GHQ Issue 8

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FRED PERRY RETROSPECT

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LIFESTYLE / CRIME & ENTERTAINMENT

AL CAPONE’S NIECE DEIRDRE CAPONE CHATS TO

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THE GENTLEMANS HEADQUARTERS - ISSUE 8

GHQ COLUMNISTS CARLTON LEACH & JEFF TURNER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW THE SECRET OF THE DEVILS BIBLE

TERRACE LEGEND

BILL GARDNER IRVINE WELSH ON

MOB STORY JOE “BATTERS” ACCARDO

WOODY HARRELSON’S HITMAN DAD

JAMES MCAVOY EXCLUSIVE BEING CASUAL JUDE MOORE

MEET AMERCICA’S HOOLIGAN NUMBER 1

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KING OF

CONTENT ISSUE 8 - 2020

WOODY HARRELSON’S HITMAN DAD.

BEING GINGER

UNCLE AL CAPONE

FRED PERRY

IRVINE WELSH ON

UNCLE AL CAPONE

JAMES MCAVOY.

IRVINE WELSH PRESENTS JEFF TURNER COLUMN DERK DIABLO AMERICAN CASUAL TONY ACARDO MOBSTER CARLTON LEACH COLUMN THE LEGEND OF BILL GARDNER THE DEVILS BIBLE JUDE MOORE BEING CASUAL WOODY HARRELSON’S HITMAN DAD

CONTENTS

FRED PERRY BEING GINGER JUDE MOORE MOBSTER TONY ACCARDO THE DEVILS BIBLE CARLTON LEACH JEFF TURNER AMERICAN CASUAL DEREK DIABLO

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BEING GINGER IN 2020

For too long, gingers have been given a bad deal – or have they? For some, it’s hard to resist with a ginger joke. But, like blondes, the banter exists as people come in all shapes and sizes. Back in 2019, an article was actually written on, “ how you deal with ‘gingerism’ and give advice on how to stop it.”But if there was any advice that was a shared amongst kids across many generations was, “Sticks and stones may break your bones – but names will never hurt you!

And the best remedy against silly name-calling was always, “say something back!” So, with this in mind, let’s cover the strengths and uniqueness found within the nation of red-head warriors strength in numbers – There’s an entire festival that exists, devoted entirely to red-heads? It’s called Red head day. Thousands upon thousands of gingers flock to one area in the Netherlands each year. And what better way to have a day out with likeminded (or hair coloured people) than eating a lot of meat and drink a lot of booze.

GHQ MAGAZINE.COM Fire in the bedroom – This age-old stereotype is a welcomed one for all sexes: our red-head women are said to be absolute firecrackers in bed and once you go red, all other girls might as well be dead. Google hot red-heads and see if there’s any that take your fancy.

Always have a least one ginger mate - Here’s yet another reason to have a red-headed pal in your group. Been out of a typical Saturday night as of late? It’s inevitable that there’s always a loud-mouth, ‘I’m harder than you’ type that will walk into your perfectly planned Saturday night-out with the lads. Well, have no fear. Everything you’ve heard about the redhead temper is true. No sooner than some Billy big-bollocks has opened his fog-horn of a mouth, when in jumps your trusted mate, big red. And just watch is firery temper unleash and take note of all that is unholy being unleashed and saving the night.

A lefty! It has been said that redheads are more likely to be lefthanded than those of other hair colors and it’s been backed by actual scientific studies. Being a lefty has its advantages. Want to know what they are, then ask a lefty. If they’re a ginger – bonus!

50 shades of never going grey! - Red hair retains its natural pigment longer than other shades. This means gingers don’t need to worry as much about going grey. Ginger hair just fades with age through an array of colors, from faded copper to rosy blonde to silvery white.

Gingers can enjoy being ginger for an entire lifetime!

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Superhero power? - A study by McGill University behavioral neuroscientist Jeffrey Mogil showed that both genders of redheads needed less opioid morphine to dull their pain, and ginger women needed less of a kappa opioid drug that is used to treat labor pain. It’s just a fact: Redheads feel pain both differently and less.

Red Heads smell better - The author

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF A SPORTING ICON

FRED PERRY Fred Perry was a British champion tennis player who claimed his rightful place in tennis history when he won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships (between 1934 to 1936). He gained a level of prestige in Britain as Perry was the first tennis player to win a ‘career grand slam’ at the young age of 26 in 1935, when he won all four major singles titles.

GHQ MAGAZINE.COM It’s been written that in the 1940s, Fred Perry was approached by a former pro Austrian football player named Tibby Wegner, who is said to have invented the first sports sweatband. Wegner and Perry then worked together to launch the sweatband as the first product in what become known as the Fred Perry clothing line.

GHQ The original Wimbledon symbol is said to be the inspiration and idea behind the famous Fred Perry logo. As a result of its world-wide audience, the Fred Perry logo remains one the most identifiable brands in the world.

The original Wimbledon symbol is said to be the inspiration and idea behind the famous Fred Perry logo. As a result of its world-wide audience, the Fred Perry logo remains one the most identifiable brands in the world.

The Fred Perry polo shirt (which was to be its signature item and originally only available in white) success was born as of its launch in 1952 at Wimbledon – it was an instant hit!

The Fred Perry brand gained its place in sub-culture history and really took off as fashion wear in the 1960s when the informal but slightly dressed up, suited mod

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Fred Perry has been referenced to almost every sub-culture since its creation throughout British history. It has had a unique place at the very heart of British fashion and music.

The demand for the Fred Perry polo has remained consistent world-wide, reaching across generations and encouraged by new lines and more colours becoming available. One truth has remained - British labels such as Fred Perry (now Japanese-owned) and another identifiable British brand, Ben Sherman have remained popular with the Mods, ravers, skinheads and their off-shoots’ cultural and anti-authority, political descendants.

