Whether you call it a chant, an anthem, or just organized chaos, the art of the team chant is part of the fabric of international soccer for fans. For Charlotte Tate’s family, who are transplants to North Texas from England, it’s more than tradition; it’s part of their history. “My dad ope ned his first pub in Dallas in the early 1990’s on Greenville Avenue. It was called the London Tavern,” Tate said. “The rest of the family moved here in 1994 [from England].” Ironically, that was the last year Dallas hosted a FIFA World Cup. “It’s crazy because that year people were just handing out tickets for free, which is unimaginable this year,” Tate said. The family now owns The Londoner Pub, which has several locations across North Texas. Tate said it’s a destination for English soccer fans to watch their favorite teams from across the pond. She and her family are especially excited for the World Cup this summer, as England will be one of eight teams featured in group stage matches at ATT Stadium. “You come in here, and you hear people screaming and chanting. Standing shoulder to shoulder with each other while they are watching the matches. I just love watching people teach the Americans the anthems and the chants. It just helps to bring people together in here,” Tate said. Like many fans, she wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly where the soccer team chant originated, but she knows the importance, although she doesn’t understand why some of them are picked. “Like the Neil Diamond song, ‘Sweet Caroline’, is one of the ones that English fans sing. But I have no idea why. He’s American. I feel like we could have picked someone English, like Queen. I mean, there are a few options. But yea, we don’t question it, we just do it,” Tate said. It was something that University of Texas-Arlington professor and British historian Dr. Arunima Datta was able to speak to. “The chants started in the 1800’s in England. The chants were very much heavily informed by church hymns or war cries because at this time in England, they had already experienced a lot of wars,” Dr. Datta said. “Chants become the only platform where people can express their silenced emotions, opinions and tactical expression of dissent over heavy surveillance.” Datta said the in-game rituals, even here stateside, have become a language all their own. “I mean, at some point in our lives, how many of us have sang ‘Ole Ole Ole’? Chants all over the world kind of bring in melody, humor, sarcasm id creation… but it’s also a medium of personal expression,” Datta said. That personal expression breeds a sense of togetherness. The very thing Tate said she notices every time a game is on the screens in The Londoner Pub. And when the fans get going on those chants, that’s when the organized chaos begins. “Let’s just say I have people in here with their feet up on the furniture, and some necessary repairs have to be made sometimes. But everyone here has a good time. We usually look the other way when people are really getting into it. Sometimes, there is even the occasional spraying beer on the ceiling when their team scores,” Tate said. She said cleanup is a necessary evil to see how it all brings people together. Especially considering England is playing in North Texas during group play. “It’s the atmosphere that it brings. The sense of camaraderie with everyone,” Tate said. The Londoner will host watch parties throughout the World Cup, especially when England faces Croatia on June 17 at ATT Stadium (Dallas Stadium). Tate said she is looking forward to the rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final when Croatia beat England 2-1 in overtime. It ended England’s road that would have been their first World Cup final in 60 years. ...read more read less