If you are Edinburgh born and bred or have lived in here for any length of time, chances are you are familiar with at least a few of the city's numerous youth gangs.
Referred to locally as young teams, many of these gangs go back decades, with names such as the Young Leith Team (YLT), Tollcross Rebels (TCR) and Cleri Jungle among some of the most well-known.
At the height of the young team movement in the 1970s and 1980s, practically every district of the capital was represented by at least one or more of gang and outbreaks of violence between rival factions was very common.
The young teams were heavily influenced by Anthony Burgess's controversial novel A Clockwork Orange, the film adaptation of which was released in 1971.
Set in a near-future dystopian society, A Clockwork Orange depicted a youth subculture of extreme violence that certainly piqued the interest of the nation's young people.
The seminal movie had such an impact that it was eventually withdrawn from British cinemas at the behest of director Stanley Kubrick following what was described as a spate of copycat acts of violence around the UK.
Buoyed by what they had seen in A Clockwork Orange, it was during this time that Edinburgh's young teams, many of which had been on the go for many years already, really started to grow in numbers. Acts of violence steadily increased, while slogans and graffiti bearing the various names of the young teams became more and more visible.
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Of course, gang violence is definitely nothing new in Edinburgh. Hogmanay 1812 was almost spoiled by a gang of pickpockets who reportedly targeted revellers at the Tron Kirk.
Then there were the razor gangs of the 1930s and the Teddy Boy hooligans of the 1950s. Most notorious in the latter period was the Valdor Gang, who regularly terrorised Tollcross and Fountainbridge.
By the 1960s, the first young teams started to emerge in Edinburgh, and while there was undoubtedly a troublesome element and culture of organised violence and drug abuse attached to these gangs, for many working class youngsters it was simply about being part of a crowd and assuming an identity.
While we can never condone the violent behaviour of the young teams, for many growing up in Edinburgh being part of one was a rites of passage and very much part of the culture of the times.
Let's take a closer look at a few of the Edinburgh young teams that were especially active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Young Leith Team
The Young Leith Team, or YLT as they were commonly known, covered Edinburgh's largest and most populous district and were known for fiercely defending their territory. Neighbouring enemies included the Granton Young Parkies and Lochend Shamrock.
The famous YLT hand signal, made by making a peace sign with your thumb extended outwards at a right angle and supported by the index finger of your other hand, is legendary and has even been used by Hibs FC for promotional campaigns. You'll still spot YLT graffiti around Leith to this day, even if the young team itself is nowhere near as active as they once were.
Tollcross Rebels
Tollcross back in the day was a tough inner city district with a large working class population. Many youths in the area attached themselves to the Tollcross Rebels, or TCR. Homemade TCR tattoos using a needle and Indian ink really were a thing. YLT and TCR were two of the biggest young teams in Edinburgh and would regularly battle it out amongst each other in the city centre.
Cleri Jungle
Covering Clermiston in west Edinburgh, the Cleri Jungle was another feared young team - and one of the most fashion conscious. Members of the Cleri Jungle donned long Crombie coats, with a red handkerchief protruding from their top pocket. Turned up jeans and Doc Martin boots completed their rather threatening look. The group also developed their own chant based on the opening riff from Deep Purple's 1972 hit Black Night.
Young Niddrie Terror
The Young Niddrie Terror, or YNT, was the young team for Niddrie, one of Edinburgh's most deprived estates. The group's hand signal - a single extended pinky finger - was and still is easily identifiable.
Bar-Ox
The south Edinburgh post-war housing estate of Oxgangs was home to the Bar-Ox. There is some debate over where the name originated from, however, one theory is that the young team copied the nickname for Glasgow's notorious Barlinnie jail, commonly known as Bar-L.
Young South Side
Edinburgh's South Side district was home to the YSS (Young South Side). The group was one of the largest in the city and its tags can still be seen today around the South Side.
Young Gillie Team
Gilmerton's Young Gillie Team (YGT) was another sizeable gang covering the south of the city. Fights between the YGT and their neighbouring rivals - mainly Gracemount's Young Gracie Jungle (YGJ) were common.
Young Mental Drylaw
The YMD, or Young Mental Drylaw if you will, took in the Drylaw estate in north Edinburgh. Rival young teams in the nearby area included Young Mental Royston and Pilton Derry.
Other Edinburgh young teams that were well-known back in the day include: Young Broomhouse Team, Young Inch Cumbie, Young Mental Saughton, Porty Rebels, Young Stocky, Young Telford Fleet and Young Piershill Fleet.
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