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UNCLE AL CAPONE “A mobster but never a monster” – Deirdre Marie Capone

Al Capone outside court

Deirdre Capone

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In the eyes of the police he was public enemy number one. Rivals saw him as a ruthless crime boss who ordered murder at the drop of a hat. The media portrayed him as a monster. To Deirdre Marie Capone he was simply, Uncle Al. Alphonse ‘Al’ Capone, inspiration for countless gangster movies and books. The terrifying hood who made a fortune selling illicit booze to thirsty, fun starved Americans. The racketeer who was blamed for masterminding the massacre of seven men on St Valentines Day. Yet also the loving, kindly figure who taught a little girl how to swim and make popcorn.

Others have only guessed about the man behind the legend. The truth is that only the closest to him, knew the real Al Capone. And all but one are dead.

Deirdre is the last and spent a lifetime wondering whether to tell of the truth on the underworld king remembered as the most dangerous gangster of all time.

Finally, after revealing her secret to her children, she sat down and the result, ‘Uncle Al Capone’ is now the most talked about true crime book in America.

From her home in Minnesota the mother of four, still attractive and delightful at the age of 72, said, “How do I see my uncle Al? I consider him a businessman providing three services that the public wanted, alcohol, gambling and prostitution.

He may have been a mobster, but he was never a monster.”

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GHQ Deirdre with her infamous Uncle Al

“Why have I finally written a book after spending most of my life trying to hide the fact that I was a Capone? Well, I started keeping a diary as a young girl after my father Ralph's death. I would ask questions of my grandfather, all of his brothers and their only sister, my aunt Maffie. They made me promise that I would not write my book until all of the original family members had passed away.”

“Then I talked it over with my immediate family and my children begged me to write the book. It needed to be written and no one else could do it.”

The result is a remarkable insight into why Al Capone became such a colossal celebrity, a gangster who stars like, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington and Fats Waller vied to be seen with and whose name remains a household name more than 70 years after his death.

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How did it all start? Deirdre tells in vast and enthralling detail the story of Capones and the role of Al within the family.

Al Capone was not Mafia and unlike true Mafia tradition his roots lay not in Sicily but on the Italian mainland, in his case in the aptly sounding town of Angri in the far South of the country where his parents, Gabriel and Teresa Capone lived, fell in love and married. It was there that Deirdre Marie's grandfather Ralph was born.

By 1895 the Capones had left their homeland and settled in America, a pattern followed by the Corleone family head, Vito, in the highly acclaimed movie The Godfather. Four years later on January 24th, 1899, Al was born.

New York 1800s

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Famous pic of Capone Frankie Yale left

Just as the Corleone’s knew poverty, so did the Capones. Gabriel and Teresa struggling to support a growing family on the meagre takings from their barber shop in Brooklyn. It was poverty that first drove Al to steal, admittedly only fruit from local street carts, but the template was being marked out for a career in crime.

Like so many other Italian Americans, Al graduated up the stepladder of lawlessness, becoming embroiled in vicious gangs and associating with men, whose names would ultimately send shivers down the spines of millions of Americans.

He joined a notorious crew named The Five Pointers where he met lucky Luciano, Meyer Lanski and Bugsy Siegel among others, before breaking away to form his own gang with a pal named Frankie Yale.

Historians have never found to make much of the fact that at just 19 Capone caught syphilis after a sexual relationship with a woman who bore him a son, Albert Francis. The young woman died, and it was arranged for Al to marry an Irish girl, Mae Coughlin who remained loyal and loving throughout his life, bringing up the baby as though it were her own.

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In the money

Although Al was the public face of his gang and undisputed boss, Deirdre makes it clear that it Was his older brother Ralph - at one time Public Enemy number three he was the real brains, the paymaster, bookkeeper, organiser and general mastermind. He was the Mafia equivalent of a Consigliere. Ralph took a beautiful Italian-bride, Filomena and their only child was also named Ralph. He would become Deidre’s father.

What was seen as success in Brooklyn paled into insignificance once Al moved to Chicago and formed a frightening crew known as The Outfit. It was the beginning of the era of prohibition. In 1919 America voted in a national ban on the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol.

While it was not a popular move with Americans who enjoyed a drink and a party, prohibition became a licence to print money for organised criminal gangs bootleggers - that were willing to flout the new law and supply an ever-increasing demand. And at the forefront of these was The Outfit. prohibition lasted until 1933 and at the peak of his success Al was raking in an estimated $100 million dollars each year.

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1920’s Prohibition

such an extraordinary racket could not have been possible without the connivance of judges, politicians and especially police. Hundreds of corrupt public figures and upholders of the law were on the component payroll, the rivals were ever desperate to shoot Al Capone out of business and existence and themselves in. As a result, Chicago became the most violent city on earth; gangland killings commonplace; murder attempts and a near daily occurrence.

Most infamous of the slayings was the Saint Valentine's Day massacre in 1929 when two men dressed as policemen lined up several others in a garage and machine gun then. Al Capone Has been widely blamed. But was he?

Deirdre devotes a remarkable and fascinating chapter to what she says is the real truth behind the massacre, who was there and who ordered the killings?

However, making an enormous fortune was not all plain sailing for Al Capone.

Many of his friends died while an intimate family member was shot dead by police outside a polling station.

Dadri said, “Al’s wife Mae once told me ‘your uncle Al had bad dreams Most every night. He would wake up and the bed sheets would be soaked with sweat’. And Al would tell my Gran father, ‘I've got to get out. I don't need this insanity. I've been

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1939 Mugshot

Yet it was no assassin but the tax man who would ultimately gun down Al. in October 1931 despite paying off jurors and judges he was convicted of tax evasion, gaoled for 11 years and packed off to the prison horrors of Alcatraz. He was never the same again and was behind bars until 1939.

When he was freed, he needed extensive psychiatric and medical treatment that lasted into 1940, the year Deirdre was born and her love for uncle Al began.

