A map showing the territories of more than 20 Edinburgh young teams has sparked memories of mispent youth in Edinburgh.
The map shows areas across the city from the northern territories of the Granton Young Parkie, GYP gang and the Young Leith Team YLT, to the YMO or Young Mental Oxgangs in the south.
READ MORE - Edinburgh's notorious street teams from Young Niddrie Terror to Clerry Jungle
The Young Clermiston Jungle are the westernmost gang with TYT, Tranet Young Team the furthest east.
The map sparked memories among some commenters, one reminisced about stealing wood from a rival gang, recalling how he had “spent many a time there in the late 60s early 70s raiding the YNTs Guy Fawkes wood pile to drag into the YBCs pile all the time ducking the Nidroids chucking rocks at us from the top of the railway embankment at the tunnel, ah the good old days.”
Another commenter said: “I think someone might be having a laugh claiming there's a gang in Stockbridge. Unless they're getting their servants to smash up bus stops for them or something.”
A search for some of the names brings up more recollections from that time.
One forum post reads: “I lived in Edinburgh in the sixties and seventies and there were some notorious gangs. I came from Clermiston and this scheme had three gangs, Jungle, YCD and CYT.
“Jungle was the largest and most notorious of these gangs, they often went on rampages around Edinburgh and surrounding districts.
“I can remember reading in the Evening News when a lot of the members appeared in court concerning a rampage in the small seaside town of South Queensferry. They would also have regular fights with the Y.B.T. from Broomhouse, especially when the funfair was on at the Gyle.
“I would say the most notorious gangs came from Drylaw (Y.D.T.), Niddrie (Y.N.T), Craigmillar, I can't remember their name, Oxgangs (bar-ox) and Broomhouse (Y.B.T).”
Another commenter said: “How can you forget the TCR- Tollcross Rebels, aff their heeds during the 70's. They used to dress Clockwork Orange style, bowler hat an all.
“Bar-ox, Clery Derry, Young Broomhouse Team and Young Niddrie Terror, ah the days.
“Most Edinburgh gangs surfaced around the many major housing estates surrounding the city boundaries, mostly to the north, south and west (easily reached by the number 32/52 bus route by the way) as well as the district of Leith who provided us with the infamous Young Leith Team.
“Then there was the Livi Skins, Gorgie Boot Boys and Gorgie Derry.”
Another former member suggested, saying: “These gangs pretty much died out by the end of the 70's, gang membership was always fluid on a daily basis, but there’s plenty boys in the laser clinic getting the cool YCD logo taken off their arms.”
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However one poster, who also claimed to be part of a gang said they were still active as recently as 2009 – said: “The gangs are getting younger and younger but most are all teenagers and some are as old as 20-plus, running about the streets with knives, swords, guns, baseball bats and golf clubs and I have witnessed this in Pilton.
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“Some gangs are 'in for each other' as they would say, meaning that if one gang was fighting then another gang would join them to fight against a different gang.”
While the map shows 22 different young team territories, there have been hundreds of others in living memory, is there one from your area that hasn’t been mentioned? Let us know in the comments.
