Pint throwing England fans are ruining the World Cup

I think it was around the time that the sixth pint sailed through the air that I knew I’d chosen the wrong place to watch the World Cup

After a long season watching my beloved Arsenal almost win a historic double, I was feeling a bit flat about supporting England during the expanded tournament, so for the first game against Croatia on June 17 I decided to go big. 

I couldn’t face queuing outside a cityboy sports bar or standing against a wall in my local pub because the tables that are usually occupied by old school North London geezer types are full of reserved signs for Tilly x 12 or Olly x 8.

Instead, I opted for tickets to Kentish Town’s O2 Forum for a ‘Fan Park experience’.

But in the two years since England’s last international tournament I’d unfortunately forgotten what that experience entails.

Pints being thrown everywhere. 

In theory the fan zone was perfect. It was busy, we were seated at the front, and they even booked Paul Konchesky (two England caps). 

It was all going well – but ironically, things began to go wrong when the Three Lions won a penalty and scored after a retake.

But it’s not because I hate Harry Kane, or was angry at him missing a penalty at the first attempt. 

It was the fact that someone sitting behind me pre-emptively took the opportunity to throw his pint in the air, soaking most of the front tables, that made me wish I’d stayed at home for this one.

It wasn’t spontaneous, it was strategic. He’s chosen to fling his beer sky high to celebrate a goal that could end up meaningless. It only felt more pathetic when Harry Kane’s penalty was saved. 

At least he had the good grace to look sheepish during the retake, and apologised when we fixed him the kind of death stare Thomas Tuchel usually reserves for Djed Spence. 

When Kane buried the retake, all was forgotten. Sweet Caroline played, we were off and running in the tournament, and my mates and I shared a celebration. 

That goodwill lasted about 3 seconds, before another plastic missile filled with overpriced Budweiser landed inches from us, soaking our crisps and white trainers. 

I turned round to confront the culprit, only to realise the problem. 

Because it wasn’t just a single loser doing this, but dozens. I tried to track how many £8 pints were in the air, and lost count at six. 

Rather than enjoying England scoring, I’m bathing in a fountain of warm liquid falling onto replica jerseys.

What’s worse, as countless viral videos from venues like this and Boxpark show, this form of forced celebration is tolerated, if not actively encouraged. 

You assume the management don’t really mind it, as pints are sold to replace those that are thrown, and cleaning staff know they’ve got a job on their hands anyway. 

Most surprisingly, the rest of the crowd at these venues don’t mind it either.

At the Croatia game, a depressing fact hit me harder than the flat beer did. 

This is the fan park experience. You turn up in a DHgate shirt and a pair of jorts and if you go home not smelling like warm Heineken, you probably haven’t had a very good time.

Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s a moral failing that I can’t just allow myself to immerse myself in the throng of damp men getting behind the national team. 

Or maybe, actually, I’m right to be annoyed, and the people throwing pints are the ones who need the therapy. 

Not least because this isn’t celebration. I’ve been going to football for a long time, and part of the beauty is spontaneous outpourings of joy.

But this is planned – people can’t wait to toss their beer in the air. Some people at fan parks have multiple pints at their table, one for drinking, one for throwing, even when shots hit the side netting. 

I know going to a fan park and complaining about people throwing pints is the equivalent of getting a Ryanair flight and then moaning about delays – I did this to myself.

And in a way, I’m glad that at least all of these people are kept in one place, like a cage made of spilled Carling. 

It kind of made sense in 2021 at the Euros. 

We’d been cooped up for a year, we’d forgotten how to behave in public, the games were happening in London, the team looked like they might win the tournament. Fair enough. 

It was a strange time, and compared to blokes doing odd things with flares, it was relatively tame. 

Now, there’s no excuse. We routinely go deep in tournaments, and frankly there’s a cost of living crisis. 

I still don’t know why people do it.

Is it aggression – a bunch of men who can only show emotions properly without soaking someone else in Fosters? 

Whatever it is, it has to stop. England manager Thomas Tuchel has told us not to expect much from our performances until the later rounds of the tournament, and last night’s unconvincing win over DR Congo certainly proved him right. 

But I’m begging people to stop. 

If we beat France in the final, fair enough, shower me in beer, let 60 years of hurt pour out of you. 

Until then, keep your pints on the tables lads.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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