Despite being a model prisoner Al Capone suffered a nightmare existence in Alcatraz, enjoying a form of legalised torture that meant he emerged from gaol he was a shadow of the ruthless crime Lord who had once terrorised a nation, even for getting where he had stashed most of his huge fortune, yet money meant nothing to Deirdre.

“What's my earliest memory of uncle Al? When I was four, I went with the family to stay in a log cabin where he was living in Wisconsin. I picked dandelions in his yard for dandelion soup.

“Uncle Al was sitting in the kitchen with his mother. ‘Deirdre has picked and cleaned the dandelions’ She told him in her thick Italian accent. ‘What do you think about that Al?’ uncle al smiled and kissed his mother’s hand.”

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Infamous Prison Alcatraz

The book reveals on establishing caring side to Capone and a dramatic and moving incident in which “he swept me into his big arms, patting me gently on the back.”

Here was the once Public Enemy Number One showing his tenderness and concern for a little girl of four. He even taught her how to make perfect popcorn.

“My most outstanding memory of uncle Al was being taught by him to swim in his salt pool in Miami. There was a metal grate on one side of the pool which allowed the saltwater from the Bay into the pool but kept any big fish out.

“I was never aware of prison per say, but the family kept referring to him having been ‘away’ for a long time and how it was good to have him back. It was only reading newspapers after he died where I learned what the public and the media thought they knew of Al Capone”

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Police raid Capone’s Florida home

The gangster died at his Miami, Florida home on the morning of January 25th, 1947, the day of Deirdre's 7th birthday. She said, “he had been in with pneumonia but was getting better. He's 2 male nurses we're telling him down after a shower. He was going to go outside in the sun when he suddenly dropped dead of a massive stroke.

“My father told me uncle al was dead when I came home from school one day. A few days later I sat in the funeral car directly behind the hearse carrying his coffin. I remember there being throngs of people.” but if the gangster was dead, Deirdre's nightmare was only just beginning. Haunted by the Capone name she eventually lived as Deirdre Gabriel. She was shunned at school; her beloved father committed suicide and as a teenager when her boss discovered her true identity she was fired.

She moved away, married and had four children but one day sat them down and said, “is something I want to tell you about my family. Al Capone was my uncle. “ “Cool, Mom!” They told her and uncle Al Capone was born.

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IRVINE WELSH PRESENTS

GHQ EXCLUSIVE IRVINE WELSH

When I first met James McAvoy and a hidden gem of an actor in the Jamaican film industry.

An actor’s jobs is such an interesting one, because it’s incredibly exposing. People are acting roles, acting parts that they’re hiding behind, but they have to bring themselves and parts of their own humanity into the performance for people to really identify with it. I’ve obviously worked with a lot of great actors, all of the Trainspotting actors are absolutely fabulous, but I think one of the best actors that I’ve worked with is James McAvoy.

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I say this because I remember when we were doing the casting for Filth (2013) we were looking for a guy to play this kind-of alcoholic, misogynistic Scottish cop, who was divorced and in his forties. So, myself and the director, Jon Baird met James in this hotel in London. When I first saw James, he looked about 10 years old; he was fresh-faced and all happy. After looking at him, I thought to myself, ‘no way!’ I left James and Jon to see if they could get on together. So, I went upstairs and spoke to my then partner, and said, “James McAvoy is a lovely guy, but there’s no way he’s going to be Bruce Robertson.”

James Mcavoy on set

So, I’d left them for about half an hour and returned downstairs in the hotel and when I back to where both Jon and James were sitting. It was almost as if McAvoy had completely changed; he’d transformed completely – his face had become all twisted, nasty and it was as if he’d almost grown a five o’clock shadow within the time I was gone.

He’d very convincingly morphed into someone that looked as if they’d been out on the piss for weeks prior to the sit-down! My immediate thought was, ‘we’ve not even got him into costume and make-up!

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I mean, he just looked so nasty and bitter-faced, he was brilliant, and I was convinced – he really is just such a phenomenal actor, he had just become this person, he had become this character and he is just not like that (character).

Every day, after the shoots James would go up to his room, still in character and I thought that we’d not see him for the rest of the day or evening, again just because he was so immersed in the character he was playing. When I looked back on the character that James was playing, I myself allowed him (Bruce Robertson) to get so into my brain, my thoughts, basically just inside my head, it cost me a great deal in my personal life, so when I would see James returning shortly after his departure from set, and James McAvoy was standing in front of me, being just the likeable person that he is, being able to de-role within that short period of time encapsulates why he such a great actor.

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For me on a personal level, that process, of an actor being able to de-role, to be able to come back out of character, set off a big ‘thing’ with me. That process, the techniques that they have, made me talk to a lot of actors and after I’ve had some intense character writing sessions myself, I employ the same techniques that they do, allowing me to de-role and come away from the character(s). It really does help, allows me to put the character ‘away’, put them behind you and get on with your life in a healthy way.

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Irvine with James on the set of Filth

Thinking about it, and if I was asked who my personal favorite actor is, it’s a guy called Paul Campbell, who is a Jamaican actor. He played the role of a villain in a film called Dancehall Queen (1997). It’s a great Jamaican film and he was just brilliant and played a fantastic role as the villain. There was a tv series called, ‘Third World Cop’ (1999), he’s one of these guys that just looks brilliant on the screen. To me, he’s like a white-albino, wild Rasta-warrior – he’s got this incredible look, these brilliant eyes. Paul is incredibly charismatic and a powerful actor and it’s always surprised me that Paul Campbell never made a move into the ‘main-stream’ Hollywood movie scene and become a big star.

Mcavoy in Filth

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JEFF TURNER – SIX PUNCH COMBINATION When the shit hits the fans

Jeff Turner

This shit has had a negative impact on so many people’s lives, we are all crying out for a return to normality and my focus for this month’s column is the massive downturn for the world of sport, the fans especially. Speaking to many football supporters, I really understand their frustration, sadness and anger at this current situation. It’s a huge part of their lives to go to matches home and away for nine months of the year.

