Shocked US tourist planning gentle Thames sight-seeing trip ends up on boat full of 150 boozed up UK football fans

5 hours ago 21

A TOURIST planning a gentle sight-seeing trip on the River Thames boarded a party boat full of boozy football fans by mistake.

American Evan Johnston got on the vessel with 150 Southend United supporters heading to a match.

Large group of Southend United fans posing with a team flag.

US tourist Evan Johnston, in check shirt, thought he was on a Thames sightseeing trip, but he’d accidentally joined 150 football fans heading to a match – who took him along[/caption]

A City Cruises boat tour on the River Thames in London.

Evan had got on a City Cruises craft – but did not realise it had been chartered by Southend United fans heading for a match against fellow National League side Sutton[/caption]

Group of men on a boat party holding drinks.

American student Evan with fans of the Shrimpers on board the cruise boat[/caption]

The student, 21, thought they were all going to see London’s landmarks.

But the Shrimpers fans welcomed Evan — taking him to his first ever match, buying all his drinks and chanting: “Evan is a Shrimper, la la la la.”

Essex side Southend were playing Sutton in South London in a National League clash on Saturday.

The fans hired a party boat from Tower Millennium Pier to Blackfriars Pier to catch a train to the ground.

Evan, from Arizona, said: “I had some suspicions when I was in line behind all of the fans.

“I figured if they checked tickets they’d turn me off. But they didn’t.”

He said he was “rooting for them” after Southend’s 1-1 draw, leaving them a point outside the promotion play-offs with five games left.

The club will make Evan guest of honour at this Saturday’s home fixture against Solihull Moors.

Fan Andy Ward told The Sun: “The next day I messaged Evan. He’d gone on the sightseeing tour he’d planned, and said our boat was a lot better — and his tour was a little quieter.”

The club said: “Full credit to our brilliant supporters.”