Publicly wearing a soccer jersey in the UK... Foolish?
December 5, 2015 10:47 PM Subscribe
In the US, wearing sports team jerseys in public is no big deal. I'm told that this isn't the case in the UK with soccer jerseys. Friends say I should not wear my team's colors in public when I go to the UK, lest I attract insults (or worse) from strangers who support rival teams. Is this true?
I'm an American travelling alone to the UK this weekend, and I'm going to be at Goodison Park on Monday night for the Everton match. I'm an Everton supporter, and I was planning on wearing my blue Leyton Baines jersey for the train ride from London to Liverpool. Several friends have cautioned me not to do this, especially in Liverpool and on the train there. They claim that publicly wearing my jersey will make me a target for abuse or harassment from rival fans.
I witnessed this sort of behavior in the UK in the '80s, but I thought they had cleaned up that stuff. Then again, when I watch a match on the TV, very few people in the stands appear to be wearing their team's kit. So maybe it still is a problem?
I'm an American travelling alone to the UK this weekend, and I'm going to be at Goodison Park on Monday night for the Everton match. I'm an Everton supporter, and I was planning on wearing my blue Leyton Baines jersey for the train ride from London to Liverpool. Several friends have cautioned me not to do this, especially in Liverpool and on the train there. They claim that publicly wearing my jersey will make me a target for abuse or harassment from rival fans.
I witnessed this sort of behavior in the UK in the '80s, but I thought they had cleaned up that stuff. Then again, when I watch a match on the TV, very few people in the stands appear to be wearing their team's kit. So maybe it still is a problem?
Best answer: It depends really - on where you are, what time of day it is and which strip you're wearing. If you wear an Everton shirt on the train you'll be perfectly safe but may get a bit of harmless (although potentially intimidating) ribbing.
You should definitely wear the shirt to the game though. I'd expect about 75% of the supporters attending the game to be wearing their team colours in some form. If it were me I wouldn't wear the shirt on the train but I'd put it on in Liverpool. Everton/Liverpool is actually known as the friendly derby and you'll often see Liverpool fans sitting in Everton sections and vice versa which is pretty much unheard of elsewhere.
The only other thing to be aware of is that some pubs don't allow people wearing football strips to enter. But don't worry - there are also plenty that do!
Also, it's Leighton Baines.
posted by neilb449 at 11:31 PM on December 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
You should definitely wear the shirt to the game though. I'd expect about 75% of the supporters attending the game to be wearing their team colours in some form. If it were me I wouldn't wear the shirt on the train but I'd put it on in Liverpool. Everton/Liverpool is actually known as the friendly derby and you'll often see Liverpool fans sitting in Everton sections and vice versa which is pretty much unheard of elsewhere.
The only other thing to be aware of is that some pubs don't allow people wearing football strips to enter. But don't worry - there are also plenty that do!
Also, it's Leighton Baines.
posted by neilb449 at 11:31 PM on December 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Hi, very much agree with neilb above--context is everything. One thing I would say is that the game on Monday night is against Crystal Palace, a London-based club. Consequently, the majority of the fans on the train you'll be taking are likely to be Palace supporters. It's one thing to wear an Everton jersey in Liverpool, or in and around Goodison on game day (you'd be fine), but I'd be a bit hesitant to wear the jersey in a context where you were likely to be outnumbered. It would probably be fine, but I wouldn't myself take the chance.
Definitely wear the shirt to the game, though (unless somehow you've got a ticket in the Palace supporters section) and have a great time.
posted by muhonnin at 11:47 PM on December 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Definitely wear the shirt to the game, though (unless somehow you've got a ticket in the Palace supporters section) and have a great time.
posted by muhonnin at 11:47 PM on December 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Once you actually hit Liverpool, I wouldn't worry a bit about wearing your Everton jersey in the city. I live in the area, and routinely see people in both LFC and Everton jerseys interacting pleasantly all the time. You always get some assholes, but the city just plain loves football, and I know plenty of people who regard the other team as their second favourite. Enjoy your time here; Liverpool is a great place. Just don't read the Sun.
posted by skybluepink at 12:23 AM on December 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by skybluepink at 12:23 AM on December 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks all. I shall proudly don my Leighton Baines jersey once I reach Merseyside.
[I saw the film Creed today, where the villain always wears Everton gear and the final bout was shot at Goodison Park. Surreal.]
posted by bruceo at 1:11 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
[I saw the film Creed today, where the villain always wears Everton gear and the final bout was shot at Goodison Park. Surreal.]
posted by bruceo at 1:11 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
It used to be that the police would meet the main trains carrying large number of visiting fans into Liverpool at Lime Street station and escort the fans in a column to whichever ground. I haven't lived around Liverpool for a while though so don't know if that still goes on.
posted by biffa at 1:59 AM on December 6, 2015
posted by biffa at 1:59 AM on December 6, 2015
Palace supporters are a pretty tame lot and are unlikely to do anything worse than jokingly booing at you. There is a lot of rivalry between Everton and Liverpool so I'd be careful if you see any angry looking Liverpool fans. Bear in mind that wearing any football shirt anywhere will mean other football fans will start talking to you about the game, the season, the players and things that happened years before you were born that you are automatically expected to know about. Your Americaness is likely to be a source of fascination and "hilarious" comments. If you don't want to talk to annoying drunk fans, take a change of top.
posted by intensitymultiply at 3:07 AM on December 6, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by intensitymultiply at 3:07 AM on December 6, 2015 [6 favorites]
You should be aware that in some parts of the UK the police herd football fans as they get off the train. If you've got plans other than going straight to the stadium it's probably best to keep the football paraphernalia under wraps.
posted by srboisvert at 5:23 AM on December 6, 2015
posted by srboisvert at 5:23 AM on December 6, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks again to everyone. In sum, I had no trouble at all.
I rode the express virgin train from London to Liverpool the afternoon of the match, and I didn't wear any team colors. On the train, I did not see anyone wearing team colors. At the station in Liverpool, I did not see any police anywhere. Perhaps I was on a train that the fans avoided?
Both cabbies I rode with were Liverpool fans and totally good-natured about it. That said, whenever I mentioned "Friendly Derby", people scoffed and said "not so friendly".
The park and game were both really fun... the stadium was old and worn, but homey. All the fans were great. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
posted by bruceo at 1:59 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
I rode the express virgin train from London to Liverpool the afternoon of the match, and I didn't wear any team colors. On the train, I did not see anyone wearing team colors. At the station in Liverpool, I did not see any police anywhere. Perhaps I was on a train that the fans avoided?
Both cabbies I rode with were Liverpool fans and totally good-natured about it. That said, whenever I mentioned "Friendly Derby", people scoffed and said "not so friendly".
The park and game were both really fun... the stadium was old and worn, but homey. All the fans were great. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
posted by bruceo at 1:59 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by asterix at 11:18 PM on December 5, 2015