With lifted restrictions, many people have found themselves back at football games, slipping back into their personal game rituals.
Football rituals are a series of gestures or actions that are done in the same way at each game with the purpose of bringing luck to the team. These can be anything from wearing a certain pair of socks, to having a lucky pint.
One popular routine that fans carry out is having a pie at the game. This is so popular, that there is now a website dedicated to the rating of pies at football games (pierate.co.uk). Pierate’s Football Pie League has over 600 pie reviews, and has been ranking them since 2009.
It is unsurprising that many fans have since enjoyed carrying out their own ratings when watching a game. I spoke to Edward Stone, a 22-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers fan about his Instagram, where he reviews pies at each game that he attends with his family and friends. Ed has over 2,000 followers and regularly posts on his story about football.
What is your purpose of pie rating?
“The purpose is to find out what football team serve the best pie in their stadiums, and then to let everyone know which that is. I am saving people from wasting their time ordering a pie that isn’t worth the money.”
And what are the pies rated on?
“I rate them overall, but also by the temperature, taste and value for money.”
What would be a reasonable price for a pie at a football game?
“An average price, I would say, is about £4.50, but I am willing to pay more for a good quality pie.”
How did this begin for you?
“It began because we would always get a pie at the games and some of them were so bad that I couldn’t help but compare them to the others. So, I thought I’d share these beautiful flavours with my followers. I mean, who doesn’t love a pie?”
Where was the worst pie you’ve had?
“It has got to be Villa Park. The pie there was absolutely horrible.”
Do you get much feedback from your ratings?
“I get a fair few replies to my stories. It is mainly people telling me that they are loving the work and that they are looking forward to the next one. I would say about 10 people on average reply to each story. I have been called ‘Pie Guy’ a few times now and I love it.”
So, what is the criteria for a good pie in your eyes?
“A good pie has to involve a solid, flakey pastry, one hundred percent. You want to be able to easily break it with the spork so you get that fire combination of pastry and filling. For me, the packaging is key, too. You don’t want it to be in a piping hot tin with no cardboard tray to eat it in because it is too much to juggle. It needs to be a good temperature - not too hot. And it needs to be packed with a good amount of filling - not too shy.”
Do you carry out the reviews at every game you go to?
“It is mostly at away games, as I have already rated the pies at home. If I have had a few beers, then I have been known to forget to do a review, but I try my best to keep the reviews flowing and keep the followers happy.”
Where would you say your top three pies were from?
“It has got to be Wembley first, then Elland Road in Leeds and of course, Wolves in third place. Wolves had to be in at least the top three otherwise I’d be an awful fan.”
By Arabella Gennard Gardner
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