Anyone wanting to know a bit of history about a Liverpool fans’ stance on being Scouse and not English – I am both.
The city of Liverpool was once a small fishing town, which over time grew into a major Port. Scouse, is actually shortened from lobscouse, which is a thick stew made from leftover meat and potatoes, eaten by Scandinavian sailors.
As the city grew with the help of settlers from Ireland and Wales, poor working class families started eating the stew, because it was a cheap meal. Like society does at times, a name was used to identify these migrant and poor working class Lancastrian Dock workers, and the name used was Scousers, because of the meal they ate.
Over a period of time, an accent was formed from a Lancastrian dialect which became thicker from an influence of settlers from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and other Seafarers from across the world. As the Families started to move south and east into England. It was now the accent that was given the name ‘scouser’ to identify these people.
I don’t remember growing up in the 70s and hating the England football team or even the Royal Family. The City had a welcoming feel to it in the 70s. It didn’t matter if you were Orange or Green.
One of My Grandfathers was born a Catholic in Dublin and came over with his family when he was two. He was a docker from the Dingle, who fought in world war 2 and died in the late sixties. I remember him singing God save the queen.
My father’s family originated from Glasgow and a lot of my cousins would march to Southport on the 12th of July celebrating the battle that King Billy won in 1690. They always sang God save the queen.
My dad was a Blue, who kept us away from politics and religion and I just listened to John Lennon’s Imagine. I followed my dad’s stance on the subject of politics and religion. The only thing we disagreed on was football. So over time we didn’t talk politics, religion or football.
I remember The Celtic, Rangers call from the Kop in the 70s being half-half and while I’m not saying God save our team wasn’t sung in cup finals and England games in the 60s, 70s and 80s by some LFC fans. It became more apparent after Hillsborough.
I do believe a lot of the hate towards the England football team and the Royal Family stems from religion and politics. The troubles in Northern Ireland, Thatchers Britain and The North, South Divide. But The Queen not attending the Cathedral for the Hillsborough service, was the nail in the coffin for the Royal Family.
Anyway as I said before, I stay away from politics and religion and don’t want a debate about it. It should be kept out of sport. It’s just with somebody asking about being born English and not supporting England, I thought I would give my views on it. I want England to win, but I want Liverpool to win more, YNWA.