I’m an American tourist in London – here’s how I ended up on a party boat with 150 boozy football fans

A viral American tourist who ended up partying with 150 Southend United fans has opened up on his experience of English football culture.

Evan Johnston, 21, thought he might enjoy a quiet cruise down the River Thames when he boarded what he thought was a sightseeing boat on Saturday. 

But the student from Arizona found himself surrounded by a posse of fun-loving Southend fans, who had booked out the boat as partial transport to a game. 

The fans adopted Evan, bought all his drinks, and chanted ‘Evan is a Shrimper, la la la la’ as they watched Southend draw 1-1 at Sutton United.

What’s more, he’s now set to be a guest of honour at the National League’s side clash with Solihull Moors this Saturday. 

‘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,’ Johnson told the Southend Echo. 

The supporters took Evan along with them to a game, where he ‘had a blast’ and became a fan

The Southend fans had hired a boat as transport, but Evan thought it was a tour one (file photo)

‘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 anyways 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.

‘⁠I had a blast on the boat and at the Southend game.

‘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 till 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.’ 

The supporters had rented a party boat from Tower Millennium Pier to Blackfriars Pier, and then they got the train to Sutton’s Gander Green Lane. 

A spokesperson for Southend United, who are chasing the National League play-offs, told The Guardian:’ We’re really looking forward to welcoming Evan to Roots Hall this weekend for our game against Solihull Moors on Saturday. 

‘We’ll be giving him a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium and the chance to meet some of the players.

‘After hearing he was one of the 1,459 fans who ended up in the away end at Sutton – by complete accident – we’re excited to show him what a home game with the Shrimpers is all about.’