Rise of the Footsoldier Book

'The first thing that caught my eye was the geezer with the gold tooth - the second was that he was holding a shooter - and the third that he was pointing it at me.' Carlton Leach is a gangland legend - the mere mention of his name strikes fear into his enemies; yet to his friends he is as loyal and caring as they come. If trouble comes calling Carlton isn't afraid to let his fists do the talking and woe betide anyone who crosses him or those close to him. At last in Rise of the Footsoldier Carlton gives the full account of his life including how his story has been made into a hugely successful film. Born and raised in East London Carlton was a key member of the notorious Essex Boys gang and the West Ham InterCity Firm one of the most violent hooligan gangs to trouble the football terraces during the eighties. He's been shot at stabbed glassed - he's even had an axe in his head. Yet the event that really brought turmoil into his life was the murder of his best friend in the infamous Range Rover murders. Carlton vowed that he would find those responsible and make them pay.There isn't much that Carlton hasn't seen or experienced in his life and his tales of violence gang wars and close calls with death will have you on the edge of your seat. He knows how close he has come to dying and has therefore shut the door on a gangland life. He may have changed but as he himself says 'I'll always need to exercise the Carlton Leach brand of justice. It's in me - '

Carlton Leach was a key member of the Essex Boys gang which ran riot in the 1980s and 1990s, sparking a savage drug war which saw three of his pals killed in the 1995 Range Rover massacre. Carlton was also a minder to boxer Nigel Benn throughout...