their undercovers used the same ruse used in Bannons book - that they were painters and decorators. As this predated Wandsworth Jims `operation' it made me all the more skeptical.
Noone who was at Highbury that day will forget it - was also in the seats and recall a massive roar just ahead of kick off as everyone looked towards the North Bank. All of a sudden groups of two or three Wall stood up in the seats to make themselves known joining in a chorus of `Millwall! Millwall! Millwall!'
None of the Arsenal in that stand was prepared to do anything.
Seems like yesterday!

That was a mad day. It was properly nasty before, during and afterwards. I can't remember a thing about the actual game though.
 
Funny thing is robbo one of those whose conviction in the Dirty Den trial was quashed told me their undercovers used the same ruse used in Bannons book - that they were painters and decorators. As this predated Wandsworth Jims `operation' it made me all the more skeptical.
Noone who was at Highbury that day will forget it - was also in the seats and recall a massive roar just ahead of kick off as everyone looked towards the North Bank. All of a sudden groups of two or three Wall stood up in the seats to make themselves known joining in a chorus of `Millwall! Millwall! Millwall!'
None of the Arsenal in that stand was prepared to do anything.
Seems like yesterday!

It must of been nice and cosy in those seats while the rest of us were getting squashed to fuck in The Clock End.

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
It must of been nice and cosy in those seats while the rest of us were getting squashed to fuck in The Clock End.

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
Remember them opening another section of terrace which was like a release valve but not before plod started swinging at those dads lifting their kids over the wall to avoid being crushed down near the corner terrace that's when it rained coins down on plod..
 
Remember them opening another section of terrace which was like a release valve but not before plod started swinging at those dads lifting their kids over the wall to avoid being crushed down near the corner terrace that's when it rained coins down on plod..
The OB had a good pop at us outside just before kick. Went off with some gooners at the turnstiles, plod were swinging truncheons at anything that moved.
 
This has been a really interesting thread!
Serious question though: what would happen to an undercover copper if they got rumbled? Everyone he'd got close to, I assume would just melt away making it fairly obvious he'd been outed...

Hypothetically speaking of course 😉
 
we wasn't with any main group of Millwall ,we cant be the only ones to have came across arsenal who were up for it before outside

And they showed and stood at the top of ilderton road , by the slope from the flats by the Canterbury and it was a great fight , one of the best I've ever seen , no winners or losers .
 
surprised its never spoken about probably 50 ish each with a lot of onlookers , not planned by wall just happened .
 
surprised its never spoken about probably 50 ish each with a lot of onlookers , not planned by wall just happened .
Mid-80s night game? Heard a lot about a very good Arsenal firm that wouldn't budge. Always had my respect Arsenal. Just faded in the end.
 
surprised its never spoken about probably 50 ish each with a lot of onlookers , not planned by wall just happened .
The league game? Was with a group that done them outside the rising sun, they reckon they held there own, no chance and no shame. We come off second best at there's, you win some and lose some.
 
The league game? Was with a group that done them outside the rising sun, they reckon they held there own, no chance and no shame. We come off second best at there's, you win some and lose some.

The mdweek Arsenal away game was the one where Les Briley scored a 30 yard screamer that got disallowed for no reason whatsoever.