Some English have been very aware of this sort of thing for years:
http://englishdefenceleague.org/
Originally made up of politicized “soccer hooligans,” they are a tough, anti-PC, anti multi-culti, anti Islamic group.
They are NOT fascists or Nazis, simply patriots.
The EDL are not heroes.
As you said, the EDL are ex-football hooligans (which is bad enough). Sorry, but they are not simple decent patriots, many DO have links to neo-nazi and far right racist/antisemitic groups. If you think they are non-racist patriots, you are very nieve.
Vanders and I and a few others here are British. We know what the EDL are better than you or anyone. And they ARE a group with questionable links and identity.
Just because they oppose the Muslims dosent make them heroes or right. You want to support us, then support the decent British person who opposes extremism and mass immigration but does it without hatred of skin colour.