*”Evan Johnston, a 21-year-old student from Arizona, had expected an hour-long sightseeing tour on the Thames when he embarked on a vessel at the Tower Millennium Pier in London on Saturday – but he had unwittingly joined a boat chartered by a group of Southend supporters before their National League game at Sutton United.*
*“I had some suspicions when I was in line to board behind all of the Southend fans, because they seemed to know each other and were making chants I didn’t understand. But I decided to board anyway because I figured if they checked tickets they would just turn me around. But they didn’t check tickets, so I slipped on the boat undetected.”*
*While some people might view a boat filled with football fans as a nightmare scenario, Mr Johnston – in London for six weeks as part of his studies – said he “had a blast”.*
*Andy Ward, one of the Southend supporters on board, told the The Southend Echo: “Someone on the boat told me a young lad was on the wrong boat and I just wanted to make sure he was OK.*
*“When I found him he was drinking and dancing with other Southend fans, and even though you could see he was nervous everyone was just trying to make him feel welcome. He said someone gave him a match ticket but was unsure whether to go. I said to him, ‘come with us’.”*
*After the boat docked at Blackfriars Pier, Mr Johnston joined the supporters on a train to Sutton for the match at the VBS Community Stadium, which ended in a 1-1 draw.*
*“I had a blast on the boat and at the Southend game,” he said. “I had so much fun I plan to go to another Southend game next weekend, and hopefully they can pull out the win. I’m a Southend fan til I die now. I never followed much football, so this is the first team I actually cared about and I’m rooting for them now.”*
*Southend have invited Mr Johnston to their next home game, against Solihull Moors on Saturday, and will give him a tour of the stadium and the chance to meet some of the players.”*
Absolutely love it hahaha
Something similar happened on a Stag do I went on. Whilst enjoying a few train beers one of the lads sparked up a conversation with a bloke who was on his own. He was going home from Uni for the weekend. We got a few beers in him and effectiverly kidnapped him. He came along with us all for the weekend and slept in the bath in one of our rooms. He even ended up attending the wedding.
Love to see it!
Yanks IN
This is an awesome story, and great that such a random encounter, can show how welcoming and amazing our little country can be.
Surprisingly wholesome, especially inviting him to the game
Reminds me of Euro Trip when they enter a Man UTD supporters pub and end up on a tour bus.
[deleted]
I always wondered how people become fans of any particular football team. I guess it happens like this
Did he chant “Defense! Defense! Defense!” During the game?
People love to slag off football fans and act like they’re all hooligans that just want to fight everybody, but most are more like this. Few drinks on a Saturday afternoon, having a good time and meeting new people.
My team is also in the National League and Southends away following was probably the best we’ve had this season.
Each time I see an American asking how to have an authentic British experience in r/uktravel I’ll repost this.
In 2017 we went watching GnR in London. It was Chaos getting back on the tube and we got split up getting back to Whitechapel.
We found this American guy who was on his own and we also “Kidnapped” him.
He spent the rest of the weekend with us 👍🏻
This is the plot of Green Street in real life.
Feel sorry for the bloke. It was a crap game. And we (Sutton) nicked a draw off them in stoppage time. Sorry mate.
> Southend have invited Mr Johnston to their next home game, against Solihull Moors on Saturday, and will give him a tour of the stadium and the chance to meet some of the players.
This only happens to YouTubers and tourists doesn’t it 🤣🤣
He’s now a proper Shrimper with us drawing in the last seconds throwing away two points.
Well no one becomes an intentional Southend united fan!
Don’t care about football or Americans, but it’s a cool story.
Well bugger me, I saw this boat. I was near the London Eye and heard football chants, then this boat with England flags and writing on them came along outside parliament. I assumed England but they all have Southend written on them.
if anyone reading this is planning a trip to the uk rest assured it’s very rare to find yourself in southend by accident. the odds of this happening to you are almost zero so please don’t let it put you off
Mean Street 2
This is how I felt when I joined this sub.
Green Street 4: The Southend lads.
He’s a fuckin’ journo!
