BOSTON — The bagpipes and kilts may be gone, but the trumpets and drums are out in full force as England fans make their way into Boston for the World Cup match in Foxboro.
Monday night, England fans rented out all four floors of The Greatest Bar in the West End to get the party going ahead of Tuesday.
“Pandemonium, insane, and awesome all at the same time,” Daniel Crowley, general manager of The Greatest Bar, said.
Crowley said he anticipated about 400 people filling the bar Monday night. He said the chaos has been constant since the start of the World Cup, bringing an influx of business he’s never seen before.
“Never in my life, never, not even Stanley Cup runs, not even when the Celtics are in the finals, this is the craziest we’ve ever had,” Crolwey said.
England fans said they’re enjoying the experience, too.
“Really cool vibe, can’t help with the weather but it’s just like being at home really,” Matt Hart, a fan from England, said.
“Everyone’s been great so far, we had a lobster roll earlier, Luke’s Lobsters, was it? Yeah, pretty good,” Vincent Nash, another fan from England, said.
But the fans have been surprised by at least one aspect of the trip to the United States so far. “The beer prices... it’s fairly expensive but we know what we’re gonna let ourselves in for for the World Cup, we just like to party,” Shaun Bayliss, an England fan, said.
But can they live up to the reputation Scotland fans leave behind?
“Everybody saw what Scotland did, so that’ll be pretty tough to top,” Crowley said.
“Scotland drinks more... England drinks, but not as much as Scotland does,” Marilyn Israel, a manager at the Greatest Bar, said.
“Scotland thinks they started the party, we’ll finish the party,” Bayliss said
But the English said their rivalry is all in good fun.
It’s all like a sibling rivalry with the Scots and the English, it’s all good-natured banter," Hart said.
“At the end of the day, they’re going home next week, aren’t they,” Paul Bayliss a fan from England, said.
Many of them said they’re already counting on a win on Tuesday and making it all the way to the finals.
“One World Cup, one England, and we’re taking it home, it’s coming home!” Shaun Bayliss said.
England’s match against Ghana on Tuesday starts at 4 p.m. At Boston Stadium.
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