The Dozen with Liam Tuffs Football Lads FIGHT Against Groomers: Together for the Children Unveiled
Mar 5, 2026
Justin Smith, activist and former football firm figure who now campaigns against child sexual exploitation. He recounts how rival clubs united after Manchester and how the movement shifted into fighting grooming gangs. He describes survivor support, national marches called Together for the Children, prison ordeals, and claims of elite cover-ups. The conversation covers grassroots organising, aftercare work, and high-profile controversies.
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How Rival Firms United At The 2017 March
- Justin Smith filmed the June 2017 march after the Manchester Arena bombing that united rival football firms into a single public movement.
- He climbed a double-decker bus to coordinate camera crews and estimate turnout as tens of thousands gathered on Park Lane.
Why The DFLA Adopted A Council Model
- The DFLA split from the FLA to adopt a democratic leadership with a council and votes instead of a single leader.
- Justin describes a 20-person council needing 14 votes to carry decisions, aiming to reduce mistrust and make actions representative.
Linking Survivors Into A National Campaign
- Justin recounts interviewing survivors like Elizabeth Harper and linking long-running local support groups into a national campaign.
- He cites Rotherham's ~1,400 cases and survivor testimony of repeated abuse to explain why grassroots victims' voices mattered.