Sadly, right now, this has all been taken away and I fear due to this Maoist government it's not going to return for a long time.

The Premier League juggernaut will roll on regardless for the moneymen in charge down to TV revenue but at the lower end of the chain, I really fear that smaller clubs might go out of existence. From the EFL through to step six tier the future for most clubs is precarious.

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JEFF TURNER – SIX PUNCH COMBINATION

The government rules are fucking absurd, grassroots level clubs face extinction, the local communities as a result of these crazy rules will suffer badly. I was speaking to a couple of good friends who support Dorking Wanderers in Surrey, who follow their team religiously home and away.

That avenue of pleasure for them has been flushed down the kharzi. The guidelines regarding the National League Covid regulations are totally fucking baffling. Dorking FC are in the National League South, which is above Step 3, it is a 2000 capacity ground and no supporters are allowed in. Just 15 minutes up the road from Dorking is leatherhead FC, they are below step 3 but can have up to 600 supporters allowed in. If Dorking draw a team from below step free away from home in a Cup competition then they can travel to that game, it's fucking ludicrous.

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JEFF TURNER – SIX PUNCH COMBINATION Sports around the globe are badly affected by this crazy ban on fans. Watching football on the box without supporters is a totally boring experience, it’s like watching a pond stagnate. It’s not only football fans and football clubs taking a hit, other sports are also up against it.

Cricket is in trouble, the international game could survive but at County level, the grass roots of the game the forecast is dire. The County clubs rely heavily on Sky TV income and revenue on the gate for the T20 blast tournament. Sky are now struggling to bankroll them and matchday revenue is now nonexistent. I love going to the T/20. It’s a great night out, I go to watch Kent play at Canterbury regularly. It brings great business to local boozers and food outlets.

I'm beginning to seriously wonder if I'll ever get to go again as I can simply see county cricket teams going under. Darts is a great TV spectacle, a game where the fans are crucial. The atmosphere is amazing, like a carnival. It must affect the players performing with zero atmosphere. Like playing in a fucking library. I know many people who love going to the Darts. A great release for them and a great piss up which has now been taken away.

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JEFF TURNER – SIX PUNCH COMBINATION Boxing is another downer, of course the artistry can be admired but I don't want to watch it without fans present. The mouthwatering domestic heavy weight clash scheduled for November between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce has lost its shine for me due to no spectators being allowed in. It must be devastating and so frustrating for the fighters and promoters. It must be so hard for the fighters to get up for it.

We want to see Fury versus Joshua at a packed Wembley Stadium, not in Eddie Hearn’s fucking back garden. The biggest draw probably right now in world boxing is Saul Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican superstar 4 weight division title holder. When he fights which is predominantly in Vegas it's a massive global sporting event. I can't see Canelo in a big fight happening behind closed doors. I really do fear that this fucking Covid situation will rob us fans of the prime years of boxing superstars like Canelo, Fury, Terence Crawford Errol Spence junior and many more.

The fighters themselves are losing out while at the peak of their powers. In these rotten times with our civil liberties being eroded more and more with each passing week, the day when millions of us sports fans can go back into stadiums seems as remote as ever.

The shit really has hit the fans. Let’s hope that 2021 will bring some happiness and light and make us forget the total catastrophe that was 2020. Keep punching folks.

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Pie ‘n Mash Call Out Derek Diablo, “The Fantasist”

Derek Diablo

It’s been said across quite a large part of the football lads and casual community (and unquestionably online where his largest audience exists) for some time now, that Derek Diablo, aka Derek Del Boy Diablo, can’t be taken seriously and should be treated as the social media entertainer that he is interpreted as.

One such video that was created by ‘The Pie n Mash Squad’, is what many believe is an answer to what Derek’s true motivation is – He’s “a fantasist” and “a full-on fruit-loop” and the P ‘n M squad created the short video as a means to treat him with the contempt and seriousness they have for the main face of the Miami Casuals.

The Pie and Mash Squad is a British group of football fans, set up largely by various lads from different firms (many believe main lads) who share a likeminded passion for everything that is football casual related.

GHQ: What was the reason for the Pie ‘n Mash video (response) aimed at Derek Diablo?

PnM: Reason for the video? We've been aware of this numpty for the last couple of years since he started putting out his videos. We originally thought he was taking the piss and doing a comedy act, but it soon became clear that he's not.

He’s totally mental and living in some alternate universe where he’s leading a casual revival of a non-existent firm in the States. He’s a full-on fruit loop who’s obsessed with the casual lifestyle, which is far removed from his previous life as a far-left Antifa supporting tramp.

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Derek Diablo

We kept seeing his videos and after seeing him promoting Antifa and digging for information on our group we decided to do a response video to wind him up. We knew he'd grab onto it and go into rant mode, making himself look an even bigger idiot. We wanted it to be a bit of fun as well, but the main purpose was to trigger him into making a bigger fool of himself. It worked.

GHQ: The man can't be taken seriously!

PnM: He deffinatelly can't be taken seriously. He's been over to the UK without letting anyone know and was outside Millwall’s ground shouting his mouth off about Plymouth. No disrespect to Plymouth, but they ain't the biggest mob in the world and he made himself look a total wanker there. Outside Millwall while everyone was inside lol

GHQ: Countless proper lads have commented, that even though the ‘hooligan element’ has long faded; with banning orders in place and sizable lengths of porridge for any football lads getting involved in tear-ups, (from what it once was) there’s no question on his un-willingness to turn up and call it on himself.

Do you think he'd ever turn up for a row, or do you think he would (as basically most have said) if he did for the fame and glory, quite a few game faces would act and he’d never return again?

