Credit: Imago
Credit: Imago

Why are Liverpool fans are named Kopites and the Scousers?

Declan Carr

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior sports journalist with experience at Sports Mole and VAVEL; Masters graduate from Liverpool John Moores University. FOCUS Breaking news, long-form analysis, and club-level insight across the Breaking Media network. THE INSIGHT Declan utilises a network of club and industry contacts to deliver verified, high-speed reporting. He provides the depth behind the headlines — from breaking news to analytical deep-dives — to ensure fans get the full story as it happens.

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Liverpool supporters are one of the most famous sets of fans in the world of sports.

The famous Anfield atmosphere has helped the Reds to a huge amount of success, and has been noted by the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.

It is not just in Liverpool where the club boasts fans, with supporters clubs all around the world and people clambering to Liverpool to get tickets for matches.

Liverpool even have several celebrity supporters, including the likes of Daniel Craig and Lana Del Rey.

Reds supporters are known as Kopites or Scousers, but why is that?

Liverpool Anfield
Reds supporters are amongst the most passionate. (Credit: Imago)

What does the Kopites tag mean?

Kopites refers to The Kop, which is Liverpool's most famous stand.

The Spion Kop is its full name, which refers to a mountain in South Africa, where a battle occurred in the Second Boer War in 1900.

The Kop is one of the largest, most passionate and atmospheric single stands in world football.

The stand is the most lively in the Reds' stadium, and that is where the Kopites' name originates from, supporters who stood on the Kop.

The all-seated Kop, which is required since the Taylor Report in 1990, holds around 12,850 supporters, but still keeps its atmosphere, and the term has become one to describe all Reds fans.

Why are Liverpool fans called Scousers?

A Scouser is someone from the city of Liverpool.

The word scouse comes from a stew that originated in Scandinavia called lobscouse, which was brought to Liverpool by sailors when the city developed into a major port.

  • Liverpool became an industrial powerhouse from the 1700s onwards
  • That brought an influx of people from Scandinavia, Ireland and Wales
  • That is where the 'Scouse' accent comes from, as the city was a melting pot

That stew is now commonly eaten in Liverpool, and is called 'Scouse'.

While people from the city are often called Liverpudlians, Scouser seems to have overtaken that phrase in terms of describing someone from the area.

It is not specifically associated with Liverpool supporters, as Everton fans are also known as scousers, if they are a person from Liverpool.

Scouse is much more than a food now; it is an identity for many people, but it is not exclusive to Reds supporters.

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