You fat B*stard

[Stav]

Where did the phrase 'Who ate all the pies' come from? Did someone actually eat all the pies, and if so, how many and who was it?

[mikewall01]

It probably started as a rugby league chant in the northwest of England where pies are traditionally sold before during and after matches. The chant was, and still is, levelled at anyone appearing to be overweight. Often directed at a player, who is bulky, to whom fans want to express dislike or good humoured heckling. Possible origin was at Wigan RLFC where Wigan folk are known as the pie eaters. This apparently originated in the 1920s when the Wigan miners returned to work after a strike having declared that they would never do so ... thus having to eat "umble pie"

[andjac]

I'm not from Wigan but if I was I'd come looking for you.lol

[hal]

According to publicity blurb outside the Lochinver Larder (NW Scotland) it was Michael Winner. But he only ate three so I think they were lying

[Bigsey123]

apparently it was just a chant sung by friends of the winner in one of those dumb american pie eating contests.

[Jetwriter]

Actually "eating humble pie" is a corruption of "eating ombles pie" where ombles were the offal, sweetmeats and waste cuts of the slaughtered animal, made into pies for the wokers of the house, when the masters ate the best meat. Thus by eating ombles pie one was lowering oneself by a class or two in deference.

[tony_m]

The first time I heard this chant was at West Ham v Coventry City in the early 90s. The ground actually sold out of pies and the chant was aimed at the rather bulky figure of Coventry's Mick Quinn.