Tbh, when we were in the same league, the Southend fans that came to ours were absolutely brilliant. Absolutely fantastic atmosphere from them, good fun out beforehand, and had a flag thanking us for some fundraising our support had done to help their staff in financial difficulties. Glad this guy had a good time, but am unsurprised he did. Always had a soft spot for Southend
Poor little bastard
Poor bastard, didn’t even stumble across the best team in Essex…
29 comments
*”Evan Johnston, a 21-year-old student from Arizona, had expected an hour-long sightseeing tour on the Thames when he embarked on a vessel at the Tower Millennium Pier in London on Saturday – but he had unwittingly joined a boat chartered by a group of Southend supporters before their National League game at Sutton United.*
*“I had originally planned to board the river cruise boat for the hop-on-hop-off tour, which I assume was located on the same dock,”* [*he told the Southend Echo*](https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/25067976.american-tourist-evan-becomes-accidental-southend-united-fan/)*. “The cruise would last an hour or so and then I planned to spend the rest of the day touring central London.*
*“I had some suspicions when I was in line to board behind all of the Southend fans, because they seemed to know each other and were making chants I didn’t understand. But I decided to board anyway because I figured if they checked tickets they would just turn me around. But they didn’t check tickets, so I slipped on the boat undetected.”*
*While some people might view a boat filled with football fans as a nightmare scenario, Mr Johnston – in London for six weeks as part of his studies – said he “had a blast”.*
*Andy Ward, one of the Southend supporters on board, told the The Southend Echo: “Someone on the boat told me a young lad was on the wrong boat and I just wanted to make sure he was OK.*
*“When I found him he was drinking and dancing with other Southend fans, and even though you could see he was nervous everyone was just trying to make him feel welcome. He said someone gave him a match ticket but was unsure whether to go. I said to him, ‘come with us’.”*
*After the boat docked at Blackfriars Pier, Mr Johnston joined the supporters on a train to Sutton for the match at the VBS Community Stadium, which ended in a 1-1 draw.*
*“I had a blast on the boat and at the Southend game,” he said. “I had so much fun I plan to go to another Southend game next weekend, and hopefully they can pull out the win. I’m a Southend fan til I die now. I never followed much football, so this is the first team I actually cared about and I’m rooting for them now.”*
*Southend have invited Mr Johnston to their next home game, against Solihull Moors on Saturday, and will give him a tour of the stadium and the chance to meet some of the players.”*
Absolutely love it hahaha
Something similar happened on a Stag do I went on. Whilst enjoying a few train beers one of the lads sparked up a conversation with a bloke who was on his own. He was going home from Uni for the weekend. We got a few beers in him and effectiverly kidnapped him. He came along with us all for the weekend and slept in the bath in one of our rooms. He even ended up attending the wedding.
Love to see it!
Yanks IN
This is an awesome story, and great that such a random encounter, can show how welcoming and amazing our little country can be.
First thing I thought of https://youtu.be/ZTqb_qEtVDc?feature=shared
Surprisingly wholesome, especially inviting him to the game
Reminds me of Euro Trip when they enter a Man UTD supporters pub and end up on a tour bus.
[deleted]
I always wondered how people become fans of any particular football team. I guess it happens like this
Did he chant “Defense! Defense! Defense!” During the game?
People love to slag off football fans and act like they’re all hooligans that just want to fight everybody, but most are more like this. Few drinks on a Saturday afternoon, having a good time and meeting new people.
My team is also in the National League and Southends away following was probably the best we’ve had this season.
Each time I see an American asking how to have an authentic British experience in r/uktravel I’ll repost this.
In 2017 we went watching GnR in London. It was Chaos getting back on the tube and we got split up getting back to Whitechapel.
We found this American guy who was on his own and we also “Kidnapped” him.
He spent the rest of the weekend with us 👍🏻
This is the plot of Green Street in real life.
Feel sorry for the bloke. It was a crap game. And we (Sutton) nicked a draw off them in stoppage time. Sorry mate.
> Southend have invited Mr Johnston to their next home game, against Solihull Moors on Saturday, and will give him a tour of the stadium and the chance to meet some of the players.
This only happens to YouTubers and tourists doesn’t it 🤣🤣
He’s now a proper Shrimper with us drawing in the last seconds throwing away two points.
Well no one becomes an intentional Southend united fan!
Don’t care about football or Americans, but it’s a cool story.
Well bugger me, I saw this boat. I was near the London Eye and heard football chants, then this boat with England flags and writing on them came along outside parliament. I assumed England but they all have Southend written on them.
if anyone reading this is planning a trip to the uk rest assured it’s very rare to find yourself in southend by accident. the odds of this happening to you are almost zero so please don’t let it put you off
Mean Street 2
This is how I felt when I joined this sub.
Green Street 4: The Southend lads.
He’s a fuckin’ journo!
Tbh, when we were in the same league, the Southend fans that came to ours were absolutely brilliant. Absolutely fantastic atmosphere from them, good fun out beforehand, and had a flag thanking us for some fundraising our support had done to help their staff in financial difficulties. Glad this guy had a good time, but am unsurprised he did. Always had a soft spot for Southend
Poor little bastard
Poor bastard, didn’t even stumble across the best team in Essex…
Comments are closed.