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PnM: Diablo would never turn up anywhere for a row, he's a complete fantasist. We'd pay good money to see him fight Steve Dolin as Diablo does look after himself physically and we think he'd do Dolin. Either way he'd not turn up. He’s as camp as Glastonbury and as fake as Jordan’s tits.

Our boys have always said if he ever turns up at any demo or is spotted at any grounds we have a presence at, he's going in the Thames or the nearest canal.

We suggest he takes swimming lessons.

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An American Crime Legend?

Tony Accardo Accardo

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It is said no mob boss matches Tony Accardo for staying (in) power. Starting as Al Capone’s driver in 1929 and assuming Outfit leadership in 1947, “the Big Tuna” spent eight decades in organized crime—and not one single night in prison. It is also said he was as ruthless as he was clever - one member of the Outfit went as far to say, “he (Accardo) had more brains for breakfast than Al Capone had in his lifetime.”

Tony “Big Tuna” Accardo, aka “Joe Batters” was born from Sicilian immigrants on the 26th of April, 1906 in Chicago. It is said that he had no legal troubles until 1922, when he was arrested for a motor vehicle violation. He later joined the Circus Café Gang, a nick name awarded to Accardo and his known associates at the time for their choice of hang out - the The Circus Café, which was said to be owned by gangster John Moore, aka Claude Maddox.

ACCARDO AND CAPONE

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Tony Accardo became close friends with his fellow gang member, Vincenzo DeMora. It is largely accepted that DeMora was promoted to Al Capone’s personal gang, and as Capone needed more soldiers for his operations, DeMora is said to have vouched for Tony Accardo.

Sometime after, Tony became a ‘made-man’ in Capone’s gang in early 1926; the tradition and blood oath sworn by all into their new family - the oath of Omerta, the code of silence. The timeline is somewhat sketchy, but it’s rumoured after Accardo battered 3 Outfit traders to death with a baseball bat, Capone is to have said, “boy, this kid is a real Joe Batters!”

It is written in several crime studies, that Tony Accardo saved his boss, Capone’s life on many occasions. One of the more noteworthy times was after shielding him as rivals attempted killing Capone in a drive by shooting. It was after this that Accardo was then promoted to the Chicago boss’s personal driver and bodyguard. It’s alleged that one insider said, “it’s one thing willing to kill for the boss, but for someone to take a bullet for him, well, that’s something else.”

GHQ MAGAZINE GHQ MAGAZINE.COM In the 1930’s, Tony Accardo would be made he caporegime (captain) as Capone was jailed for 11 years for income tax evasion. Sometime during the early 1940’s, many of the top mobsters in the country were jailed for their implication and involvement in what was known as the Hollywood Extortion case. Tony Accardo would now become the 2nd man in the organization. Only his friend Paul Ricca, would be above him.

Tony Accardo always denied any role in the Chicago mob. When Paul Ricca retired in 1968, Tony allegedly became mob chief, and when Paul Ricca died in 1972, he became the ultimate authority. Accardo died at 86 years old on May 27th, 1992, of heart and lung disease. His criminal career spanned over several decades, but he never spent a night in jail.

TONY ACCARDO LATER LIFE

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THE CARLTON

GHQ

LEACH COLUMN

Carlton Leach – Here We Go Again!

It feels like so long ago that I was writing my column for GHQ during a lock-down and now we find ourselves right back on the brink of a full lock-down again. I, like so many, am suspicious that this highly contagious, super deadly virus which took the world’s population by sweeping force, then seemingly disappeared while Europe had its summer tourist season and has since re-emerged to ensure most of the world obediently goes back under 'restrictive measures' for the good of our health! I've said it before, I do believe that there is a virus, I think it's probably an awful flu, likely it could be bad news for a very small minority of the population, but the world didn't close down like this for every nasty outbreak of flu type illnesses we've seen; remember the Australian Flu quite recently, or how about Swine Flu where you had to get a relative to go to the pharmacy and get you a box of those Tami-flu tablets? We didn't all hide in our houses from those and look on as the most financially vulnerable in society slip into poverty!

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Myself and my family are being cautions, we're taking measures that might help stop the spread (not wanting to sound like a government poster boy there, it's just the most fitting phrase) and help us to avoid catching the virus ourselves, but we're also having to maintain some normality and quality of life too. I hear Boris getting absolutely cunted off for 'not doing enough', the left are calling for almost total shut down of the UK, but to what end? When we open back up, will it all have gone away like a thief in the night? And do we have an endless pot of money to keep paying the majority of the countries workforce to sit at home? I tell you now, we certainly don't have a pot of money to sustain a lengthy shut down of the entire economy, our military and defences have been cut to a fraction of what they once was, the NHS was almost in tatters before coronavirus, our veterans get no help after their service unless it's funded by charities, we have children in our schools that are hungry, homeless people dying on the streets of London (and elsewhere of course) in winter and these are all issues down to lack of funds, so we can't fool ourselves into thinking that economic shut down is an option here, we simply must find work-rounds, including, the people as a nation, making the effort to create a little extra distance, wear a mask, clean our hands, stay in if we think we may well have the virus. I've spoken to proper hardened criminals lately that have said to me, “they can fuck off, I'm not wearing a mask� but do you know what, firstly if there's half a chance it might help then where's the harm, secondly, surely it’s a god send to crooks, criminals and the anti-government-surveillance lot be able to wear a mask anywhere we go!

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Before I change angles slightly here, I just want to pose some questions for you: When they announce, say, 70,000 cases of coronavirus, have every single one of these people had a PCR test? Or are they just displaying a symptom and then being written up as a corona case? Now if the latter is correct, are the figures accurate, because influenza symptoms are shared with coronavirus. If the first scenario is true and hundreds of thousands of people are now being tested and these 70,000 people have the virus, hardly anyone seems to be dying from it now, so do we need such panic and do we need to change our world so much for a flu?

-If the figures are being manipulated to make this thing seem worse than it really is, what's the end game of the powers that be?

