In the world of Foot-the-ball, Andy Shank is a 'Face', which is a British term for a football hooligan who is a leader of one of the 'Firms" - football supporters clubs. He is the one character in the novel who is a pure evil villain so is fairly stereotypical of football supporter thugs as portrayed in real life and such films as Green Street Hooligans. Like most thugs, he doesn't have friends so much as followers -people who are afraid of him and afraid to get in his way. His dad is captain of the Dimmers. He is a supporter of the Dimwell Old Pals (Dimmers) he initially he is a friend of Trevor Likely - if by friend you mean someone you keep on the right side of in case he knifes you. He joins the Ankh-Morpork United football squad and is instrumental in their blatant cheating (resulting in two broken legs, one angry Archchancellor, and a poisoned Librarian). He dislikes Mr Nutt, who takes his "friend" Trevor away from his sphere. Near the end of the book, Pepe who is a master with a blade rearranges his face and hands him a lemon to wipe on his wounds (Andy cannot see through the blood so does not realize what it is until he has rubbed it in his raw wounds).
Advertisement