The Perfect Response to Poverty Chants at Everton vs. Chelsea Match
Chants of “feed the Scousers” and “sign on” are frequent throughout Liverpool and Everton games, but Sunday saw a perfect response at Goodison Park.
Opposing Supporters’ Chants About Poverty
It is sadly to be expected now that opposing supporters will sing about poverty during games against clubs from Merseyside. Regardless of the area the opposition is from, fans will invariably sing either ‘feed the Scousers’ or ‘sign on’, and often both. There were even reports of ‘feed the Scousers’ chants during Tottenham vs. Man United in the Women’s Super League on Sunday. Last week, Everton were subjected to it twice in four days, with Newcastle fans chanting about poverty throughout their side’s 3-0 loss at Goodison Park on Thursday and Chelsea fans doing the same on Sunday.
Less than a minute was on the clock before chants began from the away end at the weekend, continuing over the course of the late kickoff.
The work @SFoodbanks do is incredible and, unfortunately, vital in our communities.
Foodbanks up and down the country need all of our support – especially at this time of year.
We are proud of all you do. ??? https://t.co/yNHw1X6Ddd
— Everton (@Everton) December 10, 2023
But every time a rendition of ‘feed the Scousers’ or ‘sign on’ began, the Fans Supporting Foodbanks logo was displayed on the big screen at Goodison Park. “The work Fans Supporting Foodbanks do is incredible and, unfortunately, vital in our communities,” the club later wrote. “Foodbanks up and down the country need all of our support – especially at this time of year. We are proud of all you do.”
Fans Supporting Foodbanks: A Response to Austerity Measures
An initiative founded by Liverpool and Everton supporters in 2015, Fans Supporting Foodbanks began as a response to austerity measures brought in by the Tory government as poverty rates rise not only on Merseyside, but across the UK.
“Feed the Scousers ” “Sign on sign’
A club and its fan base standing together as one. It’s not big or smart to chant about poverty and food insecurity
Another massive collection today, thank you for your genorosity #HungerDoesntWearClubColours #RightToFood pic.twitter.com/hpMYi6G54D
— FANS SUPPORTING FOODBANKS #RightToFood (@SFoodbanks) December 10, 2023
One of its founders, Ian Byrne, was elected as Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby in 2019.