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Fighting Covid 19

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Tying in with economy, adversity and positivity, I want to mention a few people I know. Let me start with my friend and the editor of this publication, Jason Allday, plus his business partner Brian the photographer, who I've met on several occasions and been photographed by. These chaps have taken an idea, ran with it and even in such difficult times, GHQ Magazine continues to move from strength to strength! I know what these guys are going through on a daily basis, but due to support from very notable people they aren't giving up! Keep going Gents, you will reach the masses and they will thank you.

2 of my other good mates have had a plan that they've been developing in the background for some time now, but when the pandemic set in, they didn't fuck about and mope around, they went full steam ahead and launched Urban-Enviro, a skip hire firm now serving Southend and surrounding areas. When I spoke to Lee Mayo the other day, he was flat out delivering and collecting skips, I'm so pleased for these guys. They're keeping their vehicles and skips in good condition and beating any quote thrown at them, which sounds like a great business model to me and the bright pink skips are just an added novelty that's getting them noticed in their area.

My daughter Carly very recently heard that her friend was suffering from cancer and the NHS said that they couldn't do any more to help her. My daughters and the circle of friends found out about successful treatments in Mexico, so Carly launched a crowd funding campaign to get this young mother to the clinic in Mexico and give her a fighting chance.

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Carton Leach by GHQ

The group started to share the campaign link online, I posted the link on Twitter, too and with about 48 hours scores of amazing people chipped in what they could, and the goal was reached.

Thank you to everyone who shared or put in, well done. What a shame that the once great NHS is giving up on people and don't have the funds to help the people of the UK when they need it.

Incidentally, what they're learning about diet and links to cancer over in Mexico from this specialist clinic ties right in with what I learned from a GHQ sponsor recently (salvestrol.cy) and I genuinely hope that some of you take 10 to look into this, because it so simple but the potential positive impact on us could be substantial.

In closing, I say again as I have previously, question what's going on around us, question the information that the media and governments are feeding us, take the basic precautions just in case and stay positive, else we'll all lose our fucking minds out here!

Tweet me your thoughts on @TheCarltonLeach and don't forget the tag @GHQmagazine to spark up the conversation.

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Bill Gardner The Man, The Myth, The Legend Bill Gardner today by Nigel Tufnell Exclusive for GHQ

Widely acknowledged by the British football hooligan fraternity as the top man at the movement’s savage worst, Bill Gardner remains an enduringly iconic and enigmatic figure of interest 30 years after his terrace retirement. Sourced by reputation, notoriety and ambivalence towards the limelight, his depiction in latter day motion pictures, books, blogs and social media have fuelled a celebrity status he never craved. As autograph hunters turned into selfieseekers, a bout of ill health once prompted thousands to take to social media offering messages of support and respect from across the globe. Many wellwishers were not even alive during his heyday of the 1960s-1980s.

Paradoxically, only the closest of the close have ever known the real Bill Gardner: born of parental abuse, relentless bullying, homelessness and Gypsy organised pit-fighting, all by the age of 15 Bill fought to gain acceptance to his precious West Ham family – the only family he never had - often shrouded in a metaphoric ‘mask’ before leading the troops into battle.

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Bill Gardner by Cass Pennant

GHQ MAGAZINE.COM For the first and final time, Bill Gardner: The Man, The Myth, The Legend peels off that mask, to reveal Bill Gardner at his most brutally honest.

GHQ. The Book – Not taking away anything from what’s been written before, but does the book bring some things to light that you felt couldn’t be asked and answered before (this book)?

B.G Yeah, my sister Ann, who died four years to the day before I was born. Although I never met her, talked to her or played with her I’ve always felt her spirit within me and looking over me. I’ve been in some battles I shouldn’t have made it out of when the numbers were well against me and I’ve often woke up the next morning and thought I had a guardian angel.

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Bill Gardner by Cass Pennant

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Bill with Carlton Leach

GHQ. A lot happened during your childhood; do you carry those (harsh) experiences as lessons, or as part of your life that should be forgotten - If answered as ‘experiences’, give examples of what lessons you learned as a child that benefitted you as an adult (as a fan and a family man)

B.G. Yeah, my childhood was shit. I was abused in every way possible which I won’t go into now. The only person who’s ever battered me has been me and those memories. It led to mental health issues I’ve dealt with all my life, including bi-polar and a split personality. “Angry Bill”, as I call him, would protect “vulnerable Bill”. “Angry Bill” wouldn’t be fucked about with and dominated a large chunk of my life. So did football. Put the two together and it don’t take a lot of working out how that would turn out.

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BILL GARDNER – THE MAN THE MYTH GHQ. What isn’t known about you – referencing to your days of following West Ham? B.G I’ve never enjoyed violence and never wanted the mantle at West Ham. People come up and ask for an autograph or a selfie and I think “why me?”, “Why not some of the others?” I’d much rather go to a game of football, watch it, and come home than get involved in all that shit. But that’s not the way it was back then, and I wasn’t going to be trodden on.

Calm before the storm Police escort

GHQ. I’m sure most would accept that a conversation about and with Bill Gardner, during the height of your days at West Ham (as a known terrace figure) could go on without asking – being that you were once a known and respected person at the forefront of football hooliganism in the 70’s and 80’s – The reason you were always at the front and could always be found was simply because?

B.G. West Ham fans were my family. It’s as simple as that. I had a shit home life and chose homelessness over home at 14 years of age. My only true family were the people I’d meet at West Ham, home or away. When we travelled, I took it upon myself to look after the ones who weren’t as capable. So, I led from the front.

Simple as that.

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The Codex Gigas – The Devils Bible GHQ

The Codex Gigas English: Giant Book is said to be the largest medieval illuminated manuscript in the world – in fact, it is so heavy, that two people are needed to lift it. It is also known as the Devil's Bible because of a very unusual full-page portrait of the devil, and also the legend surrounding its creation. It was created in the early 13th century in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia, which is a region in the modern-day Czech Republic.

The Codex Legend. The pages are allegedly made from the skins of 160 donkeys.

The Devil's Bible" Once, the Codex Gigas was the eighth wonder of the world - the book weighs a hundred and sixty-five pounds.

The Codex Gigas – The Devils Bible The Codex Gigas English: Giant Book is said to be the largest medieval illuminated manuscript in the world – in fact, it is so heavy, that two people are needed to lift it. It is also known as the Devil's Bible because of a very unusual full-page portrait of the devil, and also the legend surrounding its creation. It was created in the early 13th century in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia, which is a region in the modern-day Czech Republic.

The Codex Legend. The pages are allegedly made from the skins of 160 donkeys.

The Devil's Bible" Once, the Codex Gigas was the eighth wonder of the world - the book weighs a hundred and sixty-five pounds.

GHQ MAGAZINE.COM According to ancient legend, the medieval manuscript was made out of a pact with the devil himself, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the Devil’s Bible. The uniformity of the writing strongly suggests that it was written by one scribe and some scholars suggest he was under immense pressure when he created the book.

The consistent story behind the writing and creation of Codex Gigas is that it was the work of one monk, who was said to have been sentenced to death by being walled up alive for breaking his monastic vows. He is often referred to as Herman the Recluse.

The story goes, as a last effort and bid for survival, Herman made a deal that he would solely create a book filled with the world’s knowledge in exchange for his life being spared. His proposal was accepted, but his freedom from his death sentence would only be granted if the exiled monk was able to complete the manuscript in just one night.

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The only way the monk could see himself fulfilling such a task, was with the help of the Devil himself. It is said, after the monk sold his soul, the scribe was able to fulfill the order and earn his freedom. The legend also claims that this deal with the Devil explains why the prince of darkness is shown in such a prominent way in the book. Though, it is not known where this legend started, and it is presumed that it was propagated by the church, if not a religious sect.

According to accredited sources, it would have taken one person working day and night, five years to recreate the contents of The Devils Bible solely by hand – and that’s not including the illustrations! So, if you were to be realistic, it would have taken almost 30 years for the monk to create the codex from scratch. Yet, all this time, the writing retained an incredible uniformity in its entirety - from start to finish! This may be the source and legitimacy behind the legend which says that the monk wrote it in just one day.

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JUDE MOORE FRO GHQ

BEING CASUAL BY JUDE MOORE It goes without question that 2020 has been a mad year for everyone - and because of it, most people’s lives have been turned upside down.

With all what’s going on in the world and with even more people now using social media as a news source (that before the pandemic hadn’t really used the internet for more than checking the weather or football results), it probably explains why some people now consider Karen from Chelsea, a stay at home mum with no accredited background in science, who feels her ‘expert-opinion’; all be it an armchair supporters one, on all things Covid 19 is a valid one- it’s not!

The result of people’s obsession, in my opinion, has worsened the level of anxiety with people feeling they need to have news 24/7 and updated every minute. These types of actions and behavior have made things a mess - people that once dabbled in news, used the internet and social media for fun, have now become addicted.

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Looking back on history and the true hardships people have been forced to deal with, we’re honestly a lot better off (even with the madness of 2020), especially with the opportunity and benefits of social media, but it can also bring out the worst in people no better example than with those who want to spread misery, doom and gloom by using Facebook, Twitter and TikTok as their platforms of hate and negativity.

A lot of people simply use these social media outlets as a form of communication, having a laugh and an escape from what’s going on. But for some, it remains part of a daily routine, and for some unhealthy reason, seem to enjoy being negative towards other human beings - It really staggers the imagination. If I’m correct, the official term is cyber bullies.

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Neil (left 80s Casuals) with Jude Moore and Jake Devlin

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Personally, if I see something I don’t like, I tend to skip past it and move on, like most grown-ups. Not investing some obsessive amount of time (stalkers maybe?) by messaging and trolling the internet jesters and those looking to simply have a laugh.

There’s a word I learned a long time ago that should be planted in some of these internet keyboard-warrior’s daily rituals - that word is empathy! People express themselves and have a release from their own lives and, what-ever may be going on in it - there’s a truth that you never know what some people are going through behind closed doors. A lot of the time, people are on their social media accounts expressing or sharing their views and opinions - a release and a way to express themselves. Some people need to remember, other people’s posts and conversations aren’t always about you or is it personal.

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JUDE MOORE FRO GHQ

GHQ MAGAZINE.COM My personality and nature is to have a good laugh - what ever the weather. I do most things to get a laugh or a smile - and no amount of smiling or laughter can ever be beaten with negativity or spitefulness.

During lockdown, a perfect platform for me was TikTok. A way to try and make myself laugh and see how much I could embarrass myself (never seems to work though). I love my clothes; all the 80’s casual stuff. The clothes, the confidence and swagger, the style and energy - all what the causal era seemed to promote and when I wore it. Call me what you want, but watching some of the ‘gangster-chic’ and football casual films to me, I consider timeless.

Sergio Tacinni, Fila, Lacoste you name it - a bit of me. Me, or anyone for that matter, liking and wearing the clobber was of no harm to anyone. I wasn’t looking to change anyone’s politics beliefs or the course history.

Then bang - the flood of attempts at trying to derail me with silly comments and insults! .... countless levels of unfounded, mindless babbling aimed and attempting at pissing me off. What a waste of their time - and if I’m honest, that was only fuel to my fire - it only encouraged me!

Danny Dyer in the film The Business

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What was bizarre was the Karen’s (well, to be fair, a very high percentage of followers on my TikTok are females; they seemed to accept what I was doing - having a laugh!) and middle-aged hard-men, felt they were all experts and the local authority on what was casual and how it was supposed to be presented! “You’re not a casual, not with a haircut like that” my guess is, these same ‘commentators’ and their obsession with my hair, can only allow me to assume they never got the job they dreamed of getting when they were younger as Wham’s hair stylists back in the 80’s! Listen, it’s ok, son! If you can’t do what I do (and enjoy it) go do something of your own making.

So, here’s a message to the internet trolls of the middle-aged male persuasion - accept that times have changed, people can wear what they wanna’ wear, regardless of your opinion and your (lack of) hair or 80’s casual attire, all right. Nice one!

This generation has changed. There are more people alive now than ever, and as a decent percentage of the population, we should be spreading positivity, having a laugh and concentrating on a lot more than being the dealers of hate and spitefulness. Look, I love casual clothing, I love the ‘getup’ and what it does for me, but I don’t like the negative people who are stuck in the past. Get over your selves, you’re not judge and jury of all things casual - and your negative messages only encourage me more - It’s social media, let’s have fun with it.

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Woody Harrelson’s Hitman Dad

We’ve all heard the song, ‘My daddy was a bank robber’, by The Clash, but for one of Hollywood’s leading actors, it could be a hard one to sing ‘My daddy was a hitman” Woody Harrelson is a truly unique talent. The powerhouse actor has graced us with his presence in such classics as Cheers to gritty series like the True Detective. If this wasn’t enough for you, to top that cake of success, he's earned a staggering three Oscar nominations for stunning performances in The People vs. Larry Flynt, The Messenger, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. His list of accredited films remains endless.

But who would have imagined such a talented actor had a father that was once a hired contract killer! Charles Harrelson made a living by taking people out. The man was a contract killer who hired himself out to drug lords and corrupt businessmen. And in addition to murdering for money, Charles Harrelson has even become a mythical figure in the conspiracy theory world as it was once rumored he was hired to take-out one of the most powerful men in the world – none other than J.F.K – The president of the United States!

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Charles Harrelson Police photo

Charles Harrelson was born in 1938. It was written that he was a man who couldn't stop moving. He grew up in Texas and joined the navy, and after this, he made his way to Los Angeles where he started selling encyclopedias. It was around this time he married Woody's mom, Diane, but Harrelson wasn't (allegedly) a great husband.

The story goes, shortly after moving to the West Coast, Harrelson found himself behind bars after being convicted of an armed robbery. Upon release, he tried his hand at selling dental equipment, and somewhere along the way, he divorced Diane. She retained care of the children. Not content of a single life, he remarried in 1965 (his second of four wives). Moving back to Texas, Harrelson decided to make a dishonest living as a full-time gambler. It was clear he wanted to make fast cash and by any means, and as history has shown, he didn't care how he got it.

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After beginning his life as a contract killer, it's rumored, by some historians and followers of such crimes, that Harrelson murdered at least 20 people - one of his possible victims was Alan Berg, a carpet salesman from Houston, Texas. An online article gave some insight into the killing of Berg, “In 1968, the 31-year-old Berg got a phone call from a woman promising him a good time if he would swing by a local bar.

So Berg drove over right away, and the salesman was never seen again (alive, anyway).

When Berg's family started to worry, the police brushed them off, claiming he'd probably just run away. After all, Berg had some serious gambling debts. But Berg's dad wasn't convinced, so he offered a $10,000 reward for info and hired himself a private eye. Eventually, Berg's remains were found near the city of Freeport, but who disposed of Berg's body?

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Charles Harrelson In Prison

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Well, a witness named Sandra Sue Attaway came forward, and she just so happened to be Charles Harrelson's ex-girlfriend. According to Attaway, she'd seen Harrelson pull the trigger. After luring Berg to that bar, the hitman had driven him out to the middle of nowhere, shot him in the head, and when that didn't work, he finished the job via strangulation. So who allegedly hired Harrelson and why? Well, it seems a former employee-turned-rival businessman wanted to take Berg out, and he hired Harrelson to do the deed for a measly $1,500.”

Probably the most factually known case of murder by Harrelson, was the murder of a judge. Harrelson was convicted of that after the murder in May 29, 1979. The killing of U.S. District Judge John Wood Jr. outside his San Antonio home sealed his fate once and for all. Prosecutors said a drug dealer hired Harrelson to kill Wood because he did not want the judge to preside at his upcoming trial. Wood, known as “Maximum John” for the sentences he gave in drug cases, was the first federal judge to be killed in the 20th century.

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Charles Harrelson In Prison

Records show that Charles Harrelson was transferred to Supermax, the highest-security federal prison, after attempting to break out of an Atlanta federal prison July 4, 1995. Other inmates at Supermax, about 90 miles south of Denver, include Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols and Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph.

“I don’t feel he was much of a father,” Woody Harrelson told People magazine in 1988. “He took no valid part in my upbringing.” The famous actor also commented, “The sad truth is that there are a lot of people out there who have experienced serious injustice,” the younger Harrelson told the Houston Chronicle in 1998, explaining that his father believed he did not get a fair trial in the Wood case.

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Assassinated President JFK

The crimes that Charles Harrelson were either accused or was convicted of, would interest the most serious of crime buffs and probably sock your average house-wife, but an age-old rumor has it he was involved in one of the most talked about events of the 20th century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. For a long time, conspiracy theorists believe that Charles Harrelson was actually one of the three Tramps, along with Charles Rogers and Chauncey Holt, who on November 22, 1963, were photographed under police escort, and allegedly arrested right after the assassination.

There are reporters who believe that he really was the shooter, and not Lee Harvey Oswald, that Harrelson, who posed as a tramp, was in fact one of the shooters!

Interestingly enough, when Woody Harrelson was asked by a mainstream tabloid about his father, it was reported he said, “You said once, that you thought your father was a CIA operative, yes? ” Harrelson: “Yeah, he was.”

Charles Harrelson died in the maximum-security cell where he was serving two life sentences. The hitman was 69 when he died.

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